Diamond Sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii)
By Graham Quick & Terry White
The Diamond Sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) is often sold as a hybrid but is a true species. It is the most popular sturgeon seen for sale but is really not suitable for small ponds. It can reach 2.3m and 110kg in the wild but 1.25m and 15kg is nearer the mark in ponds. It grows very quickly, only second in growth rate to the Beluga. The Diamond Sturgeon is very pretty when small but often loses its white pattern to become a grey/black colour.
The Diamond Sturgeon does not tolerate low oxygen or temperatures over 25C very well at all. Extra oxygenation in the summer months is essential. Diamond Sturgeons do not tolerate strong treatments such as formalin.
The blunt rounded nose distinguishes it from other species (there is a variety now appearing for sale with a pointed nose, which comes from Germany). A poor fish when under 20cm in length as it can suffer from a virus, so only buy larger specimens. Due to its growth rate it must be fed good quality sturgeon food as it suffers very quickly from malnutrition.
Videos of Diamond Sturgeons (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii)
The growth rate is dependent on food quality and temperature but when young they can grow very fast, putting on 10 - 12 inches (25 - 30 cm) or more in length over a year, given the right food and environment. The growth rate slows down once the fish has reached about 3ft in length, when it starts to fill out.
Recommended Pond Size
The Diamond Sturgeon is a large impressive fish that will quickly outgrow smaller ponds of 2,000 - 3,000 gallons (9,000 - 13,500 litres) that the Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus), with their slower growth rate, would do well in for longer. They may be kept in a pond of 3,000 - 6,000 gallons (13,500 - 27,000 litres) for some time but a pond of 6,000 - 8,000 gallons (27,000 - 36,500 litres) or more is recommended if you want to keep Diamond Sturgeons into maturity.
Many larger Diamond Sturgeons are now being sold privately due to them outgrowing their current ponds.
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A Picture supplied by Igor Maslyuk.
Taxonomy
Links: Encyclopedia of Life | FAO Species Fact Sheet | Fishbase | ITIS | Pond Life | World Register of Marine Species
Common Names: Azov-Black Sea Sturgeon, Danube Sturgeon, Diamond Sturgeon, Diamondback Sturgeon, Kura sturgeon, Osetr, Russian sturgeon