Starry sturgeon feeds on fish, worms, crustaceans and mollusks. It lies on the bottom during the day and feeds mostly at night. This fish is anadromous and moves upriver into shallow waters to spawn. The starry sturgeon is an important commercial species of fish. It is one of the three most important species for caviar, see "Sevruga caviar", along with the Beluga sturgeon and the Ossetra sturgeon. Its flesh is considered an expensive delicacy in the Caspian region. It is used to make kabaabs, or is consumed pan fried, broiled, or smoked. There have been several attempts in Russia, Iran, Italy, and
Sterlet become self-sustaining. Today, the majority of the international trade involves sterlets from aquaculture. The sterlet's main source of food is benthic organisms; they commonly feed on crustaceans, worms, and insect larvae. The sterlet commonly reaches the age of 22 to 25 years. Males reach sexual maturity at 3–7 years old and females at 4–12 years old. Spawning occurs from the middle of April to the beginning of June. Females may lay from 15,000–44,000 eggs, at water temperatures preferably 12–17 °C (54–63 °F). Sterlets require relatively large ponds with good water conditions, and may get entangled in plants such as blanketweed.