Breeding sturgeon, if you are ready to create the necessary conditions for this royal fish, will give you the opportunity to eat homemade, and therefore high-quality and environmentally friendly food, as well as receive a regular income. The caviar and meat of this fish have been considered a delicacy for centuries and are in constant high demand. Of course, to create such a business will require certain investments and efforts. But this type of activity is characterized by good profitability, and the money spent will pay off relatively quickly.
Home breeding of Siberian and Russian sturgeons as a business
Sturgeon is a freshwater fish, one of the most ancient representatives of its species. It has an elongated body and an elongated head, pointed towards the oral cavity. There are Russian and Siberian sturgeons. There are some differences when growing them:
- The Siberian sturgeon has good survival rate, which was noted at all stages of the biological cycle. This helps to minimize risks during artificial breeding.
- During wintering, the Siberian sturgeon, unlike the Russian sturgeon, does not come to the surface of the water to obtain oxygen, so the fish can be kept in cages completely submerged under ice. Waste does not exceed 10.4%. Also during this period there is less loss of live weight than in the Russian species.
- Siberian sturgeons have a slightly lower growth rate than Russian sturgeons - from 238 g (two-year-old fish) to 989 g (eight-year-old fish).
Breeding sturgeon is a difficult but profitable activity
The sturgeon family also includes sterlet, beluga and stellate sturgeon. All these fish have the ability to adapt to any living conditions, even if they change frequently. Thanks to this quality, sturgeon are successfully bred at home.
Photo gallery: fish of the sturgeon family
Russian sturgeon
Siberian sturgeon
Sterlet
Beluga
Stellate sturgeon
Fish farming allows you to make a good profit. The fishery is gaining popularity due to the following factors:
- Sturgeon meat and caviar are popular products. And the level of competition in this area today is relatively low.
- The business does not require large start-up investments.
- You don't need to have any special knowledge. Today there is enough literature containing the necessary information. The necessary instructions can also be found on the Internet.
- Breeding sturgeon does not take much time. It takes 3-4 hours a day to care for fish. The only exception is the sorting period. On these days you will have to devote 15–16 hours to work.
- The business begins to pay off within 7–9 months.
Video: organizing a sturgeon farm
To create a farm, you need to purchase and install specialized equipment. You can do something with your own hands. And also choose and prepare the room properly.
Equipment
To breed sturgeon on a home farm you will need:
1. Automatic feed dispensers and feeders.
You can give food to fish manually, but these devices greatly facilitate the procedure and save a significant amount of time.
2. Pumps for pumping water.
During the selection process, look for models that can operate efficiently without being at the power limit. Otherwise, the pumps will not last long.
3. Oxygen generators (aerators) to provide fish with oxygen.
4. Pipes for creating a closed water supply circuit.
5. Sterilizers and filters for purifying the reservoir from contaminants, food residues and fish waste products.
6. Incubators for hatching larvae (if you do not buy fry).
7. Libra.
8. Containers for sturgeon.
9. Freezers.
10. Nets, buckets.
Arrangement of a pond or pool
A prerequisite is the presence of water supply, sewerage, uninterrupted supply of heating and electricity. It is advisable to purchase generators. They will come in handy in case of a power outage. There are two options for sturgeon breeding:
- in ponds;
- in swimming pools.
The basement of a house is suitable for breeding fish in a pool. But the room should be quite spacious, at least 30 square meters. meters.
Pool
For a novice entrepreneur, this option will be the most suitable (and profitable). Experts call this fish breeding technology RAS, which means “installation of a closed water supply.” In practice, this is expressed in the construction of one or more connected pools with recirculation, to which water purification systems are connected.
Sturgeon breeding pools can be placed in a spacious basement
First, you will need to purchase a plastic pool (preferably round) with a depth of 1 m and a diameter of 1.5–2 m. Using one such container you can produce up to 1 ton of products per year. As production increases, new basins need to be installed. When choosing them, focus on the weight of the fish:
- for individuals weighing up to 300 g, you will need a round pool with a depth of 0.8 m and a diameter of 1.5 m;
- for fish weighing from 300 g to 2 kg - a container 1.2 in depth and 2.2 in diameter;
- for larvae weighing 0.5–5 g - rectangular plastic trays 50 cm wide and deep, 2.2 m long.
It is allowed to use pools made of materials such as:
- metal with enameled surface;
- polypropylene;
- concrete covered with ceramic tiles.
You will need to create conditions as close as possible to the sturgeon’s natural habitat. It will be necessary to ensure the flow of purified, oxygen-enriched water into the pool, which will be partially pumped out and fed into filters to undergo several stages of purification (mechanical, biological), equalize the temperature, saturate with oxygen and eliminate bacteria. Thus, the liquid in the RAS system must be in constant circulation.
Important! In addition to standard lighting, rooms with swimming pools should have ultraviolet lamps, which are turned on once a day to disinfect air and water.
When breeding fish in pools, the water must be well saturated with oxygen. This is done by installing a compressor.
Sturgeons also require good lighting. It should be of medium intensity. Don't use too bright a light. But you shouldn’t keep fish in a dark room either.
Video: practical tips for arranging a closed water supply installation
Natural or artificial pond
Sturgeon are bred in ponds of natural and artificial origin. This allows you to save money on purchasing equipment. If you decide to build a pond on your backyard, you should consider a number of features:
1. The place should be well lit (about 5-7 hours a day in direct sunlight).
If natural ultraviolet radiation is not enough, you will have to install ultraviolet lamps for biological treatment.
2. A pit with internal slopes of the dams should be dug under the reservoir.
3. A layer of sand (15–20 cm) is poured onto the bottom, on top of which waterproofing is laid. A regular PVC or LDPE film is suitable for this purpose. Then the pit is filled with a layer of gravel (approximately 20 cm). Sturgeon prefer muddy bottoms.
To create favorable conditions for the growth of algae and other flora, you need to add organic (manure, wilted grass) and mineral fertilizers (ammonium sulfate at the rate of 2 kg per 100 sq. m or superphosphate at the rate of 15 kg per 100 sq. m).
4. After preparing the bottom, aquatic plants are planted. They are selected depending on the depth. At the very bottom it is necessary to plant tilla, pondweed, swampweed, and water buttercup. In the shallow water area (up to 40 cm deep) reeds and sedge should be placed. And among the above-water plants they choose orontium, water lilies, elodea, egg capsules, and duckweed.
On average, for one small pond (4 x 6 meters), it will be enough to plant 10 plants of each type so that they maintain biological balance and saturate the water with oxygen.
5. To prevent stagnation and blooming of water in the pond, it is necessary to install a pump filtration system by placing the pump in the deepest part of the pond and connecting it to the filters via hoses.
After arranging the reservoir, the fry can be released.
Video: DIY ultraviolet lamp for a pond
Conditions for landing and growth of fry
Raising fry at the initial stage of business at home is quite problematic. It is much easier to buy them at fish farms that specialize in sturgeon breeding. Buy fry weighing at least 5 g and launch them into a pond in warm weather. The most suitable time is late spring or summer.
Fry can be raised from eggs, but it is much easier to buy them
Sturgeon can live at a temperature of +2°C..+ 27°C. But for active growth, fish require indicators of +18°С…+22°С. Such conditions ensure early maturation of sturgeon.
Females begin to spawn at the age of 6 years, whereas in the wild this occurs only at 12–15 years of the sturgeon’s life.
Important! There should be no more than 60 kg of fish per 1 square meter of reservoir.
Fish care
Care involves regular feeding, cleaning the reservoir and sorting of grown individuals and fry.
Water condition monitoring
If you use tap water to fill your pool, install a carbon filter to prevent chlorine from entering. Change the water once every 3 days. But this should be no more than 15% of the liquid of the total volume.
You cannot completely change the water in the pool!
For the full development of sturgeon, the chemical composition of water (level of carbon dioxide, oxygen, pH, density of fertilizers) is important. An analysis of the chemical composition of water can be ordered from the SES, Vodokanal or from a private independent water analysis laboratory.
Table: optimal water composition for sturgeon breeding
Indicators exceeding those indicated indicate that the reservoir is polluted, which can negatively affect the life of the sturgeon. Therefore, carefully monitor the condition of the filters and wash them regularly, add the necessary chemical and biological additives.
Feeding
Sturgeons are undemanding when it comes to food. But despite this, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to compiling their diet. After all, the increase in weight and health of fish depends on the quality of food. Sturgeons can be given live food:
- larvae of various insects;
- bloodworm;
- shellfish and worms.
Special balanced feeds have also been developed for fish. They are available in granular form. For example, one of the popular manufacturers of such products is Aller AQUA. The company produces food for different categories of fish. For larvae - starting mixtures that contain immunostimulants. Young animals can be given Aller Thalassa, Aller Performa and Aller Futura MP. Aller Metabolika, Aller Trident and Aller Bronze have been developed for adult sturgeon. The manufacturer also produces food for individuals that are raised for caviar - Aller Sturqeon REP.
For sturgeon you can purchase special granulated food
Adult fish weighing 500 g and above are fed 4 times, fry - 6 times a day, adhering to the same time intervals. The food must contain the following elements:
- 25% crude fat;
- 50% crude protein;
- 3% fiber;
- phosphorus;
- lysine.
Sturgeon eat at the same time every day; any deviations from the schedule can cause them stress.
Keep in mind that the sturgeon takes food from the bottom of the reservoir. Therefore, choose heavy food that will not float on the surface, but will sink down. Food must be resistant to moisture and not disintegrate for at least 30 minutes.
Sturgeons develop unevenly: strong individuals push weaker fish away from food and therefore grow faster. Therefore, transplant the grown fish into a separate container every month.
Possible problems and their solutions
No type of business is without difficulties. Sturgeon farming is no exception. Thus, over the course of a year, 10% of the fry consistently die. This is a natural process, and there are no methods to influence it.
Another problem could be an accident or power failure. As a result, the lighting regime is disrupted, which causes the growth of fish to slow down. Installing an autonomous generator will help avoid such consequences.
Problems can also arise due to failure of cleaning systems and other equipment. If you understand the structure of these simple mechanisms in advance, you will be able to save on repairs.
Video: cleaning the filter yourself
Inappropriate conditions for keeping fish can cause them to develop the following diseases:
- Adenovirus infection. The fish shows apathy, loses weight, and death occurs in 50% of cases.
- Iridovirus infection. Sturgeons refuse food, begin to accumulate at the bottom of the reservoir, and lose body weight. There is hemorrhage from the back and abdominal cavity. Death occurs in 95% of cases.
- Infection with the herpes virus is asymptomatic until the fish dies. The mortality rate is 97%.
- Flexibacteriosis appears as light spots near the fins and on the abdominal cavity. The mortality rate does not exceed 13%.
- Bacterial hemorrhagic septicemia. Sick individuals experience a lack of appetite and pinpoint hemorrhages on the body. Fish swims on the surface. The death rate reaches 70%.
- Saprolegniosis. The disease is expressed in the formation of a white coating in the tail area. The mortality rate reaches 50%.
No treatment has been developed for these diseases. Prevention is compliance with the regime for keeping sturgeons.
For sale, individuals are usually taken that have reached a weight of 500–600 g. Strong individuals grow to the required size within six months, while weak sturgeons require up to 9 months. Sturgeon can be sold to restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, fish stores, and markets.
Creating your own website, which will contain information about your products and prices, will help increase sales.
It is recommended to start a business by growing 1 ton of sturgeon per year. This is the optimal amount that one person can handle. To do this, you need to purchase 1800 fry, the cost of one is 2-3 dollars. To ensure 1 kg of fish growth, you will need 1–1.5 kg of feed. It can be purchased at a price of 1.2 dollars per 1 kg. The cost of equipment depends on the volume of products grown. To obtain 1 ton of fish it will take approximately 3 thousand dollars. To determine your profit, you also need to take into account the costs of water and electricity.
Considering that the average market price for sturgeon meat is approximately $15 per 1 kg, the income from each kilogram will be about $5.
When raising sturgeon for caviar, the investment pays off longer. But at the same time, the profit will be higher. Female sturgeon produce eggs every 2–3 years for 17–18 years.
To turn sturgeon farming into a profitable business, you need to organize your business responsibly. Prepare the reservoir and create the necessary conditions. Regularly clean filters, change water and check that equipment is working properly. Monitor the condition of the fish and the chemical composition of the water. Use good food for sturgeon, because skimping on its quality can provoke the development of diseases. An attentive owner has every opportunity to get an excellent result.
Set of equipment for fish farming ARM-3400
Purpose
The Autonomous Fish Farming Module (AFM) or “Home Sturgeon Farm” is designed for breeding or keeping various types of fish (sturgeon, trout, carp, catfish, tilapia) in utility rooms located in the private sector or on personal plots.
Maintenance of the module does not require special knowledge in the fishing industry; it is enough to follow the instructions in the fish farming manual.
To maintain the module, it is enough to spend 1-2 hours a day, which allows you to grow fish without interrupting your main place of work.
The modular system allows you to further expand production and grow several types of fish at the same time.
In case of production or other needs, the module can be easily dismantled and assembled in another room.
Types of fish suitable for keeping in the module and recommended stocking densities
|
Names |
Planting density during cultivation kg/m3 |
Water temperature, gr C |
Planting density during overexposure kg/m3 |
|
Siberian sturgeon |
|||
|
Sterlet |
|||
|
African catfish |
|||
|
Channel catfish |
|||
Technical characteristics and requirements for the premises
The maximum one-time fish content during cultivation is 3400 kg
The maximum one-time fish holding during overexposure is up to 6000 kg
Area occupied by module equipment – ____ m2
Room area including passages – ___ m2
The total volume of water in the system is ___ m3
Volume of fish tanks – ___ m3
Average daily water change (per year) – 5%; the need for water replacement is determined after analysis.
Maximum water change – no more than 20%
Installed electrical power (total power of all mechanisms consuming electricity) – 5.6 kW, 220 V, 1 f
Electrical power consumption (power of simultaneously operating mechanisms) –3.8 kW/h
Estimated nitrogen load on the biofilter – 120 g/day
Room height, no less than 2.5 m
Optimum air temperature – 23-25 C
Permissible air temperature – min. 3 C, max. 30 C
Illumination, no less than 80 lux
Duration of “daylight hours” - 16 hours
Sewage drain diameter – min. 50 mm, max. 110 mm
Fresh water temperature – at least 16 C
Water supply - at least 1000 l/h
Contents of delivery
- Fish farming pool – 6-8 pcs.
- Biofilter – 1-3 pcs.
- Mechanical self-cleaning drum filter – 1-2 pcs.
- Air compressor – 2-4 pcs.
- UV sterilizer – 1-3 pcs.
- Vibrating automatic feeder – 12 pcs.
- Water circulation pump – 4 pcs.
- Instructions for growing sturgeon fish – 1 pc.
Description of equipment
- Rybovodchek basin
Made from food grade polypropylene, 4 mm thick. As standard, it is manufactured with a diameter of 2.4 m and a depth of 1.2 m.
The pool is equipped with a bottom dirt collector with a protective stainless mesh (mesh 5 x 5 mm), an upper skimmer for removing foam and floating debris, a hydraulic lock with a level pipe and a 2" ball valve for removing sludge, a disk air diffuser for supplying air or oxygen and equipped with a shut-off a tap and a check valve, a stand for a pool with a height of 350 mm made of black profile pipe with a triple protective layer, the upper edge of the pool is reinforced around the circumference with a polypropylene pipe with a diameter of 25 mm. The contents of the Pool may differ from the above, so please check the delivery date...
At the Customer's request, it is possible to produce pools of various configurations and sizes. In this case, the cost of the module is calculated separately. For all non-standard products, an increasing factor of 1.3 is applied. This is due to cutting the material and additional labor costs.
- Biological filter
Made from food-grade polypropylene, 4 mm thick, and a metal frame with a triple protective coating. As standard, it has overall dimensions (LxWxH) of 4 x 2 x 1.3 m. It is installed at a level of 1 m from the floor on concrete or cinder block stands. The biofilter is equipped with a floating filler on which aerobic bacteria develop, tubular diffusers for air supply, shut-off valves for adjusting the air supply, a check valve, drain ball valves 2"", outgoing pipes with a diameter of 110 mm for supplying water from the biofilter to the pools, separation chambers for sedimentation by air compressor.
The biological filter is made based on the amount of feed added per day. The contents may differ from the above, so please check the delivery date...
- Mechanical self-cleaning drum filter
Made from food grade stainless steel and food grade plastic. Filter capacity 65 m3/h, installed power 250 W. The product is equipped with a set of replaceable filter meshes with different mesh sizes, an Italian drive (Vario gear motor), a level sensor, a digital timer, a high-pressure washing pump with an installed power of 370 W and a pressure of 5 Atm.
The filter is installed in a pit with overall dimensions (LxWxD) 1.8x1.4x1. If the Customer is unable or unwilling to make a pit, an intermediate storage tank is supplied with the filter kit for additional money. The contents may differ from the above, so please check the delivery date...
- Air compressor
The standard delivery package includes a Korean-made air compressor with a capacity of 140 l/min at a pressure of 0.3 atm. Electrical power 120 W.
It is possible to replace it with a more powerful compressor (300 l/min at a pressure of 0.45 atm) from a Japanese manufacturer; in this case, an additional payment will be made.
- UV sterilizer
UV sterilizer of tubular type, lamp power 36 W, lamp operating life before replacement is 6000 hours. Installed on the water entering the system during replacement or make-up. Inlet pipes from 16 to 32 mm.
The UV sterilizer is turned on manually at the time of water change. Works periodically. Requires regular cleaning of the flask from limescale, at least once every 2 months. With significant water turbidity, efficiency decreases to 50%.
- Vibrating automatic feeder
The feeder hopper is made of food-grade plastic. Hopper volume 30 l. The feed is distributed due to the vibration of the feeding table. The amount of feed is regulated by the gap between the hopper and the table, as well as by the operating time. The feeder programmer allows you to set up to 99 feeding modes. The feeder operates on 6 VDC.
Included with the feeder you can order a 3.7 Ah battery (one charge is enough for 3-4 weeks), a charger or one power supply for all feeders.
- Water circulation pump
Standard product, submersible pump (drainage) with float switch. Productivity is calculated based on the type of fish being raised. For sturgeon it is supplied with a capacity of 32 m3/h. The operating mode is periodic. Power 1500 W.
- Hydraulic lock
The hydraulic lock is supplied complete with a level pipe and a drain ball valve. The purpose of the hydraulic lock is to separate heavy and light suspensions, as well as maintain a given water level in each pool. If the circulation system stops, the hydraulic lock prevents water from draining from the pool below a predetermined level.
- Disc diffuser
The disk diffuser of the German company Jagger is designed to saturate the water in fish tanks with oxygen. It has a movable rubber membrane with laser cutting. For maintenance, it is equipped with a removable bandage, which allows for routine cleaning of the membrane at the end of the fish growing cycle.
Equipment that can be purchased additionally
- Manual fingerling sorter with variable gap
- pH meter
- Photometric table for automatic counting of fry
- Stainless steel nets with nylon mesh of different densities
- Mini laboratories for determining water quality by 7 indicators
- Tanks with a volume of 100 l and 200 l with a removable chassis for transporting live fish within the enterprise during sorting or loading
- Veterinary drugs, inhibitors, nanoprotectobiotics, immunostimulants
By purchasing ARM-3400, the Customer also receives for free:
- Project support services throughout the entire growing cycle;
- A set of meshes for mechanical filters with different mesh sizes.
- Technological instructions for growing sturgeon, which includes feeding charts, preventive measures, a description of possible diseases and methods of their treatment.
Delivery conditions
Delivery is made from the Seller's warehouse (packaging, delivery, installation are not included in the price).
The goods are shipped after 100% payment.
To check the complete set and serviceability of the equipment, the presence of the Customer or his authorized representative is required.
Guarantee
The warranty for the electromechanical parts of the module, including the control cabinet, is provided by the equipment manufacturer. Passports and warranty cards are attached together with technical documentation. Repairs are carried out in specialized service centers.
The warranty on tank equipment, biofilter filler and pipelines is 8 years.
Warranty for assembly and installation (subject to installation by company installers and compliance with operating conditions) - 5 years.
Consumables and MBP are not covered by the warranty.
It is possible to conclude an agreement for preventive maintenance of equipment or post-warranty support.
Standard pools
Welded pools
Growing sturgeon is a very promising and profitable business; in retail chains the cost of 1 kg of sturgeon is about $20, and black caviar is more than $1000 per kilogram. Such a high price is due to the very high taste of sturgeon; sturgeon dishes are the calling card of almost every restaurant. You can grow sturgeon at home using polypropylene pools with a closed water supply.
.Sturgeon farm.
A modern sturgeon farm is a room with swimming pools connected to a water purification system. The water is in constant circular circulation, purified and filled with oxygen.
Under natural conditions, when the water temperature drops, the growth of sturgeon slows down; female sturgeon begin spawning at the age of 15. At the sturgeon farm, the optimal water temperature in the pools is constantly maintained, so the fish do not stop growing and grow much faster. In such conditions, caviar can be obtained from females at 5–6 years of age; after receiving caviar, the females are sent back to the pools.
So, what do you need to grow sturgeon at home?
Premises for a sturgeon farm.
Room with heating and water supply. The premises for a fish farm can be an insulated hangar, a capital heated greenhouse, or almost any room with heating. The room must be connected to the electrical network, water supply and sewerage.
To determine the area of the premises, you can proceed from the following calculations: to grow 1 - 1.5 tons of sturgeon per year, you will need a room with an area of about 40 m², but you need to take into account the possibility of expanding the farm in the future.
To reduce the cost of growing sturgeon, the best option would be to place the farm on your own plot; you do not need to pay monthly rent for the premises, and everything will be constantly under your control.
Installation of closed water supply RAS.
The installation consists of:
Pools are round or rectangular; the most popular are polypropylene pools (the cost of a 3-cube pool is $300). To grow 1 ton of fish annually, you will need pools with a total volume of 16 m³.
Aeration systems: blower, diffusers.
Oxygen generator.
A complex for maintaining water transparency - an ozonizer, a flotator and a pump.
Pipes, drains, fittings.
Oxygen, pressure, pH sensors.
Mini laboratory for testing water quality - oximeter, pH-meter, colorimetric tests.
Drum mechanical filter.
Biofilter.
Carbon filter.
Circulation pumps, main and backup.
Air compressor.
UV lamp for water disinfection.
Heat exchangers - heating water in winter, cooling in summer.
Belt feed dispenser.
Gasoline generator in case of emergency power outage.
RAS installation diagram.
You can assemble the installation yourself if you consult with a RAS specialist.
The entire installation without a generator will cost at least $4,000 if you buy the installation from the manufacturer. Today, more than 80% of units sold are sold through intermediaries, who in turn represent themselves as manufacturers and make a markup several times higher. Look for direct manufacturers and buy installations only from them.
Growing sturgeon at home is a business idea.
After launching and setting up the RAS system, the next step will be the purchase of fry, feed and consumables.
Planting material for sturgeon fry weighing 5 g is purchased, the price is 10 - 15 rubles. a piece. Sturgeon is a bottom-dwelling fish and eats most of its food at the bottom, so the stocking density is taken from the calculation of the area of the bottom of the reservoir. The optimal stocking density for fry will be 300 pcs. for every m² of pool bottom.
For a novice entrepreneur, the best option would be to grow fish up to a weight of 500 g for restaurants. Restaurants buy sturgeon weighing 500 g, this weight of fish is portioned, that is, from 500 gram sturgeon a cooked portion of 370 g is obtained.
Typically, a restaurant purchases about 60 kg of sturgeon per month; restaurants can work by bank transfer; some pay immediately in cash. Usually delivered to restaurants on Tuesdays and Fridays; some restaurants buy chilled sturgeon, others only live.
The fish grows to a weight of 500 g in 6 – 9 months.
To grow 1 ton of sturgeon in 9 months you will need to purchase:
Fry - 1800 pcs. price 15 rub. thing. – 27,000 rub.
For every ton of grown sturgeon you will need 1,400 kg of feed – 70,000 rubles.
Electricity costs will be about 30,000 rubles for the entire period (including water heating in winter).
Payment for water is not taken into account, since the farm is located on its own plot with a plugged well.
Other minor expenses RUB 50,000.
The main cost of growing 1 ton of sturgeon will be about 177,000 rubles.
Cost of 1 kg – 177 rubles.
Restaurants buy sturgeon for an average of 500 rubles. for 1 kg.
Profit from each kilogram is approximately 323 rubles.
From the sale of one ton of sturgeon, the profit will be about 323,000 rubles.
The calculations given are approximate and may vary depending on prices in the region; each farm requires an individual calculation.
This article discusses growing sturgeon at home as a business idea, and the entire technology requires a thorough study of the literature on this issue. As the farm expands and practical experience is gained in a few years, it is possible to obtain black caviar from 5-6 year old female sturgeons; with the market value of black caviar being more than $1000 per kilogram, the profit from the farm can be significant.
Sturgeon farm. Growing sturgeon at home is a business idea.
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Breeding aquarium fish at home comes as no surprise to anyone, but what about breeding large commercial fish? Moreover, in an apartment or private house. This is quite real! Just imagine that you yourself will be able to contribute to the fact that high-quality, tasty black caviar will appear on people’s tables, which is very highly valued in any society and has long been considered a symbol of prosperity.
Fish of the sturgeon family provide valuable caviar and equally valuable meat. And some sources claim that it is very useful. Both are constantly in high demand, so sturgeon farming can be a very good business idea. In addition, for many people, growing sturgeon at home is a rather interesting process that does not require large financial outlays. Sturgeon is quite picky in its diet, and creating suitable conditions for its reproduction and cultivation does not require any complex scientific knowledge. 
Sturgeon at home: business advantages
The sturgeon family includes not only the sturgeon itself (Russian and Siberian), but also such species of fish as stellate sturgeon, beluga, and sterlet. Breeding sturgeon is not at all difficult, and this process is possible even in an apartment, which undoubtedly attracts entrepreneurs. The advantages of business are: 
- Sturgeon meat and caviar are an expensive and valuable product on the market. Demand will be ensured.
- Sturgeon is not picky about breeding conditions and easily tolerates changes in temperature.
- In order to provide the sturgeon with proper nutrition, neither large amounts of money nor special skills are required.
- To start this business, you will need very little starting capital.
Sturgeon breeding room
You can start breeding sturgeon both in an apartment and in a country house. The quality of the final product will not suffer in any way if everything is done correctly. You will need a fairly spacious free area - approximately 30 square meters.
The room must be heated, especially in winter. In winter, for the sturgeon to grow, it needs an aquatic environment with a temperature of about 17 degrees Celsius, in the warm season - from 20 to 24 degrees. If you have not found another suitable room, then a polycarbonate greenhouse in which an equipped swimming pool will be placed is also quite suitable. 
Equipment for sturgeon breeding
Specialized equipment can be purchased from supplier companies, and it will cost you from 10 thousand dollars. They will deliver you fully ready-to-use equipment and install it right in your apartment or house.
However, you can go the other way. In fact, the sturgeon will live and reproduce just fine in a non-specialized container, which you can make with your own hands if you wish. A small plastic pool with a depth of about 1 meter and a diameter of about 2-3 meters will do. Of course, you can use larger pools if the space allows. In a small pool you can grow about one ton of sturgeon per year, and you can do everything yourself, without hiring employees or spending additional money on their wages.
The pool must have compressors, special filters and aeration. You will also need a pump, as the pool will need to be cleaned periodically. An automatic feeder can be a useful piece of equipment, but you can do without it. Its advantages are that using it you will free up a lot of extra time, but it doesn’t cost a penny. Many entrepreneurs feed fish by hand.
When choosing a compressor and pump, pay attention to the fact that this equipment should not squeeze out its full maximum during operation. Calculate how much equipment power you need, and take equipment so that it works with a small margin. Otherwise, the equipment will wear out very quickly and you will need to replace it.
If you have sufficient knowledge, hands from the “right place” and free time, you can make a pool yourself. This way you will save quite a lot of money (the cost of producing a pool yourself is 2-3 times less than the cost of the same pool from a store). To begin with, one small pool will be sufficient, over time it will be possible to expand it or make several more of the same kind.
Purchasing fry
To start breeding sturgeon, of course, you will need fry of this fish. There are fish farms that breed different types of fish. You need to find one that breeds sturgeon specifically, and purchase a batch of fry from them. We recommend that you do not buy the first ones you come across, but consider different options.
Ask experts how to choose the right fry for breeding, and how you can distinguish high-quality fish from low-quality fish. It is better to approach the purchase of fry with all responsibility. Poor quality fry will grow very slowly and possibly get sick, and you don’t want that at all.
How to choose food
You also need to choose food for sturgeon carefully. There are a number of features in this issue. Firstly, the sturgeon feeds from the bottom, so it needs food that will sink in the water. Sturgeons have a developed sense of smell, and this is what they use when looking for food. The food should have an attractive smell to the fish.
Also, the food must be waterproof and not be destroyed by water. This rule must be observed because the sturgeon will not immediately absorb all the food, but will, so to speak, “stretch out the pleasure.” The food must remain waterproof for at least 30 minutes after being immersed in water. The consistency of the food should also be special: the food should swell a little in the water and become softer - this way the fish will eat it faster. And so that the sturgeon grow faster, and you can quickly sell them and make your profit, choose high-calorie food.
The composition of sturgeon feed varies. But experts recommend using food with approximately the following composition: fiber, protein, fats, lysine and phosphorus. Do not forget to take into account the size of the fish: small fish need small food, large fish need larger food. Everything must match the size of the fish.
Breeding sturgeon in a pond
If the option with a pool is not suitable for you, you can breed sturgeon in a pond. And if you already have a pond, then the task becomes much easier for you. You just need to bring the pond into the required condition, or find a suitable one. Before you place the fry in the pond, you need to prepare it for new inhabitants. The pond needs to be cleaned. If it is of artificial origin, then carry out the liming procedure: place a layer of lime on the bottom of the pond, pour a sufficient amount of water on top, and then rinse. It is advisable to carry out this procedure approximately half a month before placing the fry in the pond.
The bottom of the pond should be in the shape of a bowl. Also provide certain flora and fauna in the pond, which will contribute to the healthy development and reproduction of sturgeon. There must be algae, reeds, various green fertilizers, worms, and you can put shellfish. If insects get in, it will only be beneficial (additional food for the sturgeon). All this will create the necessary “atmosphere” in the pond in which the sturgeon will feel great.
It is recommended to place fry in the pond in the summer, and preferably at night. When some of the fish grow to larger than average sizes, they will need to be moved to another spawning pond. It is also created artificially. After a while, the eggs or the fry that have already been born can be returned back to the original pond. Be attentive to fish, especially males - they can become carriers of unwanted infections and infect a whole family of fry.
Business payback and product sales
To clearly show what the return on investment for a given business can be, let’s give an example. Let's say you took 5 g of fry. After about six months, some of them will weigh 500 g. Please note that only a part, since sturgeon fry will grow unevenly, that is, some faster, some slower. This is their peculiarity.
It is sturgeon weighing 500 g that are the best-selling. When some of the individuals reach this weight, you sell them and begin to wait for the rest to grow up. After 1-1.5 months, medium-sized sturgeon will grow to a large size, and after 2-3 - the smallest ones. After about 9 months from the start, the production cycle can be repeated.
You can sell your products anywhere: in restaurants, markets, shops, supermarkets, specialized fish stores, and wholesale organizations. You can also make some profit by selling the fry that you yourself have produced on your fish farm to other private producers and organizations.
Sturgeon breeding business plan
As already mentioned, sturgeon is a fairly expensive fish, and its cost starts from $15 per kilogram. And this is at a production cost of 7-8 dollars per kilogram. Already based on these figures, it can be understood that sturgeon breeding will bring good profits. A sturgeon breeding business can bring you about 8 thousand dollars every month. Of course, if the breeding is on a fairly large scale, and you do everything correctly.
The approximate cost of fish feed offered by specialized companies is $1.2 per kilogram. For 1 kg of sturgeon growth, about 1-1.5 kg of feed will be required. The price of the fry is quite pleasing - fry weighing 1 g will cost 0.2 dollars.
The cost of the equipment will depend on your “appetites” in this business. If you immediately want to equip yourself to the maximum and purchase equipment for growing sturgeon with a volume of 5 tons per year, then prepare an amount of 15-20 thousand dollars. If you are going to start small, then, accordingly, the costs will be much less.
In conclusion, let’s summarize what you need to remember about breeding sturgeon at home. Firstly, do not forget to feed the fish with high-quality food. Secondly, clean the pool regularly. Thirdly, from time to time check the functionality of the equipment (in particular, filters) and, if necessary, repair breakdowns. And fourthly, check the condition of the water often and add new water from time to time. Successful business to you!
A similar business with sturgeon breeding is. Find out how to do it at home and make a profit!
Many people don’t even think about raising commercial fish at home, however, it is quite possible. Most often, sturgeon is bred on the territory of a private house. This process does not require huge investments and does not cause any particular difficulties.
Business benefits
Before you start breeding sturgeon for sale, you need to study the features of such a business:
- High demand for fish products, including caviar.
- Low competition I, because few people are engaged in growing sturgeon, sterlet or stellate sturgeon for sale at home.
- No need for significant financial investments X. So, to start a business, you will need to purchase fry, as well as cleaning the pond or preparing special premises and equipment.
- To breed sturgeon, you only need to have basic knowledge about fish. In any case, the necessary information can be found in specialized literature.
- Fish farming takes a little time. So, every day it will take about 4 hours for care. The exception is sorting days, which take approximately 15 hours once a month.
- Sturgeons take root well at home, since they are undemanding in terms of lighting.
- This kind of fish is practically not susceptible to infectious diseases. The exception is gastric disorders, which in most cases are caused by the use of low-quality food.
- The business pays off within 8 months.
Preparing the premises
Recently, many people have resorted to sturgeon breeding, using the possibilities of a country house for this. If done correctly, the quality of the product will not suffer.
First of all, you need to have about 30 m² of free space for the construction of a swimming pool. The room itself needs to be heated regularly. So, in winter the water temperature should be 17–18º C, and in summer – 20–24º C.
For breeding sturgeon you can use a polycarbonate greenhouse where the pool and necessary equipment are located.
Some people prefer to buy everything they need for fish farming from special companies. In this case, all the equipment will be delivered and installed by specialists.
Pool and equipment
It should be understood that even a self-prepared pool is suitable for growing sturgeon. Its depth should be 1 m and its diameter should be 2–3 m. In such a small container, you can grow approximately 1 ton of sturgeon per year.
Experts recommend making one small pool first. Thanks to this, within a year you will be able to understand whether you are able to breed sturgeon and whether you like this kind of business. If everything goes well, you can expand the pool or prepare several additional containers.
It should be remembered that sturgeon is a shy fish, which are unstable to stress, so the pool should be located as far as possible from highways and public buildings.
For the normal functioning of the pool you need prepare compressors and filters, and also take care of aeration and the presence of a pump for periodic changes of water in the pool. You can additionally purchase an automatic feeder, the use of which will save a lot of time. However, if desired, the fish can be fed by hand.
When choosing pumps and compressors, you need to take into account the power of the equipment. It should work with a small margin, so that the equipment will not wear out soon.
Since sturgeons are bottom dwellers, they do not require special lighting.
If you use a water supply to supply water, you should make sure that no residual chlorine gets into the pool. To eliminate it, a budget carbon filter is suitable. The water is partially changed every 3–5 days.
Pond breeding
If the option with a pool is not suitable for some reason, you can try growing fish in a pond. Such a reservoir must be prepared by thoroughly cleaning it. If it is an artificial pond, you should cover the bottom with lime and then rinse it carefully. Such treatment is carried out 15–20 days before placing the fry.
The reservoir must have appropriate flora and fauna, which contributes to the proper development of fish. This is about algae, green manures, reeds and shellfish.
The fry are placed in the pond in the summer. Night time is best for this. When the sturgeons become average in size, fish are moved to a spawning pond. Eggs and fry can be returned to the first reservoir. In this case, it is necessary to pay attention to the condition of males, because they are often carriers of infections. Experts recommend moving the fish to the pool for the winter so that it does not freeze. It can only be returned to the pond in mid-spring.
Feeding
When choosing food, you need to consider several important factors:
For faster development of individuals, high-calorie food will be required. It should have included:
- 45% protein;
- 25% raw fat;
- 3–5% fiber;
- phosphorus;
- lysine.
The food must correspond to the size of the sturgeon. Adults are fed 4 times a day, and fry - 5-6 times. The intervals between meals should be the same. If you do not follow this schedule, the sturgeon may refuse to eat.
It can be difficult for a novice businessman to breed fry at home, so they should be purchased only from proven fish farms. It must be remembered that for successful breeding of sturgeon, it is important to follow a feeding schedule, maintain cleanliness in the reservoir, and also regularly separate fry from older individuals.