Combined or Individual Effects of Dietary Probiotic, Pediococcus acidilactici and Nucleotide on Reproductive Performance in Goldfish (Carassius auratus).

This work evaluated the effect of dietary supplementation of probiotic, Pediococcus acidilactici and nucleotide (combined or individual) on reproductive performance including semen quality (motility and density) and egg indices (egg diameter, ovum diameter, absolute fecundity, relative fecundity, gonadosomatic index, hepatosomatic index, fertilization rate, and hatching rate) in goldfish (Carassius auratus). Fish (46.9 ± 2.15 g) were acclimatized and divided into eight experimental diets supplemented with P. acidilactici different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3% diet) and nucleotides (0 and 0.5% diet) for 180 days. Female fish fed experimental diets showed significant differences in reproductive parameters as compared to control diet (P < 0.05). Combined diet (probiotic 0.2% and nucleotide) had the highest percentage and duration of sperm motility, absolute fecundity, and fertilization success as compared to other diets (P < 0.05). The significance of the results obtained herein underlines the importance of diet in the reproductive processes, supporting the hypothesis that feed additives could improve gamete quality.

Enrichment of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fingerlings diet with Psidium guajava: The effects on cutaneous mucosal and serum immune parameters and immune related genes expression.

The present study aimed at evaluation of possible effects of Psidium guajava as immunostimulant on mucosal and serum immunity, as well as related genes expression in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fingerlings. In an eight weeks feeding trial, fish were fed with experimental diets containing guava leaf powder [GLP] (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1%). Then, skin mucus and serum immune parameters (total Ig, alkaline phosphatase activity, lysozyme activity), as well as immune related genes expression (TNF-alpha, IL1b, IL8) were measured. All levels of GLP inclusion in the diet brought about the increase in total Ig in the serum, while in the mucus only the highest level of GLP was effective. No significant differences were observed in mucus alkanine phosphatase activity, while fish fed 0.25% of GLP had noticeably higher serum lysozyme activity. The mucus total protein electrophoretic pattern revealed some differences between the control and the treated fish. Two high MW bands were present in the control group but not in the treated groups. Three bands with a low MW comprised between 35 and 17 mw were noticed in GLP fed carps and not in the control. Gene expression studies revealed no noticeable alterations in TNF-alpha gene between treated fish and control. However, the level of expression of IL-8 was strongly upregulated in fish fed 0.5 and 1% of GLP. Also, feeding on 0.5% of GLP significantly upregulated IL1b gene expression. Evaluation of growth performance revealed improved performance parameters in GLP treated groups. These results confirmed possible immunomodulatory and beneficial effects of GLP on common carp fingerlings.

Enrichment of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fingerlings diet with microbial lysozyme: Effects on growth performance, serum and skin mucus immune parameters.

A two-month study was conducted to determine the influence of different levels of microbial lysozyme (LZ) contents (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g kg-1 of diet) on growth performance, serum and skin mucus immune parameters as well as intestinal immune-related genes expression in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss fingerlings (5.5 ±â€¯0.1 g). Growth performance and feed utilization were not affected significantly by dietary LZ. Fish fed LZ-supplemented diets had higher serum total immunoglobulins concentration than the control group. In addition, fish fed 1.5 g LZ kg-1 diet had the highest skin mucosal total protein and immunoglobulin contents compared to other experimental groups. Furthermore, skin mucosal lysozyme and alkaline phosphatase activities as well as intestinal tumor necrosis factor-α and interlukine-1ß relative genes expression were higher in fish fed 1.0 and 1.5 g LZ kg-1 diets than the other groups. Overall, the present results clearly showed that LZ powder can be considered as a potential immunostimulant in O. mykiss fingerlings, but in the long term period it may result in negative effects on intestinal health as a consequence of inducing pro-inflammatory cytokines gene expression in the intestine.

Combined or Individual Effects of Dietary Probiotic Pedicoccus acidilactici and Nucleotide on Growth Performance, Intestinal Microbiota, Hemato-biochemical Parameters, and Innate Immune Response in Goldfish (Carassius auratus).

This study investigated the effect of dietary supplementation of probiotic Pedicoccus acidilactici and nucleotide (separately or combined) on growth performance, intestinal microbiota, hemato-immunological parameters, and immunity response in goldfish (Carassius auratus). Fish (average weight 5-6 g) were acclimatized and divided into eight experimental diets supplemented with P. acidilactici of different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3% diet) and nucleotides (0 and 0.5% diet) for 6 months. Fish fed with experimental diets showed significant differences in terms of final weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, daily growth rate, and condition factor when compared to control diet (P < 0.05). Fish fed with probiotic (0.3%) separately and combined with nucleotide (0.5%) had highest RBC and WBC when compared to other diets (P < 0.05), while the highest values for Hb and Hct as well as total protein, glucose, albumin, and globulin were observed in probiotic (0.2%) and nucleotide (0.5%) combined diet. Serum lysozyme and anti-protease activities were significantly higher in probiotic (0.1 and 0.2%) and nucleotide (0.5%) combined diets. Similarly, these two diets combined showed the highest colonization of P. acidilactici when compared to other diets. In conclusion, combined dietary probiotic and nucleotide improve the growth performance, hemato-biochemical parameters, and intestine growth in C. auratus.