RESUMO
In this study, levels of Vibrionaceae, Staphylococcaceae, and Enterobacteriaceae were observed in seawater from juvenile green turtle Chelonia mydas rearing tanks and in the incoming coastal seawater (the water supply). Bacterial loads were compared between the incoming coastal seawater and two different rearing conditions: in cement tanks at a low stocking density and in fiberglass tanks at a high stocking density. The total bacterial counts in seawater from fiberglass tanks were statistically greater than those in cement tanks. The nonlactose and lactose fermenting enterobacteria, tellurite-reducing bacteria, and total plate counts in water from all rearing containers were greater than those in coastal seaweater by a logarithmic fold change of 2--3. Differences in bacterial population structure of the incoming coastal seawater and rearing water were also addressed. The results from biochemical identification of 344 isolates revealed that the bacteria that were commonly found in water samples were Citrobacter spp., Enterobacteria spp., Edwardsiella spp., Staphylococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Photobacterium spp., Vibrio alginolyticus, and Vibrio spp. Conclusively, the microbiological monitoring of rearing water provides important and essential information on the management of aquatic animal health and husbandry.