Evaluation of the suitability of samples collected in vivo for investigations of juvenile sturgeon stomach contents [SHORT COMMUNICATION]

Elżbieta Bogacka-Kapusta; Andrzej Kapusta; Arkadiusz Duda; Mirosław Szczepkowski; Ryszard Kolman

Elżbieta Bogacka-Kapusta
Andrzej Kapusta
Arkadiusz Duda
Mirosław Szczepkowski
Ryszard Kolman

Keywords: STURGEON, GASTRIC LAVAGE, STOMACH CONTENTS, FEEDING EXPERIMENTS, INVERTEBRATE FAUNA

Abstract

The aim of the experiment was to determine the capabilities of artificially spawned sturgeon that had been previously fed commercial feed to adapt to feeding on natural food. The gastric lavage method was also evaluated to determine its usefulness in studies of sturgeon food composition. The investigations of sturgeon and sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus L., hybrids were conducted in experimental ponds. The effectiveness of gastric lavage was determined to be 65%. A total of 97% of the fish fed on natural feed. The basic components of natural feed were Chironomidae and Ephemeroptera larvae and planktonic crustaceans.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:

Elżbieta Bogacka-Kapusta, Instytut Rybactwa Śródlądowego, Zakład Ichtiologii, ul. Oczapowskiego 10, 10-719 Olsztyn; Tel./Fax:+48 89 5240171; e-mail: ela@infish.com.pl