# Giant Sturgeon at chester zoo?



## SwampK (Aug 7, 2012)

was anybody else aware there are some HUGE sturgeon in the sunken gardens at Chester zoo? i spotted at least two 3-4 foot sturgeon in the main pool there. They aren't signed or anything.


----------



## almond1998 (Feb 6, 2012)

i seen it cos i was with u lol


----------



## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Where are the sunken gardens at the zoo?


----------



## fatbloke (Apr 6, 2008)

Were are thY I was there 3 days ago did not see anything :-(


----------



## benh (Sep 12, 2011)

Didnt even have time to look in sunken gardens, only just had time to see all the animals, lol. I was only just there on saturday, lol. 
Fatbloke, sunken garden is by the giant otters, I think that was the sunken garden.


----------



## SwampK (Aug 7, 2012)

Zoo-Man said:


> Where are the sunken gardens at the zoo?


yeah, the sunken gardens are near the otters and the penguins. My friend (almond1998 ) and i were just stood looking at the water for only 2 minutes before we saw them. There were at least 2, both of which were at least 3 feet long.


----------



## Moogloo (Mar 15, 2010)

At 3-4ft for sturgeon they are pretty small 

They are most likely the same species sold in aquatic shops that will hit 4 or 5ft eventually (slow growing!)... but there are species out there that get 15ft+


----------



## jaykickboxer (Feb 11, 2008)

Moogloo said:


> At 3-4ft for sturgeon they are pretty small
> 
> They are most likely the same species sold in aquatic shops that will hit 4 or 5ft eventually (slow growing!)... but there are species out there that get 15ft+


I thought that was small for a sturgeon


----------



## Tomcat (Jul 29, 2007)

Just read this Noah fountain. » Chester Zoo Gallery

They think in 2005 there were som 8ft ones


----------



## SwampK (Aug 7, 2012)

Tomcat said:


> Just read this Noah fountain. » Chester Zoo Gallery
> 
> They think in 2005 there were som 8ft ones


8ft????? wow! Certainly didn't see any that big! But that's definitely the pool where i saw them.


----------



## Tomcat (Jul 29, 2007)

But then another page said they were sterlets instead but sterlets only get to about 1 metre if I remember right so who knows haha


----------



## SwampK (Aug 7, 2012)

Tomcat said:


> But then another page said they were sterlets instead but sterlets only get to about 1 metre if I remember right so who knows haha


hmmmmm, the mystery deepens.....:hmm:

but they didn't look like sterlets to me. they looked more like diamond sturgeon.


----------



## adamntitch (Jun 17, 2007)

sterlets are the smallest what i keep then theres diamond long nosed and beluga beluga are huge after that its white sturgeon


----------



## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

They're sterlet Acipenser ruthenus.

I'm going there on saturday as we've become members, I might see if I can take a picture. I enjoyed seeing the baby red line torpedo barbs they bred there recently.


----------



## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

SwampK said:


> hmmmmm, the mystery deepens.....:hmm:
> 
> but they didn't look like sterlets to me. they looked more like diamond sturgeon.


Diamond sturgeon is a trade name. Many species of sterlet have been crossed to produce hybrids. 

Real sturgeon are protected by law. Their huge size and lifestyle makes them unsuitable really for zoos and public aquaria. I imagine the sterlets are probably rescues. Chester has had a few over the years. There used to be a pool with stingrays and red tail cats in the bat house until a couple of years ago. These were 'rescues' too.


----------



## SwampK (Aug 7, 2012)

Thanks mynki, as always you seem to have all the answers! :lol2:


----------



## SwampK (Aug 7, 2012)

Mynki said:


> Diamond sturgeon is a trade name. Many species of sterlet have been crossed to produce hybrids.
> 
> Real sturgeon are protected by law. Their huge size and lifestyle makes them unsuitable really for zoos and public aquaria. I imagine the sterlets are probably rescues. Chester has had a few over the years. There used to be a pool with stingrays and red tail cats in the bat house until a couple of years ago. These were 'rescues' too.


yes, i remember the redtails and rays in the fruit bat forest. when they did it all up, i was dissapointed to see they'd gone.


----------



## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

SwampK said:


> Thanks mynki, as always you seem to have all the answers! :lol2:


No one has all the answers fella. 

I've just had a lot of experience of the aquatics industry / angling / fish farming on all levels. Hopefully I can post pics if I see them tomorrow. I was going to sponsor one of my favourite african antelope, but might ask if I can sponsor the sterlets. If they add my name to a plaque as a sponsor, then people might notice them more! :no1:


----------



## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

Deffo sterlet. I went yesterday and saw them myself. I adopted an animal and whilst in the membership / adoptions office asked about these, the admin lady contacted a keeper who confirmed that they're rescue sterlets.

I took a couple of pics but they're a bit crappy. You can barely see the fish as the sun was reflecting on the water and my camera didn't have a polariser fitted. 

The jaguar house now has a really good South Anerican, huge circular aquarium with discus, angels, tetras and turtles in it. 

The new £30 million 'Islands' exhibit they are starting building at Chester Zoo later in the year, which will be completed in 2015 sounds like it will probably bee the best exhibit ever seen in a Uk zoo. That will be worth visiting in just over three years time.


----------



## benh (Sep 12, 2011)

The aquarium in the jaguar house is fantastic, I must admit. I virtually had to drag my lad away from it, lol.


----------



## SwampK (Aug 7, 2012)

Mynki said:


> Deffo sterlet. I went yesterday and saw them myself. I adopted an animal and whilst in the membership / adoptions office asked about these, the admin lady contacted a keeper who confirmed that they're rescue sterlets.
> 
> I took a couple of pics but they're a bit crappy. You can barely see the fish as the sun was reflecting on the water and my camera didn't have a polariser fitted.
> 
> ...


amazing tank in the jaguar house. I like the way that, despite the fact there's dozens of big, showy south american fish, they could have used, such as pacus, they've done a display with various tetras.


----------



## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

SwampK said:


> amazing tank in the jaguar house. I like the way that, despite the fact there's dozens of big, showy south american fish, they could have used, such as pacus, they've done a display with various tetras.


There is a lot of opposition to big showy tankbusters these days. Take a look at the big fish campaign and in particular BIAZA and you'll see why.

Big Fish Campaign - Put a Stop to Big Fish in Small Ponds - Biaza

Personally I find an accurate biotope aquarium far more interesting than a tankbuster.


----------



## INJAF (Nov 12, 2011)

Mynki said:


> There is a lot of opposition to big showy tankbusters these days. Take a look at the big fish campaign and in particular BIAZA and you'll see why.
> 
> Big Fish Campaign - Put a Stop to Big Fish in Small Ponds - Biaza


There's also a site specifically for the Big Fish Campaign now, BigFishCampaign.org - Aims


----------



## marcel27 (Apr 10, 2012)

some sturgeon grow huge, there was a 6ft sturgeon caught from the river severn in worcester ages back.

That was a small example they grow to 12ft


----------



## benh (Sep 12, 2011)

If you go back far enough, sturgeon visited several of our major rivers/estuaries. 

I thought the aquarium in the jaguar house was better for not featuring some of the monsters it could have. I personally find one or two tankbusters less interesting than a nice healthy stock of mixed sizes. It was mainly tetras, but I noticed an angel or two a well, among others


----------



## SwampK (Aug 7, 2012)

benh said:


> If you go back far enough, sturgeon visited several of our major rivers/estuaries.
> 
> I thought the aquarium in the jaguar house was better for not featuring some of the monsters it could have. I personally find one or two tankbusters less interesting than a nice healthy stock of mixed sizes. It was mainly tetras, but I noticed an angel or two a well, among others


i saw Discus, lemon tetra, cardinal tetra, black neon tetra,pristella tetra, and angelfish. Not to mention the yellow-spotted amazon river turtles.


----------



## yargnits (Aug 16, 2011)

i heard there were some fresh water stingrays in the bat house but i never saw them on my visits 

do they still have any ? i might be inclined to sponsor one if they had. i might even donate a pup in exchange for a membership. would be nice to see them either way


----------



## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

yargnits said:


> i heard there were some fresh water stingrays in the bat house but i never saw them on my visits
> 
> do they still have any ? i might be inclined to sponsor one if they had. i might even donate a pup in exchange for a membership. would be nice to see them either way


Not anymore. The pool where the motoros and RTC's were has since been filled in. Zoos are refusing to take on rescues more and more these days. Check the BIAZA big fish campaign for more info.


----------



## yargnits (Aug 16, 2011)

Mynki said:


> Not anymore. The pool where the motoros and RTC's were has since been filled in. Zoos are refusing to take on rescues more and more these days. Check the BIAZA big fish campaign for more info.


thats sad. i think blue planet have some f/w rays but i cant remember which type they are, most likley motoro. the motoro and retics i would expect to be the most likley to be donated as they are common (amongst the ray trade) and not very sought after as adults but the more expensive rays such as the marbles , pearls and black rays would be nice to see on display in the zoo and i would consider sponsoring one or even donating one of the marble pups i have ( in return for a membership ) 

tbh im suprised that more public aquariums / zoos dont have fw rays on display as they are lovely and much nicer than the salty rays and quite playful at times. 

i dont think there has been a f/w ray bred in a uk zoo either so it could even give them some good pr if the put some effort in.


----------



## SwampK (Aug 7, 2012)

yargnits said:


> thats sad. i think blue planet have some f/w rays but i cant remember which type they are, most likley motoro. the motoro and retics i would expect to be the most likley to be donated as they are common (amongst the ray trade) and not very sought after as adults but the more expensive rays such as the marbles , pearls and black rays would be nice to see on display in the zoo and i would consider sponsoring one or even donating one of the marble pups i have ( in return for a membership )
> 
> tbh im suprised that more public aquariums / zoos dont have fw rays on display as they are lovely and much nicer than the salty rays and quite playful at times.
> 
> i dont think there has been a f/w ray bred in a uk zoo either so it could even give them some good pr if the put some effort in.


on a different subject, baby rays are called pups? that's adorable! :lol2:


----------



## Mynki (Mar 24, 2010)

yargnits said:


> thats sad. i think blue planet have some f/w rays but i cant remember which type they are, most likley motoro. the motoro and retics i would expect to be the most likley to be donated as they are common (amongst the ray trade) and not very sought after as adults but the more expensive rays such as the marbles , pearls and black rays would be nice to see on display in the zoo and i would consider sponsoring one or even donating one of the marble pups i have ( in return for a membership )
> 
> tbh im suprised that more public aquariums / zoos dont have fw rays on display as they are lovely and much nicer than the salty rays and quite playful at times.
> 
> i dont think there has been a f/w ray bred in a uk zoo either so it could even give them some good pr if the put some effort in.


Chester did use to have rays many years ago. Their fish house has changed very little over the 20 years or so I've been visiting the place. In fact it's arguably the only disappointing part of the zoo as everything else has evolved into really great exhibits. Maybe it will be4 rebuilt and modernised with more interesting exhibits one day. 

If you want to barter for a membership, call them. They can only say no.


----------



## yargnits (Aug 16, 2011)

SwampK said:


> on a different subject, baby rays are called pups? that's adorable! :lol2:


They are :-D


----------

