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Re: sturgeons at the LFS (was: NFC: Auction Question)

Hi Doug

These are Sterlets, from the Baltic as you said, the
Accipenser 'Rucinnus'(sp? or close to it), Segrest in
Gibsonton Fla is distributing them, dont know where
they are getting them. They are a CITES II fish,
threatened in the Baltic and Russia but in trade
elsewhere. They are legal in the US.

They make nice tank fish, need unheated tanks and I
doubt would be happy in temps above 80 as they arent
likely to get it in the wild. Their native waters are
clear, cold, and flowing as many sturgeon species.
Their mature size is 4+'. Still, a couple or several
would be neat in a 125 gal properly filtered. The ones
I have seen in a Rochester shop eat readily, have good
appetites, love adult brine, and take cichlid pellets
readily, he feeds them the Hikari ones. I am going to
put three-four into a back yard 300 gal 'stock tank',
the 'rubber maid type'. For starters.

You are right in the US species as far as I know ALL
have some form of protected status. The Lake is
probably the most available, its commercially produced
in a couple states, Mn comes to mind, here in NYS you
can possess live ones, with a sales receipt, but need
a permit for a PART of one, along with proof of
purchase.
Every state is different, but, from past association
with several state DEC's I know they will often give
permits for commercially raised protected species. One
should ALWAYS approach their state agency  before
buying any protected species though. Usually there is
a regional fisheries office and if you contact the
area head face to face and chat with them you can
often get a permit to possess and rear them if you are
ready to commit to the species. Their concerns are
usually that the possession is legal, no 'dumping'
will happen and that the possessor knows what they are
doing. Sounds reasonable to me. Some exotics like amur
carp are nightmares to some states. Natives are looked
at differently.Then its a protection issue. NYS for
one is
paranoid on amur, but smiles on natives.

There are several commercial sources also for the
shovelnose and bowfins. I wouldnt try either here in
the northeast but would love to rear some Lakes,
perhaps the Sterlets will give the NY DEC a bit of
evidence that it is plausible. We shall see. Although
I think the Sterlet is worth keeping in its own right,
I am interested in the Lake as a native to NY.
enjoy,
Jake

oug Dame <dameda at shands_ufl.edu> wrote:
> Ty Hall wrote:
> 
> >>  I was in a pet shop in Tifton Georgia, two weeks
> ago 
> >>  and he had a tank full of 2" long Sturgeon. I am
> not sure 
> >>  of the exact species and I don't know where he
> got them 
> >>  nor the price. But, if someone is real
> interested they could 
> >>  call information and ask for the Tifton Pet
> Center, in Tifton 
> >>  Georgia. The guy may be willing to mail order
> some, 
> >>  although I don't know for sure. I have the phone
> number at 
> >>  home, so if information doesn't have it let me
> know and I'll 
> >>  look it up.
> 
> 
> My best LFS in Gainesville Florida ("AquaTropics")
> has received small (6") sturgeons on at least three
> occasions I'm aware of within the past two months.
> And I don't even usually look at the fish in stock,
> usually I pop in and out quickly once a week just to
> get some live brine shrimp, so it's entirely
> possible they gotten more surgeons every week, and I
> just haven't been looking. I'm pretty sure the owner
> gets his fish from Tampa (?doesn't everyone), but I
> don't know any specifics.
>  
> The ones I've seen have been a short-nosed type, but
> somehow I got the impression they're from the baltic
> sea area, and are not a native species. (Aren't all
> the N.A. species protected, or am I confused?)   I
> was stunned when I first saw them in the store, I
> can tell you, I was simply not prepared to see a
> tank full of sturgeon at the pet store, big-time WOW
> factor. Very cute little buggers, really. Probably
> won't stay that way (cute & little, esp. the
> latter), of course. "Excuse me dear, okay with you
> if I [mumble mumble, lower voice to near-inaudible
> level] flood the living room permanently to make it
> into a fish-tank?"
> 
> But it seems that, for better or worse, they're
> becoming relatively easy to get through normal
> commercial channels.
> 
> Doug Dame
> Interlachen FL
> 


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