What Fish Does Caviar Come From? A Species-by-Species Guide

By Alex Beleaev | Beleaev Caviar & Gourmet, London

Updated 12 October 2026. Product specifications and catalogue prices are attributed to the linked current Beleaev pages; this guide reports no independent tasting.

In the Codex Standard for Sturgeon Caviar (CXS 291-2010), caviar is made from salted eggs of the Acipenseridae family. The fish name matters because Beluga, Russian sturgeon, Siberian sturgeon, Sevruga, Sterlet and White sturgeon are different species, while some retail caviars come from declared hybrids. A name such as “black caviar” does not identify the fish. For live examples, compare Beluga Reserve, Oscietra Royal and Royal Baeri.

Species behind familiar caviar names

Hybrids need both parents

A hybrid is not a vague quality tier. The Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Codex standard lists parent-species codes for hybrids. That is more useful than relying on a marketing name because Kaluga hybrid, Bester and other crosses are not the same fish. Read the order and format from the exact label and the standard governing it. Do not reconstruct the code from a product title. The Codex annex and CITES annex describe hybrid parent order differently, so ask the seller to reconcile any ambiguity with the actual label and supplier record.

What the linked products demonstrate

Beleaev catalogues Beluga Reserve as Huso huso, Oscietra Royal as Acipenser gueldenstaedtii and Royal Baeri as Acipenser baerii. The current Beluga and Oscietra pages give 3.0–3.5 mm and 2.7–3.0 mm respectively; the current Baeri page describes medium charcoal pearls without a numerical diameter. Those measurements help compare these products, but they do not define every batch produced by the species.

The same limit applies to taste. Marine and melting language on the Beluga page, nutty and supple wording for Oscietra, and gentle-sweetness-and-almond language for Baeri are catalogue descriptions. Species is one input; processing, salt, maturity, selection and batch also shape the result. No article can replace the received tin's label and condition.

Fish roe that is not sturgeon caviar

Salmon, trout, lumpfish, capelin and flying fish also produce edible roe products. Their eggs can be valuable and delicious, but the fish must be named accurately. Under the Codex sturgeon-caviar standard, a salmon-roe jar is not simply another sturgeon species. This distinction helps buyers compare like with like and stops colour from becoming a false identity test.

Common names can hide the useful detail

Beluga maps directly to Huso huso, but other retail names can be broader. Oscietra spelling varies, and a hybrid name may leave the parent direction unclear. Start from the scientific line or code, then read the product name. If a page gives only a luxury name, ask the seller for the label before using it in a menu or comparison.

Country words need the same discipline. A fish can have a geographic common name without proving where that particular animal was reared, where the roe was processed or where it was repacked. Those facts belong to separate traceability and supplier fields.

How to read a species claim

1. Find the scientific name or standard species code.
2. For a hybrid, identify both parents rather than accepting “hybrid” alone.
3. Match the code to the CITES label, country, year, plant and lot fields.
4. Keep the species fact separate from seller grade and sensory copy.
5. Confirm ingredients, net weight and storage on the same pack.

Choose by a verified species first, then by the individual product specification. The three linked Beleaev tins offer clear reference points, while Sevruga, Sterlet, White sturgeon and any hybrid require a named current product before price or taste can be compared.

The other named products in the current range

Golden Oscietra is listed as Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, a colour selection rather than a fish called Golden. Imperial Gold's page lists Huso dauricus × Acipenser schrenckii; this is a hybrid identity, not pure Huso huso Beluga. Almaz Diamond's page lists albino Bester, Huso huso × Acipenser ruthenus. These are catalogue statements; the received label and supplier record are the evidence for a particular batch.

Wild Salmon XXL Roe and grey-mullet bottarga are fish-roe products with different fish and processing forms. Salmon roe is sold as separate orange eggs; bottarga is a cured, dried roe piece. They should not be squeezed into a list of sturgeon species simply because a menu uses the broader word “caviar”.

What a code can and cannot answer

The CITES caviar-labelling guidance separates species, source, country, year, plant and lot. Keep these fields with the food label. A species code does not tell you every ingredient, establish an opened shelf life, certify taste or prove a particular welfare or sustainability claim.

For a gift or event, write down the full product name and retain a readable label photograph. If the menu requires a specific species or excludes a hybrid, resolve that before purchase. Compare products by the same net weight only after the identity matches the intended brief.

Frequently asked questions

What fish does Beleaev's Royal Baeri caviar come from?

Its current product page lists Acipenser baerii, Siberian sturgeon. Check the received tin and its traceability details for the batch.

Does Golden mean a separate species?

No. A golden colour or selection name must still be attached to a scientific species or declared hybrid. Golden Oscietra is currently listed as Acipenser gueldenstaedtii.

Is Imperial Gold pure Beluga?

Its current catalogue names a Huso dauricus × Acipenser schrenckii hybrid. That is different from Huso huso Beluga. Verify the exact label and supplier record rather than shortening the identity.

Are salmon roe and bottarga other sturgeon species?

No. The linked salmon product is salmon roe; the bottarga product is cured grey-mullet roe. Their fish names and processing forms remain separate from sturgeon caviar.

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