Development of a Growth Model for Lake Sturgeon

This study evaluated the relationship between temperature and growth rate of juvenile Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens and determined optimal temperature for growth based on weight gain and length increase. Four temperature regimes (12.0 +/- 0.5, 17.0 +/- 0.3, 21.6 +/- 0.4, and 26.8 +/- 0.6 degrees C [mean +/- SD]) were tested in triplicate to determine specific growth rates and daily length increases. In addition to growth rate, consumption rates were also assessed by recording the grams of feed offered to fish and the amount uneaten to ensure all fish were fed to satiation. Lake Sturgeon consumed 2.76, 9.63, 13.69, and 14.22% body weight/d, respectively, and grew at a specific growth rate of 0.50, 1.42, 2.01, and 1.75 mm/d, respectively. Fish consumed more food with increasing water temperature; however, daily length increase declined at 26.8 degrees C. This study may be used to construct growth models for production programs, project size at stocking, and project feed rates based on water temperature.