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Effects of an Enterococcus faecium ‐based probiotic on growth performance and health of Pirarucu, Arapaima gigas
Author(s) -
Costa Sousa Natalino,
Couto Márcia Valéria Silva,
Abe Higo Andrade,
Paixão Peterson Emmanuel Guimarães,
Cordeiro Carlos Alberto Martins,
Monteiro Lopes Emilly,
Ready Jonathan Stuart,
Jesus Gabriel Fernandes Alves,
Martins Mauricio Laterça,
Mouriño José Luiz Pereira,
Carneiro Paulo César Falanghe,
Maria Alexandre Nizio,
Fujimoto Rodrigo Yudi
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
aquaculture research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2109
pISSN - 1355-557X
DOI - 10.1111/are.14332
Subject(s) - biology , probiotic , enterococcus faecium , feed conversion ratio , zoology , enterococcus , colonization , fish farming , microbiology and biotechnology , lactic acid , veterinary medicine , food science , bacteria , aquaculture , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , antibiotics , body weight , endocrinology , genetics , medicine
Intensive fish farming has resulted in an increased concern for disease outbreaks. Probiotic use is one of the strategies being developed to improve fish health and productivity. Measures of probiotic colonization, growth performance, haematological characteristics and parasite load were used to evaluate the effect of diets supplemented with Enterococcus faecium on growth and health of Arapaima gigas juveniles. A completely randomized design with four treatments (diet with E. faecium at 1 × 10 6 CFU/g and 1 × 10 8 CFU/g, control diet and diet with the culture medium MRS) and three replicates was used. Ninety‐six Arapaima juveniles were distributed in 12 cages fed with the specified diet for 68 days. Colonization of the intestinal tract by lactic acid bacteria reduced the total number of heterotrophic bacteria in fish fed with probiotics compared to controls. Fish fed a supplemented diet containing 1 × 10 8 CFU/g presented higher values of weight gain, survival and fish growth uniformity, and lower values of feed conversion ratio. The prevalence of Trichodina sp. could have affected the survival of fish in the control group. Reduction in parasite load and an increase in haematocrit, the number of erythrocytes, thrombocytes, neutrophils and monocytes were also observed in fish fed the diet containing 1 × 10 8 CFU/g. Enterococcus faecium presented a probiotic effect in A. gigas juveniles and can be recommended for use at a concentration of 1 × 10 8 CFU/g to modify the gut microbiota, improve growth performance and haematology and reduce parasitic load.