Comparison of Body Size and Steroid Hormones of Female Beluga Sturgeon Huso huso Based on Gonad Echogenicity Status in Sonography

Beluga sturgeon(Huso huso) is one of the most valuable species of sturgeon for breeding and rearing in aquaculture farms. Understanding the quality of gonads, especially gonads in female, is essential to the success of breeding and reproducing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in body size (length and weight) and steroid hormones based on the echogenicity (volume and color) observed from gonad in ultrasound on 4-year-old female beluga sturgeon (n=20)

For this purpose, the fish were bio-assayed and blood analyzed. The SonoAce R3 was used for ultrasound by adjusting the frequency between 8-9 Hz, hormonal assay was performed by radioimmunoassay (RIA).

Mean total weight (TW), total length (TL), standard length (SL), condition factor (CF) of fish were 9.96 kg, 114.45 cm, 101.65 cm, 0.93 and mean of E2, T and 17,20OH-P were 0.49, 0.28 and 41.7 ng/ml, respectively. The results of one-way ANOVA showed that there was no significant difference between the mean of morphometric parameters in different gonadal colors in sonographic observations (p> 0.05). However, there was a significant difference between their mean values with respect to different gonad volumes in the ultrasound observations (p<0.05) whereas fish with a higher average of total weight, total length, standard length, and condition factor showed good gonad volume in the ultrasound observations. There was also no significant difference between mean values of steroid hormones in terms of volume and color of gonad (p> 0.05).

Since the larger fish had a favorable gonad volume in the ultrasound observations, thus, separation and maintenance of such stocks for reproduction is more desired and reduces costs. Also steroid hormones in 4-year-old female beluga are not associated with gonadal echogenicity characteristics and cannot be used as a determination method.