Bester is a hybrid of a beluga with a sterlet.

It was first obtained in 1952 by N.I.Nikolyukin. According to biological indicators such as viability, maturation time, size, etc. among two and a half dozen species of sturgeon, the most productive are Russian and Siberian sturgeons, as well as bester, and appearance and taste qualities caviar and bester meat are significantly better.

Bester- the only representative of sturgeons, the existence of which has been maintained in aquaculture for more than 40 years, with reproduction of three generations. In terms of fish breeding and economic qualities, it favorably differs both from the original species - beluga and sterlet, and from the sturgeon species that compete with it economically, later mastered by aquaculture - Siberian and Russian sturgeons. In addition to the main form - bester, which has equal shares of the heredity of the original species, back-crosses of bester with beluga(B.BS) and sterlet(S.BS), possessing ¾ of the heredity of a beluga or a sterlet and, accordingly, characterized by a deviation in their direction of signs and properties. To date, these forms have received the official status of 3 bester breeds: “Burtsevskaya” (BS), “Vnirovskaya” (B.BS) and “Aksai” (S.BS), which have confirmed their stability for decades of cultivation in aquaculture.

bester are widely used as an object of cultivation in cage and basin farms using warm waste water from power facilities. However, as an object of cultivation in RAS, bester has not yet become widespread, there is almost no information in the literature regarding bester growing under RAS conditions.

Production qualities different breeds bester are determined by the ratio of the shares of heredity of the beluga and sterlet in their genotypes. So, if the age of reaching sexual maturity of females of the "Burtsevskaya" breed is 6-10 years, then the "Aksai" breed is more early - 5-7 years, and the "Vnirovskaya" - late maturing (14-16 years), with significant differences in females in weight ( respectively 6-15, 2-3 and 30-40 kg) and working fecundity (respectively 70-150, 30-50 and 200-300 thousand eggs).

In terms of viability, the “Burtsevskaya” and “Aksai” breeds are practically equivalent, while the “Vnirovskaya” breed demonstrates a higher lethality due to the greater difference between the producers of this breed in terms of the quality of gametes.

How much does bester fish cost (average price per 1 kg.)?

Moscow and Moscow region

Bester fish is the result of the hard work of breeders to develop new noble commercial fish species. Bester is a hybrid of two species of fish belonging to the sturgeon family. Bester fish was obtained by crossing sterlet and beluga. Soviet scientists were the first to start breeding Bester fish in the middle of the last century.

It is worth noting that Bester fish significantly exceeds the main biological indicators of its "parents". Firstly, bester fish is characterized by faster growth and a shorter maturation period compared to beluga or sterlet. In addition, bester fish stand out for their larger size and better viability in a constantly changing environment.

As a rule, bester fish does not exceed two meters in length. The researchers recorded the maximum weight of an adult Bester fish, which was thirty kilograms. They eat not only fish meat, but also its caviar. Moreover, experts rightly believe that the taste, as well as consumer characteristics of bester fish are better than those of other representatives of sturgeon fish species.

Usually, bester is grown in the so-called cage and pool fish farms. The uniqueness of this species of sturgeon lies in the fact that it is the only species that has been successfully and continuously cultivated by humans for half a century. At present, breeders know the range of the main breeds of Bester fish: Vnirovsky, Burtsevsky, and also Aksai.

It is these three breeds of bester that have shown themselves excellently throughout the entire period of fish breeding. It is noteworthy that one or another subspecies of bester fish can only be distinguished from another by a professional. According to their appearance, as well as taste and consumer characteristics, all subspecies of bester fish are similar to each other "like two drops of water."

The main difference between fish breeds can be considered the genetic fund of bester, in which the distinctive biological parameters of the beluga or sterlet may prevail. Special attention worth paying attention to chemical composition and the calorie content of bester fish. Like other sturgeon, bester boasts an excellent naturally balanced vitamin and mineral composition, and besides, it is relatively low level calorie content, which is 147 kcal per 100 grams of fish.

Like others sturgeon breeds bester fish was able to take its rightful place in the global culinary tradition. Bester fish are subjected to various types culinary heat treatment. Professional chefs advise baking and smoking bester fish, which can become a real decoration of any festive feast.

Caloric content of bester fish 147 kcal

The energy value of bester fish (Proportion of proteins, fats, carbohydrates - bzhu).

And sterlet milk. The name was formed by the first letters of the “parents”, and if translated from English (“best”), it will turn out to be “the best”. It's exclusive Russian work, started by Professor N.I. Nikolyukin and subsequently continued by his students under the guidance of I.A. Burtsev.

To date, bester is a fish that is grown on an industrial scale not only in Russia, but also in the USA, the Baltic states, France, Belarus, and Italy. Perhaps years will pass, and the first kind of animal created by man will lay the foundation for a whole group of domesticated fish.

Bester - a fish obtained after many failed experiments, since Nikolyukin carried out various crossings of sturgeons, and he did not even connect the beluga with the sterlet in his thoughts. Not only are their masses incomparable (the beluga grows up to a ton, and the sterlet - up to 2 kg), they spawn in different time and in different places, so they also belong to different genera of sturgeons. And with intergeneric crossing, as you know, the offspring is sterile. The study of the genetics of these fish species revealed that they have the same number of chromosomes, that is, "marriage" between them is possible.

The efforts of our scientists have justified themselves. for which any change in the habitual habitat turned out to be disastrous, it became possible to grow in

ponds like carps. It turned out that the hybrid requires deeper water bodies. And he can live in sea ​​water, as well as in fresh water. Cultivation of bester began to be carried out in cages, that is, fenced areas of the sea or reservoirs with a “roof” and “bottom” so that the fish would not swim away.

Taken from parents best fish bester. The photo confirms this. From the beluga got intensive growth and predatory image nutrition, and from the sterlet - meat of excellent taste and precocity. In addition, this hybrid is quite prolific. The female can spawn up to 150 thousand eggs (more than the sterlet, but less than the beluga).

In terms of nutrition, there were also pluses. Bester is a lazy fish, he does not have enough food, like salmon or trout, for example, but takes it as if reluctantly. It's impossible to overfeed him. By the way, trout even die from gluttony. Without food, a hybrid can live for a couple of months.

Bester is not a schooling fish. Each individual is individual, moves in the pool (garden) by itself or stands still, not paying attention to others. Reflexes are well developed. For example, a boat from which feeding is carried out,

perfectly recognize, swim up to her. Hybrids are not very susceptible to disease, which cannot be said about other fish grown in large quantities. They are hardy, balanced and calm.

Considering that most of the caviar is used for food, there may be doubts whether there will be enough sturgeons and sturgeons in nature to get enough bester. Undoubtedly, tons of fish can be obtained from each kilogram of fertilized caviar.

Since the receipt of third-generation hybrids, deviations from the norm began to appear in the form of underdeveloped eyes, fused bugs, and others. The offspring of besters are very variable in snout length, growth rate, and mouth shape. Breeders have yet to stabilize the hereditary system and increase the viability of offspring. Science does not stand still, and there is hope that scientists will be able to solve the tasks.

Bester is an artificially obtained hybrid of fish of the sturgeon family. To obtain this hybrid, male sterlet and female beluga are crossed. The name came from the addition of the first syllables of the words "beluga" and "sterlet".

This hybrid fish was bred in the USSR in 1952. Professor Nikolyukin was engaged in the work, and his student Burtsev continued it. Thus, work began on breeding the world's first hybrid of sturgeon fish that could produce offspring.

Features of besters

Besters grow fast like beluga and ripen early like sterlets. These fish easily get used to artificial food and are not too demanding on temperature conditions.

In length, besters reach 1.8 meters, and the mass can reach up to 30 kilograms. Puberty in male besters, it occurs at 3-4 years, and in females - at 8 years.

When growing hybrids of the first generation in cages, they can gain more than a kilogram in 2 years. If besters are grown in ponds, then their weight can reach up to 2 kilograms, and in pools - up to 8 kilograms. In females weighing 12-18 kilograms, the mass of caviar reaches 2-3 kilograms.

Besters are fed with special food intended for sturgeons, fish waste, fresh or frozen fish. The optimal area of ​​ponds for breeding besters is 0.1-04 hectares, the planting density of one-year-olds is approximately 7 thousand specimens per hectare.

How besters appeared

Professor Nikolyukin wrote a dissertation, the topic of which was " Interspecific hybridization fish”, then he began to closely engage in the hybridization of sturgeons. He decided to take new form sturgeons that could live in reservoirs. That is, he wanted to get fish that would be valued like sturgeons, but sedentary life and did not go on a long journey to spawn.

In 1952, the professor's wife, who worked with her husband, decided to fertilize beluga caviar with sterlet milk. No one could have imagined that this unplanned attempt would be the beginning of a new direction in fishing.


A fishing station near Saratov was used as an experimental laboratory. For experiments fish were brought by fishermen. For crossing, it is necessary that both caviar and milk are fully ripe, so more and more new individuals had to be caught. Pituitary injections have become a real salvation - when extracts from the pituitary gland of other fish are injected into the spinal muscles of fish, their milk and caviar mature in a couple of days.

In nature, sterlet and beluga hybrids are not found, because they are too big difference in size between these fish: sterlet most often weigh 1.5-2 kilograms, and the mass of beluga can reach up to a ton. In addition, they spawn at different times.

Also, breeders could be stopped by the fact that sterlet and beluga belong to different genera of sturgeons. And everyone knows that interracial crossing does not produce fertile offspring.


But when they began to study the genetic characteristics of these fish, an unexpected fact was discovered that struck the experimenters - all sturgeons (except for the sturgeon itself) have an equal number of chromosomes. The sturgeon has twice as many chromosomes, so hybrids with sturgeon turn out to be infertile. And the sterlet and beluga, walking and completely different, can interbreed, although this seems impossible.

Success of the experiment

After crossing the beluga with the sterlet in the course of the experiment, fry appeared from the eggs a week later. They were very active. The first hybrids were placed in ponds fisheries Saratov region.

It's time to wait. As was known, hybrids with sturgeon were sterile, and other hybrids did not produce very viable offspring, although they could have the ability to reproduce. It was not clear how long they would have to wait, since maturation in sterlet occurs by 6-8 years, and in beluga by 6 years. But scientists were incredibly surprised when their hybrids reached puberty at 3 years old. This applied to males.


The females did not fare so well. Years passed, and the caviar froze at the second stage of maturity, it did not accumulate the yolk, which the embryo feeds on.

The experiment was continued in 1963, when the hybrids were transferred to the Aksai fish farm near Rostov-on-Don, where the climate is warmer. The older individuals were already at the age of 12 years. Their average weight was 1.5 kilograms.

Over the summer, with enhanced nutrition, the fish began to reach a weight of 6 kilograms, and the females became ready for motherhood. A year later, second-generation hybrids appeared, born from hybrid males and females - this was a real event.

Bester is the best of the best

The name of the hybrids was given by Nikolyukin, as noted, it was composed of the first syllables of fish varieties, but it happened by chance that with English word"best" translates as "the best". And the hybrid really lived up to its name. The effect was truly amazing. They grew up in ponds and brought offspring sturgeon fish, and after all, their heredity was formed over millions of years, and any change in the environment for them was disastrous. And now they, like ordinary carps, can develop in ponds.


Today bester is a highly valued object of industrial breeding. These hybrids have inherited best qualities: the possibility of living in fresh water, increased vitality, predatory food and excellent taste.

The body color of besters can be gray or dark gray with beige hues. Besters look almost the same as sterlets, but grow 3-4 times faster.

There are several breeds of besters: Burtsevsky, Aksai and Vnirovsky - the largest bester. All these breeds are highly valued throughout the years of breeding.

Besters are prepared chilled or frozen. The taste qualities of bester meat exceed the taste qualities of ordinary sturgeons.

Reproduction of besters

Under artificial conditions, besters do not reproduce on their own, although these hybrids are not sterile.


Producers are caught in the spring, they are given pituitary injections, which accelerate the process of development of the reproductive products of fish. Maturation in sterlet after injection occurs after 24-25 hours, and in beluga - after 48-60 hours. In order to obtain eggs from the female, the female is slaughtered and the blood is bled out, as it can get into the eggs.

Beluga caviar is filtered into basins and sterlet sperm is added to it. Sperm is taken from several male producers. After a few minutes, the water is drained, and the caviar is washed in a suspension of clay or river silt so that it loses its stickiness. After that, she is sent to incubation. Incubation lasts about 5-10 days, its duration depends on the water temperature.

Hatched fry are transplanted into pools. Larvae that actively feed are sent to ponds. Besters are fed minced fish or fish waste.

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Conventionally, all fish species suitable for keeping in small reservoirs can be divided into carp and predatory. Naturally, carnivores are also divided into many species and differ greatly in many ways: habitat, lifestyle, breeding time, feeding habits, and others. biological features. Many predatory fish- very valuable objects of artificial fish breeding. We offer you to buy more than 20 species of predatory pond fish, including bester.

Bester - a fish of the sturgeon family, is a hybrid of beluga and sterlet. Adults reach a length of 180 cm and a weight of 30 kg. Bester adopted the appearance from the "parents", but looks better, the color can vary from gray to dark gray with a beige tint. Bester has breeds that depend on the predominance of the heredity of one or another initial species: Vnirovsky (the largest), Burtsevsky, Aksai. All these breeds have maintained their value over the course of for long years breeding.

Bester was bred over 50 years ago and has been actively cultivated in cage and pool farms ever since. Due to the fact that the bester adopted the best qualities from the initial forms, it became very valuable fish for artificial stocking. It is distinguished by high vitality, grows rapidly, reaches puberty early, can live both in fresh water and in brackish water. Bester is hardy, gets sick a little, besides it is absolutely not aggressive.

One of the main factors affecting the health and growth of fish is feeding. Remember that, despite the huge variety of types of dry food, fish that eat natural food grow and reproduce better. Bester is a predator, its diet is quite diverse, but it is very picky about the quality of feed. Bester mainly feeds on insects and their larvae, small crustaceans, and small fish.

Female bester reaches puberty at 6-8 years, male at 3-4 years. Bester does not reproduce on its own under artificial conditions, although this hybrid is capable of reproduction. Bester is obtained by pituitary injections, which are done in the spring when the temperature reaches 9-10 °C.

you can buy live fish for the pond, both for decorative purposes and for fishing with friends. But keep in mind that "" does not sell fish for paid fishing, you can buy live fish from us for your pond for your own pleasure. Bester is best caught during the day on the bottom, the best bait is the mollusk, it also bites well on maggots, caddisflies, bark beetle larvae. With a successful catch, you will be rewarded when you cook fresh fish, because no one will argue with the fact that a fish just caught in an open pond, even with your own hands, cannot be compared with a store fish. Everyone knows that sturgeon meat is incredibly tasty, but not everyone knows that the taste of bester exceeds ordinary sturgeon.

In general, bester is a good option for your reservoir, provided that it is well stocked with fish. We offer the sale of live pond fish, which is grown in safe fish farms, all fish have a veterinary certificate and, before being released into the pond, the fish undergoes a pre-sale quarantine. Also, the stocking of the pond in our company is carried out by qualified personnel. However, buying live fish for your pond is only half the battle, it is important to remember that for the full growth and reproduction of fish, it must be carefully looked after. To make you satisfied with your reservoir, the specialists of the company "" during the sale will consult on the further cultivation of fish, answer the whole range of questions of breeding and keeping fish, which will help create a balanced stocking.