Summary This study aims to present comprehensive notes for the use of probiotics in aquaculture. Probiotics have been proven to be positive promoters of aquatic animal growth, survival and health. In aquaculture, intestines, gills, the skin mucus of aquatic animals, and habitats or even culture collections and commercial products, can be sources for acquiring appropriate probiotics, which have been identified as bacteria (Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative) and nonbacteria (bacteriophages, microalgae and yeasts). While a bacterium is a pathogen to one aquatic animal, it can bring benefits to another fish species; a screening process plays a significant role in making a probiotic species specific. The administration of probiotics varies from oral/water routine to feed additives, of which the latter is commonly used in aquaculture. Probiotic applications can be either mono or multiple strains, or even in combination with prebiotic, immunostimulants such as synbiotics and synbiotism, and in live or dead forms. Encapsulating probiotics with live feed is a suitable approach to convey probiotics to aquatic animals. Dosage and duration of time are significant factors in providing desired results. Several modes of actions of probiotics are presented, while some others are not fully understood. Suggestions for further studies on the effects of probiotics in aquaculture are proposed.

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The e¡ects of two selected probiotics (Pseudomonas synxantha and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) on the speci-¢c growth rate (SGR), survival and immune parameters of juvenile western king prawns (Penaeus latisulcatus) were examined for 84 days. Pseudomonas synxantha and P. aeruginosa were either applied into the rearing medium or supplemented in the formulated feed at a concentration of 10 5 colony forming unit (CFU) mL À 1 for each probiotic. The results showed that applications of the probiotics resulted in no signi¢cant di¡erence (P40.05) in the SGR and survival of the prawns, but signi¢cantly decreased the food conversion ratios (Po0.05) compared with the control where no probiotics were applied. The supplement of the probiotics with the formulated feed enhanced the probiotic numbers in the intestines of the prawns and low bacteria numbers in the haemolymph. The prawns were signi¢cantly (Po0.05) healthier, as indicated by the immune response obtained when both probiotics were given in combination compared with when individual probiotics were used. When applied singly, P. aeruginosa resulted in a higher health status of the prawns compared with P. synxantha. Overall, equal combinations (10 5 CFU mL À 1 ) and volumes of P. synxantha and P. aeruginosa used as a supplement in the formulated feed resulted in an improvement in the health of the juvenile western king prawns.

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