The hybrid sturgeons 'AL' (Acipenser naccarii female x A. baerii male) and 'LA' (A. baerii male x A. naccarii female) have been reared successfuly since the early 90s in Italy. Their growth, resistance, and weaning outperform the original species, and their caviar is highly appreciated. Therefore this hybrid has become very attractive for Italian sturgeon farming. However, little is known about their rearing process and much less about their biology, physiology, and behaviour under farming conditions. This information is of utmost importance because this hybrid is impossible to occur in nature, since the distribution of both species does not overlap. There is a large research gap to be covered in all the criteria below in order to provide a correct assessment of this hybrid's welfare and potential for improvement.
