Growth and Physiological Effects of Immunity Feed Additives on the Juvenile Red Sea Cucumber Stichopus japonicus

Abstract

The juvenile red variant of the sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus is distributed worldwide. It is a valuable food source in Korea, China, and Japan. Major issues in farming the juvenile red variant sea cucumber include growth rates and disease resistance. In recent years, studies have focused on feed additives to enhance immune system and health. In this study, we used a common diet (CD), a nutritional diet (ND; mixed nutritional supplements), and an immunity diet (ID; mixed probiotics, spirulina, and levan) and compared the growth rates and immunity of juvenile red variant sea cucumbers fed the experimental diets for 12 weeks. The growth and survival rates in the ID group were significantly increased (P>0.05). This suggests that the feed additives positively influenced immunity and growth in the ID group. However, the immune activity was exhibit a stabilizing effect, and further investigation of immune effects is required.