Growth and Survival of First-Feeding and Fingerling Atlantic Sturgeon under Culture Conditions

Abstract

Abstract We performed rearing studies with first-feeding fry and fingerling Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus produced from streamside spawning of wild Hudson River adults. In all, 20,000 larvae were reared in 54-L circular tanks at initial densities of 3.7–29.6 fish/L (0.06–0.52 g/L). At the onset of exogenous feeding, diet treatments included live brine shrimp Artemia sp., frozen brine shrimp, or commercially formulated Biokyowa B-250. At the end of the 26-d study, all treatments but two had survival greater than 93%. Mean specific growth rate (SGR) was inversely proportional to fish density. Fish fed frozen brine shrimp were smaller but had equivalent survival to those fed live brine shrimp. Atlantic sturgeon converted to formulated feed with less than 25% mortality at mean total length and weight of 34.5 mm and 0.18 g in 20–26 d at initial stocking densities of 7.4 fish/L or less. A subsequent study was performed with fingerlings at densities of 0.37–2.22 g/L. These fingerlings were of...