The Shovelnose is mostly a river fish, very seldom found in the absence of a current. That’s why a dam that slows river currents may be detrimental to these fish. Use the information below to learn the key differences so you can always return pallid and lake sturgeon unharmed to the water immediately. I'd settle for a Sterlet but a shovelnose would be awesome. Preferred Water Parameters Shovelnose sturgeon were captured and implanted with radio ... placed into a holding tank for 20 min to allow for recovery from the surgery, and were released near the capture loca-tion. Our sturgeon in the indoor pools are just as happy as our outdoor Sturgeon, but obviously the outdoor sturgeon take on size much quicker. Most Shovelnose Sturgeon are caught accidentally by anglers fishing for catfish on the bottom. How to Identify Sturgeon There are three species of sturgeon in Missouri. The average length of an adult shovelnose sturgeon is about 21 inches and the average weight is 1.5 pounds. Similar species: The shovelnose sturgeon so closely resembles the endangered pallid sturgeon that the shovelnose is illegal to harvest for commercial purposes. Diamond Sturgeon (Acispenser gueldenstaedtii)Origin: Aquacultured Florida Diet: Largely a bottom feeding scavenger, will readily accept sinking pellets Adult Size: 36″ Recommended Tank Size: Best suited to a medium to large pond Compatibility: Generally peaceful.Should be kept with similarly sized fish. Shovelnose sturgeon feed on the bottom by raking the bottom with their sensitive Details. www.sturgeon-web.co.uk/shovelnose-sturgeon-scaphirhynchus-platorynchus Shovelnose sturgeon are slow growers and reach a length of about 8.3 inches in the first year. The back and sides are light brown or light reddish brown or buff color; the belly is white. In the Mississippi River it frequents the tailwaters below wing dams and other structures which accelerate current flow. Like the pallid sturgeon, the lower lip has 4 lobes (not 2, as in the lake sturgeon). “When you think of sturgeon, you typically think of a big fish. Shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) ... Bait Seines (with a maximum mesh size not exceeding 1/4 inch bar, 1/2 inch stretched and 30 feet in length; must be operated solely on foot and by hand, without any pulley, mechanical device or assistance whatsoever) “The biggest fish we caught was 32 inches in total length; the tail was about 8 inches long and, at the end, was smaller than my pinkie finger.” Diamond Sturgeon Diamond Sturgeon. The shovelnose sturgeon is a fish of river currents, depending on sandy or gravel beds as a safe place to lay eggs. Diets of the young pallid sturgeon will be compared with diets of young shovelnose sturgeon of the same size and age, collected in the same habitats. 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