Effects of sodium butyrate and Lippia origanoides essential oil blend on growth, intestinal microbiota, histology, and haemato-immunological response of Nile tilapia.

This study aimed to verify the effects of dietary supplementation with sodium butyrate and Lippia origanoides, combined and isolated, on the health and zootechnical performance of Nile tilapia juveniles Oreochromis niloticus. A total of 120 fish (5.38 ± 0.65 g) were randomly distributed in 12 experimental units and fed different experimental diets for 30 days, namely: commercial diet without supplementation (Unsupplemented); commercial diet supplemented with 0.5% sodium butyrate (Butyrate); commercial diet supplemented with 0.125% L. origanoides (Lippia) and commercial diet supplemented with a mixture of 0.5% sodium butyrate and 0.125% L. origanoides (Butyrate + Lippia). After preparing the experimental diets there was an increase in the pH of diet Butyrate when compared to the other diets. After 30 days the fish supplemented with Butyrate + Lippia showed reduction significate in the mean corpuscular haemoglobin, concentration of total heterotrophic bacteria in the intestine, and lymphocyte infiltrates in the liver. Besides that, the supplementation with Butyrate + Lippia promoted an increased number of intestinal villi compared to the fish Unsupplemented ones. Additionally, fish fed a diet containing only Lippia presented an increase in the villus perimeter in the posterior region of the gut and in the red blood cell number. Animals supplemented only with sodium butyrate demonstrated increased lactic acid bacterium in the gut and macrosteatosis in the liver, besides decreased melanomacrophages in the spleen. The use of sodium butyrate associated with essential oil had positive effects on the intestinal microbiota, intestinal structure, liver, and spleen integrity, suggesting a greater efficiency of the compounds when used together in the nutrition of Nile tilapia juveniles.

Hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide against parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Protozoa, Ciliophora) in jundiá fingerlings / O peróxido de hidrogênio e dióxido de cloro no combate ao parasito Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Protozoa, Ciliophora) em alevinos de jundiá

ABSTRACT: Ichthyophthiriasis is a worldwide fish disease with great financial impact on freshwater fish farming due to its associated high mortality rates. Current study assesses the parasiticidal capacity of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and chlorine dioxide (ClO2) against the causative agent, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, in jundiá. Median lethal concentration (LC50, 96h) of each chemical agent was established, as well as the minimum inhibitory concentration of hydrogen peroxide for the parasite´s infectious larval phase (theront). Products were tested asynchronously in parasitized fingerlings for short and long baths at the following concentrations and exposure times: 1. Hydrogen peroxide: (T1) continuous bath - 30ppm and (T2) 50ppm; (T3) short bath - 150ppm, during 1h and (T4) 250ppm during 1h; control group (without any chemical agent). 2. Chlorine dioxide: (T1) continuous bath - 4ppm and (T2) 20ppm; (T3) short bath - 200ppm, during 1min; (T4) short bath - 400ppm, during 1min and control group. Data analysis demonstrated a concentration of 82.54ppm of the commercial product (or 24.76ppm of the active chemical agent) as LC50, 96h of H2O2 and 38.4ppm product (or 2.68ppm of the active chemical agent) for ClO2. Hydrogen peroxide concentration causing 100% mortality rate of theronts in 1h was 25ppm (product, or 7.5ppm of the active chemical agent). At the end of the fourth day of curative experiment, 98% of the animals died by ichthyophthiriasis. No treatment was effective against the parasite.

RESUMO: A ictiofitiríase em peixes tem distribuição mundial e forte impacto econômico na piscicultura de água doce devido às altas taxas de mortalidade associadas. Este estudo avaliou o uso do peróxido de hidrogênio (H2O2) e do dióxido e cloro (ClO2) no controle do parasito protozoário Ichthyophthirius multifiliis em jundiá. A concentração letal mediana (CL50, 96h) de cada agente químico foi estabelecida, assim como a concentração mínima inibitória do peróxido de hidrogênio para a fase larval infecciosa do parasito (teronte). Os agentes foram testados assincronicamente em alevinos parasitados na forma de banhos de curta e longa duração, nas seguintes concentrações e tempos de exposição: 1. Peróxido de hidrogênio: (T1) banho contínuo - 30ppm e (T2) 50ppm; (T3) banho curto - 150ppm com duração de 1h e (T4) 250ppm com duração de 1h, além de um grupo controle (sem a adição do agente químico). 2. Dióxido de cloro: (T1) banho contínuo - 4ppm; (T2) banho contínuo - 20ppm; (T3) banho curto - 200ppm, com duração de 1min; (T4) banho curto - 400ppm, com duração de 1min, além de um grupo controle. A análise dos dados indicou a concentração de 82,54ppm do produto comercial utilizado (ou 24,76ppm do princípio ativo) como a Cl50, 96h de H2O2 e de 38,4ppm produto (ou 2,68ppm do princípio ativo) para o ClO2. A concentração de H2O2 que causou 100% de mortalidade dos terontes em 1h foi de 25ppm (do produto, ou 7,5ppm do princípio ativo). Ao final do quarto dia de experimento curativo, 98% dos animais morreram devido à ictiofitiríase. Nenhum dos tratamentos foi efetivo frente à parasitose.

Immunization of hybrid surubim (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans x P. fasciatum) against Motile Aeromonas hydrophila septicemia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the immune response of hybrid surubim vaccinated by intraperitoneal injection and by immersion against Aeromonas hydrophila. Vaccine was prepared with formalin-inactivated A. hydrophila. Forty eight fishes (47±9g) were distributed in 12 tanks (4 fish / tank) in the following treatments (4 tanks / treatment): unvaccinated fish, vaccinated intraperitoneally and vaccinated by immersion. After 21 days, intraperitoneally vaccinated fishes showed the highest values of total protein and immunoglobulins, agglutination titer and serum antimicrobial activity. Lysozyme concentration in the serum was higher in the fishes vaccinated by immersion than unvaccinated fishes. Intraperitoneal vaccination induced the highest immune response and could be used to improve the fish resistance against motile Aeromonas.

Cultivation of juvenile fat snook (Centropomus parallelus Poey, 1860) fed probiotic in laboratory conditions

The objective of this study was to investigate the growth of juvenile fat snook (Centropomus parallelus) in laboratory conditions when fed a diet supplemented with the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum. Changes in the intestinal flora, haematological parameters and growth performance were assessed using 180 fishes (54.2 ± 13.4 g each). The fishes were subjected to two treatments divided into six cages: 1) feed supplemented with probiotic, and 2) feed without probiotic (control). The temperature, dissolved oxygen and salinity were maintained at 25 ± 1 ° C, 4.0 mg.L-1 and 33 ‰, respectively. After 10 weeks of culture, the fishes fed probiotic had reduced viable culturable heterotrophic bacteria and Vibrio spp. and increased lactic acid bacteria in the intestinal tract, as well as a higher number of thrombocytes, leukocytes and lymphocytes in the blood. No significant difference was observed in the growth, survival or body composition, but the hepatosomatic index was significantly higher in the fishes fed with probiotic and control.

Diet supplemented with probiotic for Nile tilapia in polyculture system with marine shrimp.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a probiotic (Lactobacillus plantarum) supplemented diet on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in a polyculture system with marine shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) as regards culture performance, hematology, and gut bacterial microbiota. Ten 20-m² pens were arranged in one earthen pond and stocked with 2 fish (41.9 g) m(-2) and 10 shrimp (2.3 g) m(-2), in total of 40 Nile tilapias and 200 shrimp per experimental unit. Tilapia groups in five of the experimental units were fed a commercial diet supplemented with L. plantarum and the other five with an unsupplemented commercial diet (control). After 12 weeks of culture, the tilapia groups fed the probiotic-supplemented diet presented values 13.6, 7.5, and 7.1% higher for feed efficiency, yield, and final weight, respectively. Viable culturable heterotrophic bacteria counts were reduced, and the number of lactic acid bacteria was increased in the gut of fish and shrimp fed the probiotic-supplemented diet. Hematological analyses showed higher number of thrombocytes and leukocytes in tilapia fed the supplemented diet. L. plantarum utilized in this study colonized the gut of tilapia and shrimp and resulted in reduced number of total bacteria and increased tilapia final weight and feed efficiency.