Bester is a fish bred by Russian breeders

Bester is a fish of a hybrid origin. Beluga caviar and sterlet milk were used for its production. The name was formed according to the first letters of "parents", and if translated from English ("best"), then it turns out "the best". This is exclusively Russian work, begun by Professor N.I. Nikolyukin and continued later his students under the leadership of IA. Burtsev.

To date, Bester is a fish that is grown on an industrial scale not only in Russia, but also in the US, the Baltic States, France, Belarus, Italy. Perhaps, the years will pass, and the first human-created species of animals will start a whole group of domesticated fish.

Bester is a fish obtained after many unsuccessful experiments, since Nikolyukin conducted various crossings of sturgeons, and the beluga and sterlet did not even connect in thoughts. Not only that their masses are not comparable (the beluga grows to a ton, and the sterlet up to 2 kg), spawn at different times and in different places, so they also belong to different kinds of sturgeon. And with intergeneric crossing, as is known, the offspring turns out to be sterile. The study of the genetics of these fish species revealed that they have the same number of chromosomes, that is, a "marriage" between them is possible.

The zeal of our scientists justified themselves. Sturgeon fishes, for which any change in the habitual habitat turned out to be fatal, became possible to grow in Ponds, like carp. It turned out that the hybrid requires deeper water bodies. And he can live both in sea water and in fresh water. Cultivation of the bester began to be carried out in cages, that is, fenced places of the sea or reservoirs with a "roof" and "bottom", so that the fish did not float away.

I took from the "parents" the best Bester fish. Photo confirms this. From the beluga got an intensive growth and predatory food, and from the sterlet - excellent meat and early maturity. In addition, this hybrid is quite fertile. The female can swallow up to 150 thousand eggs (more than sterlet, but less than beluga).

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

Bester is not a schooling fish. Each individual is individual, moves in the basin (cage) by itself or stands still, not paying attention to others. Reflexes are produced well. For example, a boat with which to feed, Well know, swim to it. Hybrids are less susceptible to disease, which can not be said of other fish that are grown massively. They are hardy, balanced and calm.

Given that most of the caviar is used for food, there may be doubts as to whether there are enough belugas and sterlets in nature to get enough bester. Undoubtedly, you can get tons of fish from every kilogram of fertilized caviar.

Since the production of hybrids of the third generation, deviations from the norm began to appear in the form of underdeveloped eyes, coalesced beetles and others. The offspring of the bester are very variable in length of the snout, the rate of growth, the shape of the mouth. Breeders still have to stabilize the hereditary system and increase the viability of offspring. Science is not in place, and there is a hope that scientists will be able to solve the tasks posed.