Growth and survival of Beluga (Huso huso) and Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) fingerlings fed by live food and artificial diet

A feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate growth, survival and body composition of Beluga and Persian sturgeon fingerlings fed with live food (Daphnia spp.) and artificial diet.Eight day post-hatch larvae of each species were reared in two 4m 3 tanks and acckimated to the prepared diet.Persian sturgeon fingerlings were distinctly transferred to 12 tanks and fed for 48 and 50 days, respectively.The final weight (FW), hepatosomatic index (HSI) and total length (TL) of Beluga fingerlings fed live food were significantly higher than those fed the prepared diet; in case of the condition factor (CF) the opposite was the case (P<0.05).However, there was no significant difference between fish fed live food and prepared diet in body weight gain (BWG), specific growth rate (SGR) and survival.In contrast, all parameters studied (except condition factor) were significantly higher in Persian sturgeon fingerlings fed live food.There was also a significant difference in the body composition of the fingerlings fed live food and prepared diet.These results indicate the possibility of incorporating more cost effective prepared diets into Beluga fingerlings culture but further studies are needed to optimize diet composition.