Effects of the commercial probiotic Lactobacillus casei on the growth, protein content of skin mucus and stress resistance of juveniles of the Porthole livebearer Poecilopsis gracilis (Poecilidae)

Abstract

A 11-week feeding trial was carried out to determine the effects of the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus casei from the commercial product Yakult Ò on the growth performance, proximal composition, protein content of skin mucus and stress resistance of juvenile Porthole livebearer Poeciliopsis gracilis. Triplicate groups of 15 juveniles per tank with an initial weight of 47 ± 9 mg (mean ± standard deviation) were fed with Artemia nauplii enriched with the probiotic, by using the bacteria cells plus the fermented milk (group ProN) and the other (group ProC) by using only the bacterial cells, eliminating the fermented milk by centrifugation. A control of fish was set up, by feeding non-enriched Artemia nauplii. Growth performance and survival rates did not show significantly differences among the treatments and control group, but a slightly tendency of higher values for body weight, weight gain and specific growth rate was observed in the juveniles of ProC treatment. Whole body proximate composition did not show significant differences among the groups, but higher values of protein and lipid contents were observed in the groups fed with the probiotic. Content of protein in the skin mucus were significantly higher in the ProC treatment than control group. Recovery rates after an air-dive test were significantly higher on the fish fed with the probiotic cells than the control group. These results show that L. casei might be used as a probiotic for fish and would help during the culture of juvenile of the Porthole livebearer P. gracilis. KEY WORDS

The effects of dietary vitamin C on mucosal immune responses and growth performance in Caspian roach (Rutilus rutilus caspicus) fry

“…Similar to our results, the administration of Hilyses (fermented Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in rainbow trout diet significantly increased the alkaline phosphatase activity of skin mucus (Sheikhzadeh et al 2012). Also, Hernandez et al (2010) and Hoseinifar et al (2014) reported an increase in the skin mucus protein level in Poecilopsis gracilis and Caspian white fish (Rutilus frisii kutum) fry following administration of a commercial probiotic (Lactobacillus casei) and galactooligosaccharide. Although the mechanisms underlying the effects of dietary supplements such as vitamin C, probiotics and prebiotics on skin mucus protein levels still need to be clarified in future studies, Taoka et al (2006) stated that elevation of mucus protein contents is an indicator of the amount of skin mucus secretion and increased protein contents represent the possibility of the best responses to attacks.…”

“…The presence and importance of innate immune parameters in the epidermal mucus is well documented in fish (Fast et al 2002;Subramanian et al 2007). It has been reported that administration of dietary supplements such as fermented Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sheikhzadeh et al 2012) and Lactobacillus casei (Hernandez et al 2010) improved the mucosal immune response of rainbow trout (Oncorgynchus mykiss) and Porthole livebearer (Poecilopsis gracilis), respectively. However, in case of the vitamin C and its effects on the fish immune system, to our knowledge there is no published information regarding the possible effects on mucosal parameters.…”

Prebiótico, probiótico e simbiótico para larvas de Trichogaster leeri (Bleeker, 1852, Perciformes, Osphronemidae)

“…Staykov et al (2007) para Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792, Salmoniformes, Salmonidae), que recebeu ração suplementada com probiótico. No entanto, para outras espécies de peixes, não houve melhora na sobrevivência, como para P. scalare (Farahi et al, 2011) e P. gracilis (Hernandez et al, 2010), que receberam rações suplementadas com probióticos, e D. sargus, que recebeu ração suplementada com prebiótico (Dimitroglou et al, 2010).…”

“…De fato, foi demonstrado que existe forte correlação positiva entre a resistência ao estresse e o aumento nos parâmetros da resposta imune na aquicultura (Safari et al, 2014). De modo semelhante ao presente estudo, Safari et al (2014), com Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823, Decapoda, Astacidae), e Hernandez et al (2010), com P. gracilis, observaram que a suplementação de, respectivamente, prebiótico e probiótico aumentou a resistência ao estresse por exposição ao ar. Os resultados são relacionados pelos autores à melhora na condição de saúde dos peixes, embora os mecanismos específicos não estejam evidenciados.…”

Efficacy of Probiotics on Survival, Growth, Biochemical Changes and Energy Utilization Performance of <i>Macrobrachium rosenbergii</i> (De Man 1879) Post-larvae

“…These differences were found to be statistically significant (P<0.05). Similar results have been reported in M. rosenbergii fed with L. sporogenes supplemented diets [4], bio-encapsulated L. sporogenes [5], Binifit TM incorporated diets [6], Bacillus spp supplemented diets [7], Biogen® incorporated diets [8], different probiotics supplemented diets [9], Bacillus spp KKU02 and Bacillus spp KKU03 incorporated diets [11], bio-encapsulated B. subtilis [10], Saccharomyces cerevisiae and yeast derivatives supplemented diets [27], bio-encapsulated L. acidophilus and L. sporogenes [12], bio-encapsulated L. ceremoris [13] and in fishes, L. plantarum and B. megaterium supplemented diets [28] Lactobacillus acidophilus and yeast Saccharomyces cervisiae incorporated diets [29], B. subtilis, B. licheniformis and Enterococcus faecium incorporated diets [30], bio-encapsulated L. casei [31], Bacillus spp supplemented diets [32], B. subtilis supplemented diets [33] and B. toyoi and B. cereus incorporated diets [34].…”