One of the current problems regarding sturgeon care is the proper handling of the fish. When relocating sturgeon they develop scoliosis of the spine due to its weight. This will lead to an early death. To correct this problem we have developed a stretcher to move fish from tank to tank. The eyes are covered during this process to reduce stress on the fish.

Recent weight gains: The sturgeon are gaining 1 pound every 10 days. They are fed 2% of their bodyweight each day. At several points in their life, sturgeon in the wild will go for 3-4 months at a time without eating while spawning. Since the fish we have are in a circular tank and do not have to deal with the stresses of spawning, they will eat for the rest of their lives.

Egg or Caviar Production: New techniques are being developed for sexing sturgeon. Dr. Frank Chapman is using a sonogram to sex sturgeon and determine the size of its eggs so they can be removed at the proper time. At present, we are able to decrease the time of sexual maturity from 10 years to 5 years. This is important since the production of caviar is the highest priced product of a sturgeon.