Non-lethal gill biopsy of juvenile hybrid sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus ♀ x A. schrenckii ♂): validity and impact on growth and osmoregulation

The objective of this study was to validate a gill biopsy method for non-lethal monitoring of the osmoregulatory status of young sturgeon in estuary areas. After gill biopsy, hybrid sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus fxA.schrenckii o) were transferred from freshwater to brackish water (10 ppt) for 6weeks. Mortality, serum osmolality, ion concentrations and gill Na+, K+-ATPase activity of fish exposed to brackish water was measured. No detrimental effects on subsequent survival, growth or osmoregulation of hybrid sturgeon were observed.