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Growth Patterns And Size-Group Interactions In Hatchery-Reared Age-0 Lake Sturgeon, Joseph M. Susco

All NMU Master's Theses

Raising lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in hatcheries is an important tool for rehabilitation and conservation, but is expensive. When hatchery sturgeon do not grow large enough before stocking, their odds of survival decline significantly and resources are wasted. We investigated the potential limiting effect of large lake sturgeon on the growth rate of smaller conspecifics housed in the same tank, and the possibility of increasing growth rates by separating individuals into different size classes. We also examined plasma cortisol levels of the different size classes over time as an indicator of stress levels, and levels of free plasma …