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sterlets & stergeon


craig mason

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can anyone tell me were i can get some decent sterlets or stergeon for my koi pool the ones at my local koi centre called pastures farm are selling them for 15 pounds for a 4 inch fish is this a good price or can anyone find any at a lower price?

john wilson is god

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Craig,

 

They're not a cheap fish & can be quite difficult to keep when small.

 

Trouble is, at a small size they seem to be quite choosy about what they eat. If you have any sort of string algae or the likes in the pond, It acts like velcro on their bodies. The end result If you're not careful, is a little sturgeon or sterlet wrapped up in the weed like a fly waiting for the spider.

 

The trouble is they spin when they get into bother but simply are'nt strong enough to free themselves.

 

The answer is to by a good sized fish to start with so that it isn't a problem for them if it happens. Plus, there certainly seem to lose that fussiness when they get bigger, I honestly can't feed mine worms & trout pellets quick enough in Summer, oh & the growth rate of the sturgeon is phenomenal you can almost watch them grow!!

 

Of course if you have a lovely swimming pool style pond you can put them in any size you like.

Peter.

 

The loose lines gone..STRIKE.

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Sterlets are pretty hard to come by around here :(

 

Sturgeon on the other hand a quite common, a large (3ft plus) Sturgeon from Hollybush garden center will set you back £99 minimum & upto £200 maximum.

TROGG (Alan)

a government is there to serve its people not rule them

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Word of warning with Sterlets and Stergeon . . . they do not react well with any pond treatments.

 

read the back of most pond treatments (the better known names) and most if not all will say not to use in conjunction with Sterlets stocked ponds . .

 

not exactly sure why . . .

hey waddaya know I can spell tomato !

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One more thing about Sterlet & Sturgeon, you know that friendly behaviour of swimming about on the surface with their nose in the air.

 

Well mine quickly knocked that on the head, preferring instead to hug the bottom & move up & down the sides. Mind, he seems quite happy sifting the shrimps out of the weed growth on the side of the pond.

 

Has anybody elses continued that behaviour when placed in a semi-natural pond, or do you think it's unnatural behaviour brought on by being kept in tanks & the likes whilst waiting to be sold?

Peter.

 

The loose lines gone..STRIKE.

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  • 2 weeks later...

i have found some sterlets for sale at my local koi centre they are £15 but i am going to try and resist temptation and hopfully buy a couple in april if the weather warms up and the filters are working ok as i don't want to buy some and have them die on me :rolleyes: .

john wilson is god

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According to everything I have read about sterlets and stergeon, they thrive in cold water and often die in hot summer ponds. They originate from the Ukraine where it is a lot colder. The comment about needing high O2 levels is probably right as colder water contains more O2 than warmer water.

I have noticed that all the sterlets I have seen for sale are always inside or under cover where the water temp will stay cool.

Blanket weed is a problem for the smaller sterlets so that needs to be watched.

Peter,

I think it is just boredom and a lack of suitable grazing area that makes them swim on the surface.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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