Sterlet

Acipenser ruthenus

A pointed snout, hanging barbels, rows of scutes and an uneven tail stand out.

Adult length: About 40 cm
Lifespan: Up to 69.7 years

Natural habitat: Mainly inhabits deeper, flowing parts of large rivers and tributaries, also entering floodplains; spawning sites usually have gravel and strong current.

Needs a cool, oxygen-rich large pond and suitable sinking food; blanketweed and dense plants can entangle it.

Appearance and identification

Sterlet have an elongated body with bony scutes, an underside mouth and sensory barbels beneath the snout. They differ from ordinary scaled pond cyprinids.

Same-species behaviour

Make sure it gets food alongside fast-feeding koi; a small sale size does not mean it suits a small pond for life.

Space requirements

Provide open bottom feeding and turning space, stable filtration and summer aeration.

Diet and feeding

Use suitable high-protein sinking sturgeon pellets and check that it eats; do not automatically apply other pond fishes’ winter fasting rules.

Compatibility limits

Consider its oxygen demand, bottom feeding and entanglement risk when choosing companions.

Aquarium environment

Keep routes clear of growth that could entangle the snout, barbels and scutes; plan vegetation separately from bottom swimming space.

Sources

canalrivertrust.org.uk ↗ 2026-10-22

www.fishbase.se ↗ 2026-10-25

ornamentalfish.org ↗ 2026-10-22

researcharchive.calacademy.org ↗ 2026-10-22

fishbase.se ↗ 2026-10-22