Description

White Tip Sterlet 8-10″

Common & Latin Name: White Tip Sterlet 8-10″ (Acipenser ruthenus)

The White Tip Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) is a striking colour variety of one of the smallest sturgeon species commonly kept in ornamental ponds. Recognisable by its distinctive white-tipped fins and prehistoric appearance, the Sterlet is a graceful, constantly active fish that spends much of its time cruising the pond floor in search of food.

Although smaller than many other sturgeon species, Sterlets can still exceed 90cm (3ft) in length and should only be considered for large, well-established ponds with excellent filtration and high oxygen levels.

White Tip Sterlet Pond Set Up

White Tip Sterlets require spacious ponds with excellent water quality and consistently high oxygen levels throughout the year. Unlike koi, they rarely stop swimming and need plenty of uninterrupted space to cruise along the pond floor.

A smooth pond base is preferable, as sharp rocks or coarse substrates can damage their sensitive underside. Good circulation and additional aeration are highly recommended, particularly during warm summer weather when oxygen levels naturally fall.

Behaviour

Sterlets are peaceful fish that coexist well with koi, goldfish and other non-aggressive pond species. They spend almost all of their time searching the pond floor for food using their sensitive barbels and protrusible mouth.

Unlike many pond fish, Sterlets cannot easily compete for floating foods, making targeted feeding particularly important. Their almost constant movement also means they have a higher oxygen demand than koi or goldfish.

Whilst they can be kept with koi and other pond fish, their dietary habits are not seasonal and they require high protein food all year round. This may become problematic as Koi can’t be fed such foods at low temperatures. Sterlets are also extremely sensitive to water treatments, so care should be taken to ensure that any treatments used are labelled as safe for sturgeons. Orfe would make a far more suitable pond companion as their needs are very similar to that of a Sterlet.

White Tip Sterlet Feeding

Sterlets should be fed a dedicated sinking sturgeon pellet designed to reach the pond floor quickly. Floating foods are generally unsuitable, as Sterlets naturally feed from the bottom and are poorly adapted to surface feeding. Their diet can also be supplemented with meaty foods like prawns, mussels, bloodworm, earthworms and other similar foods widely available in fish shops.

Shirley Aquatics Tip

One of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming Sterlets can live on leftovers from feeding koi. They can’t. Sterlets need their own sinking food, and if they’re not specifically fed, they can slowly lose condition even in a pond where the koi appear healthy. Taking the time to target-feed them is one of the best ways to ensure they thrive.

 

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