Sterlet

Identification

The sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) is the smallest sturgeon species, usually 40-60 cm long (maximum around 1.2 metres). The body is slender with five rows of bony plates that are more closely spaced than in other sturgeons. The snout is long and narrow. A distinctive feature is the fringed barbels. Colouration is dark brown to grey on the back.

Ecology

Unlike most sturgeons, the sterlet is a freshwater resident that does not migrate to sea. In its native range (Danube, Volga and other Eastern European rivers), the species lives near the bottom in flowing water. The diet consists of insect larvae, worms and small crustaceans.

In the Netherlands

Sterlets found in the Netherlands are almost always escaped ornamental pond fish. The species is popular in the pond trade due to its small size. There is no natural population in the Netherlands. In the Danube basin, the sterlet is protected; in the Netherlands, Habitats Directive protection applies to all Acipenser species.