Dossier:
not provided by us yet
WelfareCheck:
F (2026-07-18)
Advice:
not provided by us yet
Profile status
Taxonomy
Ethograms
In the wild:
not investigated by us yet
Farm/lab:
not investigated by us yet
Catch/lab:
not investigated by us yet
Habitat
Growth
Swimming
Reproduction
Nest building:
Fno
Courtship:
no data found yet
Mating type:
no data found yet
Brood care:
no data found yet
Social behaviour
Aggregation:
no data found yet
Organisation:
not investigated by us yet
Aggression:
Fyes, no [depends]
Handling
Farming remarks
Acipenser gueldenstaedtii (Russian sturgeon) is a member of the family Acipenseridae. It is a large, long-lived migratory species native to the Caspian Sea, Black Sea, and historically also the Azov Sea basins. Adults inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters and migrate into large rivers to spawn. Wild populations have declined severely due to overfishing, habitat degradation, pollution, and especially the construction of dams that block access to spawning grounds. Although the species is economically important and has been studied for decades, important gaps remain in our understanding of its ecology, particularly regarding home range, social organisation, and density patterns in the wild.
It is farmed throughout its native range and in several other countries, mainly for caviar production and secondarily for meat. Rearing begins in hatcheries, where eggs and larvae are kept in trays and tanks. Juveniles are subsequently grown in tanks, cages, raceways, or earthen ponds. Individuals destined for caviar production are maintained until sexual maturity, which may require several years, whereas individuals intended for meat production are harvested earlier. So, sexually mature Russian sturgeons are generally maintained only as spawners for caviar production and/or breeding rather than meat, given the cost of raising individuals to maturity. Reproduction in captivity relies almost exclusively on artificial procedures, including hormonal induction, gonadal monitoring by biopsy or endoscopy, and egg collection by stripping or slaughter.
The WelfareScore is low due to the species’ migratory behaviour and the widespread use of artificial reproduction procedures. Although farming systems can provide environmental conditions that overlap with part of the depth range used in the wild, they cannot accommodate the extensive spawning migrations performed by the species. Reproduction in captivity depends on invasive procedures such as biopsy, endoscopy, hormonal manipulation, and stripping, all of which differ substantially from natural spawning. Information on natural mating systems, courtship behaviour, sex ratios, and spawning frequencies remains limited, making it difficult to assess how closely captive conditions meet reproductive needs. Aggression appears to be restricted mainly to the fry stage, where cannibalism can occur, while little or no aggression is reported from later life stages. Earthen ponds may provide suitable substrate for juveniles and adults, but many production systems lack natural bottom structures, and current spawning practices do not allow natural reproduction. Stress associated with handling, transport, crowding, and water-quality challenges is common, although several mitigation measures have been developed. Malformations can occur at appreciable rates during early development, and their causes are still insufficiently understood. Humane slaughter methods based on percussive stunning followed by bleeding are available and can provide rapid loss of consciousness when correctly applied. At the same time, the scarcity of modern field studies and telemetry data creates considerable uncertainty regarding the spatial, social, and behavioural requirements of wild Russian sturgeons. Further research on wild ecology and on less invasive reproductive methods could yield substantial welfare improvements.
For details see: WelfareCheck | farm (latest major release: 2026-07-18)
Related news
2026-07-18: Update WelfareCheck | farm: Acipenser gueldenstaedtii
Continuing in the sturgeon year, we present the update of another WelfareCheck – this time of the Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii). According to Wikipedia, the Russian sturgeon is named after the German-Baltic researcher Johann Anton Güldenstädt who was sent by Catherine II to explore southern Russia. The distribution of the Russian sturgeon today is the Caspian and Black Sea.
The Russian sturgeon – just as the Siberian sturgeon – is mostly reared for caviar, so everything surrounding reproduction and collection of eggs happens under highly controlled conditions and with the help of anaesthesia. There, the similarities don't stop. The spatial needs as well cannot be provided for in captivity, and too little is known about natural aggregation densities to be able to provide welfare-friendly recommendations for the farming environment.
In contrast to the Siberian sturgeon, malformations could be a problem with the Russian sturgeon. Even though substrate may be provided when kept in earthen ponds, spawners are denied this feature. Some husbandry procedures could induce stress, but we need more knowledge whether measures like anaesthesia can effectively reduce them – especially for spawners who are handled regularly during the 11-16 years they spend in captivity until mature.
Aggression is likely just an issue with the fry, and there seem to be stunning and slaughter practices that allow for immediate insensibility and unconsciousness and eventually death. Please help us fill the gaps or let us know your thoughts in the feedback form.
Acipenser gueldenstaedtii
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good point from country record
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Profile
What does "not investigated by us yet" mean?
The centre of the Overview is an array of criteria covering basic features and behaviours of the species. Each of this information comes from our literature search on the species. If we researched a full Dossier on the species, probably all criteria in the Overview will be covered and thus filled. This was our way to go when we first set up the database.
Because Dossiers are time consuming to research, we switched to focusing on WelfareChecks. These are much shorter profiles covering just 10 criteria we deemed important when it comes to behaviour and welfare in aquaculture (and lately fisheries, too). Also, WelfareChecks contain the assessment of the welfare potential of a species which has become the main feature of the fair-fish database over time. Because WelfareChecks do not cover as many criteria as a Dossier, we don't have the information to fill all blanks in the Overview, as this information is "not investigated by us yet".
Our long-term goal is to go back to researching Dossiers for all species covered in the fair-fish database once we set up WelfareChecks for each of them. If you would like to support us financially with this, please get in touch at ffdb@fair-fish.net
What is the difference between "not investigated by us yet" and "no data found yet"?
See the question "What does "not investigated by us yet" mean?". In short, if we have not had a look in the literature - or in other words, if we have not investigated a criterion - we cannot know the data. If we have already checked the literature on a criterion and could not find anything, it is "no data found yet". You spotted a "no data found yet" where you know data exists? Get in touch with us at ffdb@fair-fish.net!
General
How to use the FAQ?
First up, you will find answers to questions for the specific page you are on. Scrolling down in the FAQ window, there are also answers to more general questions. Explore our website and the other sub pages and find there the answers to questions relevant for those pages.
How do I navigate in the fair-fish database?
In the fair-fish database, when you have chosen a species (either by searching in the search bar or in the species tree), the landing page is an Overview, introducing the most important information to know about the species that we have come across during our literatures search, including common names, images, distribution, habitat and growth characteristics, swimming aspects, reproduction, social behaviour but also handling details. To dive deeper, visit the Dossier where we collect all available ethological findings (and more) on the most important aspects during the life course, both biologically and concerning the habitat. In contrast to the Overview, we present the findings in more detail citing the scientific references.
Depending on whether the species is farmed or wild caught, you will be interested in different branches of the database.
Farm branch
Founded in 2013, the farm branch of the fair-fish database focuses on farmed aquatic species.
Catch branch
Founded in 2022, the catch branch of the fair-fish database focuses on wild-caught aquatic species.
What is the farm branch?
The heart of the farm branch of the fair-fish database is the welfare assessment – or WelfareCheck | farm – resulting in the WelfareScore | farm for each species. The WelfareCheck | farm is a condensed assessment of the species' likelihood and potential for good welfare in aquaculture, based on welfare-related findings for 10 crucial criteria (home range, depth range, migration, reproduction, aggregation, aggression, substrate, stress, malformations, slaughter).
For those species with a Dossier, we conclude to-be-preferred farming conditions in the Advice | farm. They are not meant to be as detailed as a rearing manual but instead, challenge current farming standards and often take the form of what not to do.
What is the catch branch?
In parallel to farm, the main element of the catch branch of the fair-fish database is the welfare assessment – or WelfareCheck | catch – with the WelfareScore | catch for each species caught with a specific catching method. The WelfareCheck | catch, too, is a condensed assessment of the species' likelihood and potential for good welfare – or better yet avoidance of decrease of good welfare – this time in fisheries. We base this on findings on welfare hazards in 10 steps along the catching process (prospection, setting, catching, emersion, release from gear, bycatch avoidance, sorting, discarding, storing, slaughter).
In contrast to the farm profiles, in the catch branch we assess the welfare separately for each method that the focus species is caught with. In the case of a species exclusively caught with one method, there will be one WelfareCheck, whereas in other species, there will be as many WelfareChecks as there are methods to catch the species with.
Summarising our findings of all WelfareChecks | catch for one species in Advice | catch, we conclude which catching method is the least welfare threatening for this species and which changes to the gear or the catching process will potentially result in improvements of welfare.
What do we mean by "welfare"?
Welfare of aquatic species is at the heart of the fair-fish database. In our definition of welfare, we follow Broom (1986): “The welfare of an individual is its state as regards its attempts to cope with its environment.” Thus, welfare may be perceived as a continuum on which an individual rates “good” or “poor” or everything in between.
We pursue what could be called a combination of not only a) valuing the freedom from injuries and stress (function-based approach) but b) supporting attempts to provide rewarding experiences and cognitive challenges (feelings-based approach) as well as c) arguing for enclosures that mimic the wild habitat as best as possible and allow for natural behaviour (nature-based approach).
What if I have a question?
Try mousing over the element you are interested in - oftentimes you will find explanations this way. If not, there will be FAQ on many of the sub-pages with answers to questions that apply to the respective sub-page. If your question is not among those, contact us at ffdb@fair-fish.net.
Where is the FishEthoBase?
It's right here! We decided to re-name it to fair-fish database for several reasons. The database has grown beyond dealing purely with ethology, more towards welfare in general – and so much more. Also, the partners fair-fish and FishEthoGroup decided to re-organise their partnership. While maintaining our friendship, we also desire for greater independence. So, the name "fair-fish database" establishes it as a fair-fish endeavour.
Frequently asked questions
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