Restocking programmes of different fish species have been implemented worldwide. However, the survival of hatchery-reared fish after release to riverine ecosystems is at a very low level. One of the reasons for the high mortality rate of post-released fish is their modified swimming behaviour due to the hatchery rearing practice. To investigate one of the possible causes for modified swimming behaviour, Acipenser baerii larvae were exposed to surface- and bottom-feeding applications with day and night light regimes in a factorial design. We also analysed the effect of 5 and 10 days of starvation after different feeding applications on sturgeon swimming behaviour. The surface-feeding application was previously expected to promote the frequent Siberian sturgeon swim up to the mid- and top-water layers in our rearing facilities. However, our results indicated that the modified behaviour of the Siberian sturgeon in our study was caused by fish starvation and a possible predator-free environment rather than by the method of feed application or the day/night light regimes. These results may be used to improve the implementation of restocking programmes either through modified hatchery rearing practice or the training of foraging skills with predator stimuli.

Institute of Genome Biology Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology Wilhelm Stahl Allee 2 18196 Dummerstorf Germany

Laboratory of Signal and Image Processing Institute of Complex Systems Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters CENAKVA University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice Zámek 136 373 33 Nové Hrady Czech Republic

South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters Institute of Aquaculture and Protection of Waters University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice Husova tř 458 102 370 05 České Budějovice Czech Republic

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