The need for sustainable bacterial management approaches in aquaculture is crucial for advancement of the industry. Probiotics are a promising strategy as evidenced by benefits demonstrated in intensive larviculture of various marine fish species. In this study we investigate the effects of a mixed Bacillus species (B. licheniformis and B. amyloliquefaciens) probiotic on rearing of larval common snook (Centropomus undecimalis). Experimental treatments included (1) probiotics supplemented to the water and live feed, (2) probiotics supplemented to the water only, and (3) no probiotic controls. Data from two separate trials indicated up to 2.5 times higher survival with probiotic addition, as well as 20% higher survival 7 days following a transport event. These benefits were not explained by faster growth, measured water quality parameters, or innate immune enzyme activities. Microbiota analysis indicated the importance of system stabilization prior to larval stocking to improve rearing success and probiotic performance. ied Potential probiotic benefits include accelerated gastrointestinal tract development, enhanced immunity, inhibition of opportunistic bacteria, and improvements to water quality parameters. Results suggest this probiotic should be tested in other marine fish species in order to reduce larval rearing bottlenecks.

Mangrove prop roots support diverse epibiont communities, but they are generally regarded as inhospitable for corals. However, recent reports have documented corals thriving on mangrove roots in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Cuba, and it has been proposed that mangroves may provide a refuge from environmental conditions that trigger coral mortality on nearby reefs. It also raises interesting questions about the potential evolutionary significance of coral populations in mangrove forest. We investigated diverse mangrove habitats for the presence of corals at Calabash Caye, Belize, part of a recently designated marine reserve on Turneffe Atoll. Here we present data on the distribution, size and morphology of 127 colonies of branching Porites found in a survey of 1858 meters of mangrove prop roots fringing three qualitatively distinct bodies of water: a high-flow channel, a moderate-flow creek, and a low-flow mangrove pond. The distribution of Porites was highly clumped, with 108 colonies occurring in a 178-meter stretch of shoreline along the high flow channel. Colony morphology varied widely, from bushy colonies with more than 40 branch tips per 1000 cm3 of ecological volume, to spindly colonies with fewer than 10 branch tips per 1000 cm3, to new recruits that have not yet developed distinct branches. Comparisons of the same coral-bearing roots in 2013 and 2014 revealed that colonies can experience substantial growth in a year’s time. We also document a much more diverse coral fauna living in the mangroves at Crooked Creek, a high flow environment on the western edge of Turneffe Atoll. The data described here contribute to an emerging picture of mangroves as potentially important habitat for corals, while suggesting that different types of mangrove habitat vary in their suitability for different species of coral. Future studies are needed to identify the critical environmental features of mangrove habitats that support coral, to further characterize those corals that can utilize mangrove habitat, and to investigate potential connectivity between coral populations in mangroves and nearby reef habitats.

Mangrove prop roots support diverse epibiont communities, but they are generally regarded as inhospitable for corals. However, recent reports have documented corals thriving on mangrove roots in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Cuba, and it has been proposed that mangroves may provide a refuge from environmental conditions that trigger coral mortality on nearby reefs. It also raises interesting questions about the potential evolutionary significance of coral populations in mangrove forest. We investigated diverse