how about a sturgeon?

[fishcatch22]

hey, all.... next october, I was thinking about spending my PFD (permanent fund dividend, an act that shares a bit of AK's enormous wealth with it's residents, and sends you a nice 800-1000 dollar check every october. yeah, i know!) on a white sturgeon, because I think they are very neat, different fish, and it might be neat to try one in the aquarium. now, the one I want can get to 3-4 feet in length, but due to the growth rate, it'd take it 30 years to reach that size. what I was thinking of doing is starting it out in a 70G, then moving him to a 150G once he get's to about a foot long,(could take 8-10 years) then after that getting him a 300G for life once he tops 2 feet (again, could take 10-12 years). sturgeons are inactive fish, and several sources have said that this would be adequate for life.

 

[Ghost_knife]

I wouldnt...they have a Mortality rate that says leave me in the wild

 

[fishcatch22]

they are farm raised.

 

[TKOS]

Fish that reach 3-4 feet in length should be left to to ponds, and rather large ones at that. Even as a slow grower, the possiblity of stunting and reducing this fish's life span is way too probable.

 

[drgold]

it would probably get to over a foot long in under a year. Just because it takes 30 years to get to full size, doesn't mean that grows in even increments. Most fish shoot out to a reasonable size, and then spend the rest of their life getting slightly longer/fatter.

And correct me if I'm wrong, but don't white sturgeon get 10ft+? I've seen columlbia river specimens over 2000 pounds. You might have a different species, but I would double check. Either way, bad idea. Sturgeon have no place in aquaria because of their eventual size and habit of roaming/foraging. If you want a native bottom dweller, get a bullhead.

 

[fishcatch22]

I was going on this:http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=2533
they are my dream fish, I really want one! is that the one that gets 10' long? they are not from the wild, they are farm raised. i'm not looking for native fish. i just want a sturgeon.you know, they are coldwater fish... if I made a pond deep enough and big enough, perhaps I could keep one in a pond outside.

 

[drgold]

white sturgeon are something different, and do get huge. These appear to be sterlet, which do not get as big. HOWEVER, a 4ft. fish in captivity requires a tank that is at least 8ft. wide and 12 ft. long. (going by the planetcatfish peep's rules). There is virtually no way to make that happen for $800. And telling yourself that it's a slow grower and will be OK in a small tank is foolish and irresponsible.

I would pass, for the sake of the animal, but it's ultimately up to you. It appears that people do house these things, but few recommend that they do so.

 

[fishcatch22]

no, I wouldn't do that....if I ever move somewhere a bit warmer, but still temperate, and I have to room, i'll build a nice big pond and get one.

 

[drgold]

they're a coldwater species and it says they don't like to be above 74F. that would be tough to accomplish in a pond that can get heated by the ambient temp. or by the sun quickly because it is shallow. A deep pond would be great, but you'll never see the fish.

But yeah, pond and not aquarium for that guy.

 

[fishcatch22]

they're a coldwater species and it says they don't like to be above 74F. that would be tough to accomplish in a pond that can get heated by the ambient temp. or by the sun quickly because it is shallow. A deep pond would be great, but you'll never see the fish.

But yeah, pond and not aquarium for that guy.

I live in alaska, and it never gets warmer then around 74 degrees here. i could build the pond in a shady spot, ect, and get a heater to make sure it doesn't freeze too soild in winter (quite a feat, it gets in to single digit range here, but rarely below zero.) if I try, i could keep one. tell me how I could keep one, not how I could not keep one.