Sterlet fish. Sterlet lifestyle and habitat

Sturgeon is a fish that belongs to the class ray-finned fish, subclass cartilaginous ganoids, order sturgeon, suborder sturgeon, family sturgeon, subfamily sturgeon, genus sturgeon (lat. Acipenser).

International scientific name: Acipenser, Linnaeus, 1758 .

Sturgeon fry feed primarily on zooplankton (daphnia, cyclops and bosmina), but are capable of eating very small crustaceans and worms. Juveniles eat insect larvae, small shrimp and crustaceans. In the stomachs of the fry, many inedible particles are often found, probably absorbed from the muddy deposits.

During the breeding season and after spawning, the sturgeon practically stops eating or switches to a plant diet, but within a month the fish’s appetite is restored, and they go back to fattening.

Classification of sturgeons.

According to the fishbase.org database, there are 17 species of sturgeon (data from 10/2016):

Acipenser baerii – Siberian sturgeon;
Acipenser brevirostrum – Blunt sturgeon;
Acipenser dabryanus – Korean sturgeon;
Acipenser fulvescens – Lake sturgeon;
Acipenser gueldenstaedtii – Russian sturgeon;
Acipenser medirostris – Green sturgeon (Pacific);
Acipenser mikadoi – Sakhalin sturgeon;
Acipenser naccarii – Adriatic sturgeon;
Acipenser nudiventris – Thorn;
Acipenser oxyrinchus – American Atlantic sturgeon;
Acipenser persicus – Persian sturgeon;
Acipenser ruthenus – Sterlet;
Acipenser schrenckii – Amur sturgeon;
Acipenser sinensis – Chinese sturgeon;
Acipenser stellatus – Stellate sturgeon;
Acipenser sturio – Atlantic sturgeon;
Acipenser transmontanus – White sturgeon.

Fossil species of sturgeon:

Acipenser albertensis † - Campanian stage of the Upper Cretaceous - early Paleocene 83.5-61.7 million years ago
Acipenser eruciferus † - Campanian - Maastrichtian stages of the Upper Cretaceous 83.5-65.5 million years ago
Acipenser molassicus†
Acipenser ornatus†
Acipenser toliapicus † - Lutetian stage of the Eocene 48.6-40.4 million years ago, Europe and northern Asia
Acipenser tuberculosus†

Types of sturgeon, photos and names.

The sturgeon genus includes 17 species of fish, most of which are listed in the Red Book with the status of critically endangered. Below is a description of some types.

Siberian sturgeon(lat.Acipenser baerii) - a large fish up to 2 meters long. Sturgeon weighs up to 210 kg. Within the species, there are 2 varieties: sharp-snouted and blunt-snouted (regular) individuals. The general population of Siberian sturgeon is divided into freshwater and semi-anadromous forms, which inhabit the Siberian rivers from the Ob to the Kolyma, and also live in Lake Baikal and in eastern Kazakhstan in Lake Zaisan. Initially, the Siberian sturgeon species was divided into 4 subspecies:
- Yakut sturgeon sturgeon (lat. Acipenser baerii chatys, Drjagin, 1948), called khatys, which lives in Khatanga, Lena, Yana and Indigirka,
- Baikal sturgeon (lat. Acipenser baerii baicalensis, Nikolskii, 1896), inhabiting Lake Baikal and having a similar morphology to the North American sturgeon,
- East Siberian (long-snouted) sturgeon (lat. Acipenser baerii stenorrhynchus, Nikolskii, 1896);
- West Siberian sturgeon (lat. Acipenser baerii baerii, Brandt, 1869).

At the end of the 20th century, scientists proved that there are no significant differences between these subspecies, and the division became unacceptable. The diet of the Siberian sturgeon includes amphipods, insect larvae (mainly caddisflies and mosquitoes), as well as mollusks and various types small fish, especially juvenile Baikal broadhead. The Siberian sturgeon interbreeds freely with the Siberian sterlet, and their offspring are called koster. The Siberian sturgeon differs from the sterlet in the smaller number of lateral bugs (up to 50). The difference from Russian sturgeon is that it has Siberian species fan-shaped gill rakers and a sharper snout in some individuals.

Taken from the site: www.rybarskyrozcestnik.cz

White sturgeon(lat. Acipenser transmontanus) is a very large species of sturgeon, second in size only to beluga and kaluga, and also the largest North American fish. Security status: Least concern. The unofficial name of the fish is California white sturgeon. The fish has a fairly slender body, and the length of the largest sturgeon was 6.1 m with a mass of 816 kg, although average weight sturgeon usually does not exceed 10-20 kg. The dorsal row contains from 11 to 14 scutes, the lateral rows consist of 38-48, the ventral scutes range from 9 to 12. The back and side surfaces colored in grayish, light olive or grayish-brown shades, the belly and underside of the head are white. The sturgeon feeds on numerous mollusks, various crustaceans, lampreys and fish, including smelt. The white sturgeon is an anadromous fish that lives in the Pacific waters off the western coast. North America from the Aleutian Islands, located in the subarctic zone, to the state of California. Spawning grounds are located in brackish river mouths; some individuals travel far up into fresh waters. Regular migrations into rivers for these fish are not necessarily associated with spawning. The most numerous populations of California sturgeon are found off the coast and in inland waters of Washington and Oregon states, southwest Alaska, California's San Francisco Bay, and the deltas of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. Dams built on the Columbia and Snake rivers isolated part of the population in the river, and over time the fish acquired a freshwater form.

Russian sturgeon(lat. Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) - one of the very first objects of artificial breeding, which has a high value throughout the world for the exceptional gastronomic qualities of meat and caviar. Conservation status: critically endangered. It has a walk-through and residential form. The Russian sturgeon differs from other sturgeons by its blunt, short snout and antennae, which grow not near the mouth, but closer to the end of the snout. Maximum length an adult Russian sturgeon is 2.36 m with a weight of 115 kg, but usually the weight of a sturgeon does not exceed 12-24 kg. The average length is 1.45 m. The Russian sturgeon has a grayish-brown back, gray sides with a yellow tint and a whitish belly. The dorsal row usually contains from 9 to 18 bugs, the lateral rows from 30 to 50, and the ventral rows no more than 7-12. Depending on the habitat, the diet of representatives of the species consists of amphipods (amphipods), mysids and worms. The fish diet includes sprat, herring, mullet and shemaya. IN natural conditions Russian sturgeon produces hybrid offspring with beluga, sterlet, stellate sturgeon and thorn. Russian sturgeon is found in almost all major waterways Russia. The main habitat of sturgeon is the basins of the Caspian, Black and Azov seas. Russian sturgeon goes to spawn in the Volga, Terek, Don, Kuban, Samur, Dnieper, Danube, Rioni, Mzymta, Psou and other rivers.

Amur sturgeon, aka Schrenk's sturgeon(lat.Acipenser schrenckii, Acipenser multiscutatus) forms freshwater (residential) and semi-anadromous forms, which are considered close relatives of the Siberian sturgeon. But, unlike the Siberian sturgeon, Amur species The gill rakers are not fan-shaped, but smooth and have one apex. Conservation status: critically endangered. The Amur sturgeon reaches 3 meters in length with a body weight of about 190 kg, but the average weight of a sturgeon usually does not exceed 56-80 kg. Representatives of the species have a pointed, elongated snout, which can be up to half the length of the head. The dorsal rows of the sturgeon contain from 11 to 17 bugs, the lateral rows from 32 to 47, the abdominal rows from 7 to 14. Amur sturgeons eat caddis and mayfly larvae, various crustaceans, lamprey larvae and small fish. The sturgeon lives in the Amur River basin, from the lower reaches and above, to Shilka and Argun; during the breeding season, schools go up the river to the Nikolaevsk-on-Amur region.

Atlantic sturgeon(lat. Acipenser sturios) is a very large representative of the genus, the maximum size of which can reach 6 meters. The maximum recorded weight of the fish is 400 kg. The bugs of the Atlantic sturgeon are much larger than those of other sturgeons, and on the tail there are 3 pairs of large fused scutes. On the back of the sturgeon, oblique rows of small diamond-shaped plaques and from 9 to 16 large light bugs are clearly visible. The lateral rows contain from 24 to 40 scutes, on the belly from 8 to 14. The back of the fish is grayish-olive in color, the sides are much lighter, the belly is white. Sturgeon food includes small fish (anchovies and sand lance), as well as worms, crustaceans and mollusks. Initially, the Atlantic sturgeon was found off the coast of Europe in the Baltic, North, Mediterranean and Black Seas, as well as off the North American coast from Hudson Bay to South Carolina. Schools of fish went to spawn in the rivers Svir, Volkhov, Elbe, Oder, and Danube. Despite its impressive historical range, the Atlantic sturgeon is critically endangered and has been virtually extirpated in most areas. Currently, the Atlantic sturgeon is found only in the Black Sea and the Bay of Biscay, where no more than 300 individuals live. According to foreign sources, a small number of Atlantic sturgeon are found only in the Garonne River in France.

Taken from: itsnature.org

Lake sturgeon(lat. Acipenser fulvescens) is a large representative of the genus, biologically close to the blunt-nosed sturgeon. The maximum recorded length of adult fish is 2.74 m with a body weight of 125 kg. The body is colored black with gray or greenish-brown, the belly is white or yellowish. Basically, lake sturgeon feed on all kinds of bottom organisms; fish is consumed to a lesser extent. The lake sturgeon is a North American and Canadian resident that lives in the Great Lakes system, Lake Winnipeg, and the Mississippi, Saskatchewan and St. Lawrence river basins. Conservation status: Least Concern.

Sakhalin sturgeon(lat. Acipenser mikadoi) is the rarest and rather poorly studied species, biologically identical to the green (Pacific) sturgeon. The average length of adult specimens reaches 1.5-1.7 m with a weight of 35-45 kg, the largest individuals grow up to 2 m in length and weigh about 60 kg. Adults are distinguished by a large, blunt snout. The color of the Sakhalin sturgeon is greenish-olive, there are from 8 to 10 bugs on the back, from 27 to 31 on the sides, from 6 to 8 on the belly. The food of the Sakhalin sturgeon consists of various inhabitants of the muddy bottom: snails and other mollusks, insect larvae, small shrimp, crustaceans, and small fish. The species' range covers the cold waters of the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk and the Strait of Tatar; the fish goes to the Tumnin River in the Khabarovsk Territory to spawn.

Taken from the site: www.ichthyo.ru

Persian sturgeon, aka South Caspian or Kura sturgeon(lat. Acipenser persicus) - passage view, close relative Russian sturgeon. It is on the verge of extinction. The maximum size of a sturgeon is 2.42 m and weighs 70 kg. Representatives of the species have a large, long, slightly curved snout and a gray-blue back, blue sides with a metallic tint. The Persian sturgeon also differs from other species in having fewer bugs in each row. The diet of the South Caspian sturgeon consists mainly of benthos and small fish. The natural habitat of the fish is the middle and southern regions of the Caspian Sea; a small proportion of the population inhabits northern regions Caspian Sea and is found in Black Sea coast. The main spawning grounds are located in the Volga, Ural, Kura, Inguri and Rioni rivers.

Sterlet (lat. Acipenser ruthenus) - a medium-sized representative of the sturgeon genus, differs from other sturgeons by early puberty: males are ready for reproduction at the age of 4-5 years, females at 7-8 years. Another difference between the sterlet and other sturgeons is its fringed antennae and a large number of lateral bugs: usually more than 50 of them. The sterlet is freshwater fish, but there are a small number of semi-passive forms. The maximum length of a sterlet reaches 1.25 m, and its weight does not exceed 16 kg. The average size is 40-60 cm. Sterlet can be sharp-snouted or blunt-snouted, and its color varies from brown with gray to brown, its belly is white with yellowish tint. Most of the sterlet's diet consists of insect larvae, leeches and other benthic organisms; fish is eaten to a lesser extent. A valuable hybrid form of sterlet and beluga, bester, is a popular object of economic cultivation. The natural habitat of the sterlet is in the rivers of the Caspian, Black, Azov and Baltic seas, found in rivers such as the Dnieper, Don, Yenisei, Ob, Irtysh, Volga with its tributaries, Kuban, Sura, Ural, upper and middle Kama, and was previously also found in Lakes Ladoga and Onega. Some of the population was moved to the Neman, Western Dvina, Pechora, Onega, Amur, Mezen, Oka and a number of artificial reservoirs, although the fish did not take root everywhere. Conservation status: vulnerable species.

Stellate sturgeon(lat. Acipenser stellatus) is an anadromous species of sturgeon, closely related to sterlet and sturgeon. Sevruga is a large fish, reaching a length of 2.2 m and weighing about 80 kg. The stellate sturgeon has an elongated, narrow, slightly flattened snout, accounting for up to 65% of the length of the head. The rows of dorsal bugs contain from 11 to 14 elements, in the lateral rows there are from 30 to 36, on the belly from 10 to 11. The surface of the back is black-brown in color, the sides are much lighter, the belly is usually white. The diet of the stellate sturgeon consists of crustaceans and mysids, various worms, as well as small species of fish. Stellate sturgeon lives in the basins of the Caspian, Azov and Black seas; sometimes fish are found in the Adriatic and Aegean seas. During the breeding season, the sturgeon goes to the Volga, Ural, Kura, Kuban, Don, Dnieper, Southern Bug, Inguri and Kodori.

“If you come to a large chain store and see that sturgeon is sold there, then know that it can be either sturgeon, sterlet or bester - a cross between beluga and sterlet. But these are all one sturgeon family. All these fish have the same structure - and they are also processed in the same way. Only the sterlet is smaller than the sturgeon; the average adult weighs on average up to 2.5 kilograms and reaches 60 centimeters in length. However, this is the kind of fish we need, no more: for a fish to fit in an average oven, it must weigh one and a half to two kilograms.

Both sturgeon and sterlet are covered on the outside with a layer of mucus, which is very difficult to remove - this is thick gray-black snot. If you try to simply wash away the mucus, you will not succeed. Therefore, it is best to first pour boiling water over the fish, and then walk over it with a sponge with an abrasive surface. However, there are people who like to cook sterlet fish soup with mucus and believe that it gives the main flavor to the soup.

Most often, sturgeon and sterlet are sold gutted, because, of course, if it is a mature fish, it may contain black caviar and no one will want to part with it for the price of the fish. If the fish is not gutted, it’s okay: gutting sturgeon is easy, everything is the same as with any other fish.

The viziga is removed as follows: a longitudinal incision about five centimeters long is made on the side of the gutted belly. The main thing is to pick up the vizig in this section (it is immediately visible: a white cartilaginous tourniquet) and pull out a small section of it. Pierce the vizig with a fork, pick it up and pull it out of the chord, like a worm, very carefully, smoothly and slowly.

Then the belly of the fish will need to be cleaned of films and amber-colored fatty layers. Some fans add this fat, say, to the ear, but not everyone likes the rather pungent taste and smell of sturgeon fat.

It will not be possible to open the gills: the sturgeon has a very hard skull - and they are located like a shark. But it only seems that it is difficult to remove them; in fact, everything is simple: cut and pull out.

The surface of the sturgeon is not covered with scales, but with bone growths called bugs. These bugs are something like an exoskeleton, because the sturgeon also has no bones: only a notochord inside and five rows of bone growths-bugs outside. The bugs follow each other without touching: one chain goes along the ridge and two on the sides near the belly. When cut, they look like a five-pointed star. In addition to the five rows of bugs, the sturgeon’s skin also contains small bone growths: if you touch the fish from above, it seems as if you are rubbing sandpaper. What to do with these bugs? If it is a large sturgeon, then they need to be cut off. And if it is a small sterlet, you need to pour boiling water over it and scrape off the bugs with a knife, they easily bounce off. But you need to be careful with the knife: do not leave cuts on the skin, because it can then peel off unsightly.

We cleaned off the mucus, removed the gills and vizig, cut off or washed off the bugs: this completed the preparation of the fish. Next, dry the sturgeon with a paper or cloth towel. Then salt and pepper - outside and inside. Keep in mind: if you have a thick sturgeon, then even if you cover it with a thick layer of salt, it will still not be salted - you will have to first salt it in the solution for several days.

I’ll tell you about two ways to bake whole sturgeon or sterlet. First: just brush the fish with oil and bake until done. The second way is more interesting and elegant - when it is baked, poured with champagne or white wine.

They do it like this. Place sturgeon or sterlet in a deep tray. You can put onions, herbs and white roots - parsley, celery, parsnips - into the belly of the fish. Parsley root is preferable. Fennel goes especially well with sturgeon. Since we will not eat these roots and we only need them to give a certain flavor to the sturgeon and the broth in which it will be partially contained, you can add them by eye: one or two roots. But if you have celery root - and it is huge, then half is enough: just cut into large bars and put it in your belly. With fennel it’s a little different - you can put it inside and cover the outside of the sturgeon with it. After all this, the fish must be poured with a bottle of champagne or a bottle of dry white wine, so that it is one third or half covered with wine. You can put it there, in the wine. onions or leeks, carrots, turnips, allspice and bay leaf. Maybe a little fresh ginger. This mixture of wine, white roots, vegetables and herbs flavors the fish, and then you can use the remaining stock base to make a sauce. You won’t recognize the difference between champagne and just white wine in the taste of the fish, but based on champagne you can then make a champagne sauce, which really turns out more interesting than a sauce made from just dry white wine.

Place the sturgeon in an oven preheated to 170 degrees and baste with wine mixed with the released fish juice every 5-10 minutes. Sterlet should be baked for about 20 minutes, sturgeon is denser, it will take a little more time, maybe 25 minutes. I advise keeping the fish in the oven longer - after 20 minutes in the oven it begins to boil and move off the frame. (However, this does not affect the taste.)

Sturgeon is good to serve with fresh or boiled vegetables, rice, or buckwheat porridge. Or you can top it with boiled crayfish, especially if you are going to serve the fish on a long elongated stainless steel dish. Once upon a time, sturgeon was sprinkled with black caviar on top.

The remaining broth can be evaporated, cream added to it by two-thirds, evaporated again until thickened - and that’s it, the sauce is ready. They can either be poured over the top of the fish or served separately.”

Alexander Popov, chef of the Volna restaurant:

“When you buy fish, it is important to inspect it first - the eyes should not be cloudy, the gills should be bright red. Dark gills indicate that the fish has been lying around for a long time and is probably already spoiled. In addition, if a fish lies gutted on ice, this can often mean that it died a natural death and now they want to quickly sell it.

Bring the sturgeon home, gut it and remove the gills. Next you need to draw out the vizig. You can do this through the incised cartilage using tweezers, a fork or pliers; When pulling, try not to tear it, do not pull too hard - otherwise you will have to rip the entire fish from head to tail. If there are five centimeters of vizigi left in the tail, it’s okay.

The last stage of preparation - slightly cut the skin from the tail along the ridge to the upper bug at the junction of the body and head sharp knife or scissors.

Once the fish has been prepared, it can be marinated for a short time. Pour the juice of half a lemon or dry white wine over it, put 20 grams of dill branches inside, which you first crush a little with a masher, coat with salt and pepper and leave it all for 40 minutes.

Then the marinated sturgeon can be baked. First, place foil on a baking sheet, then parchment, and then fish on top. If the sturgeon is large and does not fit into the oven, roll it into a ring, tucking the tail into the head. Next to the fish you can put coarsely chopped onions, half a carrot and a clove of garlic. You can pour wine over the sturgeon and cover the top with foil - but not tightly, not wrap it in foil, but cover it, as it were, pinching the bottom and top layers of foil on the sides so that air remains inside. In this form, bake the sturgeon at a temperature of 190–200 degrees in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. During these 15 minutes, the fish will be steamed with white wine and filled with vegetables. Then unfold it, separate it from the paper and foil, brush with melted butter. butter, then put it back in the oven for 10 minutes, without covering it with anything, so that it gets colored.

When the sturgeon is cooked, use a fork or tweezers to slightly pick up the skin in the place where it is cut and pull - the skin can be easily removed with a stocking. And then it will be possible to serve sturgeon without skin on the table - but with a ridge and recognizable five rows of thorns-bugs for beauty.

Sturgeon can be served with rice and vegetables, or with boiled potatoes, dill and butter, or you can cook thin noodles, the ones rolled into balls and called “angel hair.” Boil these noodles well in water, to which the juice from one medium beet is added so that the paste is pink.

In addition, sturgeon can be stuffed. At first everything is the same: clean and marinate, and then you need to do the following. Take 250 grams of pike perch, 100 grams of salmon, 100 grams of onions sautéed in butter and a handful of pistachios. Pass all this through a meat grinder, add one egg and 50 to 100 grams of cream. Season the fish with this minced meat. Half a kilo is enough, don’t take more, otherwise the sturgeon will tear apart. It is better to cook such stuffed fish in a wide pan, wrapped in film and rolled into a ring. Cook for an hour until the fish is completely covered with water. Only here during cooking there is important nuances: you need to put the fish in a boiling broth, where onions, carrots, garlic, parsley are already boiled, but then, when the fish is in the broth, this water should not boil: the temperature should not be lower than 80 and not higher than 90 degrees.”

Sterlet fish is a type of sturgeon. It has its own characteristics and differences from others. It is considered a delicacy and has exquisite taste.

Sterlet differs from other varieties of sturgeon in appearance. The length of an adult individual is on average from 40 to 60 centimeters. Weight up to 2 kilograms, but there are also large specimens up to 6-7 kilograms. Characteristics:

fusiform body
long narrow nose,
the lower part of the mouth is extended,
lower lip bifid,
the mustache is long and fringed,
a large number of side shields (50-70 pieces).

Individuals of this species with a sharp or blunt snout are rarely found. Instead of a scaly covering, the sterlet has bony scutes. They cover the body of the fish in five rows: one along the back, two on the sides and two on the edges of the belly. The arrangement of the scutes is longitudinal. The rest of the cover is bare or with small scutes of various shapes. The head is also covered with bony scutes.

Sturgeon varieties of sterlet can be different in color, it all depends on their habitat. Usually these are shades of gray, brown, yellowish. The fins and back are darker than the ventral part.

The age of maturation for males is 4-5 years of age. Females - for 6-7 years. The weight of the sterlet at this moment is about 3 kilograms. There is a variety of Siberian sterlet in which sexual maturation occurs 1-2 years later than the usual European species.

Photo 1. Beauty and elegance!

Habitats and behavior

Sterlet river fish. Hides in deep places almost at the bottom. Does not live in shallow rivers. It can swim into shallow waters only in search of food. For the same purpose, it swims to the surface in the evenings or at night. Known for its "candles" - when it jumps out of the water to catch insects in its mouth. Sterlet is found in swimming pools:

Volga,
Yenisei,
Kama,
Danube,
Ural,
Lake Ladoga,
Lake Onega.

Attention! The fish lives where there is a sandy bottom and especially loves red river sand. It is also found in places with a cartilaginous bottom.

The sterlet chooses fast-flowing, cold and clean rivers; it also lives in clean lakes. Avoids slow, silty bodies of water. He likes to “crawl” along the bottom, moving at a short distance from it (10-15 centimeters).

In winter, sterlet lies in the deepest places at 15-20 meters. Large groups fish hide in bottom holes and remain there almost motionless all winter. The fish chooses such shelters in the lower reaches of rivers; it is almost never found in the upper parts of reservoirs during the cold season.

This species is characterized by a gregarious lifestyle. From hibernation schools emerge after the river opens up and the water stays. The schools are large, the younger the fish, the more numerous the school of fish.

When fishing with nets, they are installed almost along the bottom. The leashes are attached no higher than 30 centimeters from the bottom, sometimes they are lowered directly onto it. In places with fast current use networks with checkers. If the bottom is rocky, the hooks are raised, otherwise they may be damaged by the stones.

The best time for fishing for sterlet is from late spring to early autumn. Active biting time is night. In rare cases, you can catch it during the day, and even in winter. It is better to go fishing where the bottom is sandy and gristly.

Important! Sterlet fishing during the period after spawning (late May - early June) is the most successful. At this time, she fattens up and is caught at any time of the day. Fishing for sterlet at a later time is only possible after dark and before dawn.

The fish does not feel pain and does not offer much resistance when hooked. Therefore, you can use a cheap rod and reel. She almost never gets off the hook. The sterlet bites briefly and confidently. She is tenacious and can remain without water for a long time. In autumn, it can lie in the grass from night until morning and not die.

Advice! When removing a fish, it is important to remember its scutes. They hurt easily. Because of them, you should not choose a long and thin leash, as it can get tangled or break on its thorns.

Almost all regions have the same rules, subject to which sterlet fishing is permitted:

10 individuals in 2 days according to the license.
You cannot catch fish weighing less than 250 grams and less than 31 centimeters in length.
You can use five hooks (5 hooks each).
It is allowed to catch sterlet with two or one bottom net (up to 25 centimeters).

It is better to think about a license in advance, long before the start of the season, the average period of which is from mid-July to the first half of September.

A variety of sterlet - bester

Bester – sterlet crossed. The species was bred artificially in 1952 in a Saratov nursery. Bred for trading purposes. The main quality of the hybrid is the combination of the rapid growth of the beluga and the early puberty of the sterlet.

External features:

Varieties of color: from light gray to black, from light brown to dark brown with a yellow tint.
The intermediate shape of the mouth is transverse from the sterlet, and semilunar from the beluga.
Bone bugs are arranged in 5 rows.
The snout is rounded.

Photo 3. Bester in person.

Bester is fertile - up to 300 thousand eggs. Unlike sterlet, it is less capricious to the salinity of water. Can live in water with a salt content of up to 18%. Has two related species:

Sterling bester,
Beluga bester.

The beluga bester reaches a weight of up to 63 kilograms and a length of up to 230 centimeters. Its spawning can consist of up to 500 thousand eggs. The sterlet bester grows to a maximum height of 110 centimeters and 10 kilograms. Lays up to 100 thousand eggs. The sterlet species matures at the same age as the common sterlet. Beluga is 5-7 years later.

Bester is bred exclusively under artificial conditions. Like other types of sturgeon, it is considered a delicacy and has a delicate, special taste.

Sturgeon and sterlet - the differences between these fish are insignificant, since they belong to the large sturgeon family, it includes 19 species, which includes the favorite of all gourmets - the sterlet. In Rus', these fish were considered royal, and this delicacy was a rather private treat at any feast. Under Peter the Great, sterlet breeding was established in Peterhof. They have not lost demand in the modern world either. These majestic, sought-after fish will grace any table. They have certain differences.

How do sturgeon and sterlet differ in appearance? Differences in magnitude are the first main criterion. Sterlet is considered the smallest in this family. In average individuals, the length can be up to sixty centimeters. They weigh from one to two kilograms. Male sterlet matures early. They go to spawn at about five years old, and females a little later: at seven or eight years old. The value of this commercial fish undeniable. It can be bred in ponds and lakes. The record weight reaches 16 kg. Sturgeons are usually distinguished by the fact that they are larger and can weigh up to 100 kilograms, their length is about 5 meters.

In addition to length and weight, a number of characteristics of these two breeds are given below:

The sterlet's head has a narrower shape and a long, thin nose. In addition, she has a mustache in the form of a fringe.
A characteristic feature of sturgeon is the presence of scutes instead of scales, which differ in number. On the back of the sterlet there are spines that come out of the bony scutes, there are 70 of them in total. The sturgeon has 58 of them.
Before spawning, sturgeon live in the sea, and only during the period when it is necessary to take care of the offspring, the fish go out into fresh waters - these are migratory fish. But sterlet is characterized by sedentism, unlike sturgeon.
Sturgeon has a dry taste, and the fat content of sterlet is slightly higher, it is 30% versus fifteen for sturgeon. Delicate and delicate taste Sterlets were appreciated by all gourmets.
These two subspecies differ even in their caviar. Due to the small size of the sterlet, the caviar in it is much less than that of the sturgeon. Its size is almost like beads and the color is more saturated.

So, we know the main differences between the two fish: all zoological reference books almost unanimously state that sturgeon is a genus of fish within the sturgeon family. The sterlet is included in this subgroup. Characteristic signs: a narrow head and a long pointed nose, the presence of fringed antennae and a large number of spines on the back - these are a number of main differences. The weight and dimensions are significantly smaller than those of other sturgeons. In addition, the sturgeon is more mobile than the sterlet. She is a homebody and leads sedentary image and does not migrate from freshwater to sea. Sterlet has fatty meat and a delicate taste.

Sturgeon fish dishes will decorate any table. The most valuable sterlet dish is rich fish soup and aspic. Sturgeon or sterlet, whichever you prefer, choose for yourself. Both of these options can decorate any table.

Most famous the following types sturgeon fish:

stellate sturgeon;
Kaluga;
beluga;
Russian sturgeon;
sterlet.

Among the record holders of this family there were specimens about three meters long and weighing about two centners. The largest among the sisters is the beluga. Unique specimens are known whose length reaches four meters and weighs one ton. Beluga can be considered one of the largest fish on the planet.

Sturgeons feed mainly on animal food. These are worms, mollusks, insects. They do not disdain smaller fish either. Thus, this family can be classified as predators.

Sturgeon, unlike sterlet, are characterized by late puberty. In terms of life expectancy, the beluga can be called an old-timer, it lives about a hundred years, the sturgeon is a little less, about fifty years, for the stellate sturgeon this figure is thirty years.

Once upon a time sturgeon species lived in large numbers in the waters of the Volga and other rivers of Russia. Now modern ecological situation threatens the existence of many valuable fish species. Sturgeon are no exception. Some species are on the verge of extinction, so the state is strengthening measures to combat poaching.

Beluga and kaluga are considered the largest of their freshwater relatives. These migratory fish live for a very long time, sometimes the age of some centenarians reaches one hundred years.

The following subspecies are hybrid forms:

beluga and sterlet (bester);
sturgeon and beluga;
beluga and thorn;
sturgeon and beluga.

These hybrids are mainly inhabitants Sea of Azov, and sometimes found in some reservoirs.

Beluga flesh is a little coarser, but very suitable for making balyk. The best black caviar It comes from this representative.

The hybrid obtained by crossing beluga and sterlet is called bester. This species is in great consumer demand due to its dietary properties. It is also a delicacy because it attracts those who want to try an extremely amazing-tasting product due to its visual appeal and aesthetics. Taste qualities caviar is in no way inferior to beluga caviar.

Bester was bred by Professor Nikolyukin more than half a century ago. The subspecies is the most successful specimen. It is unpretentious and can be kept in any conditions, even in not entirely favorable ones.

In Rus', not a single royal feast was complete without fish dishes. Aspic and sterlet fish soup and large sturgeon baked with vegetables were considered special treats. These days these delicious dishes They are also a real table decoration. And although sturgeon and sterlet belong to the same sturgeon family, they have a number of differences, both external and taste.

Sterlet

Sturgeon- a genus of fish of the Sturgeon family. Includes 19 species of fish (including sterlet).

Sturgeon

Comparison

Sturgeon are often enough large fish, characterized by large weight (more than 100 kg) and size (up to 6 m). Sterlet is the smallest fish of this family. Its length rarely exceeds 125 cm, on average it is 60 cm. The weight of the sterlet is up to 16 kg. But this does not mean that all adults weigh as much as average– 5-6 kg, adult fish weighing up to 3 kg are often found.

The sterlet, unlike the sturgeon, has a narrower head, as well as a long and sharp nose. Experienced fishermen say that, compared to sterlet, sturgeon has a “more seasoned” appearance. This small fish of the sturgeon family also has long, fringed antennae.

Sterlet can be recognized by a large number lateral scutes (bone scutes). She has up to 70 of them (while sturgeon rarely has 58). Sharp spines emerge from the scutes located on the back of the sterlet.

Before spawning, sturgeon “fats up” in the sea, sterlet is a sedentary fish.

Sturgeon meat is not as fatty (up to 15% fat) and drier than that of sterlet, whose fat content is up to 30%. Sterlet has a more delicate and delicate taste.

Sturgeon miraculously “fits” into almost all existing fish dishes. Best dish from sterlet - fish soup and aspic, although it can also be used to prepare many other dishes.

Conclusions website

Sturgeons are a genus of fish that belong to the sturgeon family. Sterlet is a species of fish in this family.
Sterlet differs from other sturgeons in its smallest size.
The sterlet has a small, narrow head.
The sterlet's nose is longer and narrower than that of other sturgeons. Her antennae are fringed and quite long.
The sterlet has more side bugs (up to 70 pieces) and has sharp spines on its back.
Sterlet is a sedentary fish.
Sterlet meat is fattier and more tender than that of other sturgeons.