The effects of a marine photosynthetic bacteria Rhodovulum sulfidophilum on the growth and survival rate of Marsupenaeus japonicus (kuruma shrimp)

Abstract

The sustainability of the shrimp aquaculture depends largely on disease control and the health status of shrimp. Probiotics, which make shrimps healthier and more resistant to pathogens, are promising countermeasure for shrimp diseases. In this study, the effects of the marine purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacterium (PNSB) Rhodovulum sulfidophilum on Marsupenaeus japonicus (kuruma shrimp) growth and survival were examined in 177 m2 aquaria (140 tons of water) for 70 days. The shrimp received feed containing 0.01 % fresh weight (106 colony forming unit/g) of R. sulfidophilum cells. The survival rate significantly improved (P < 0.001) (R. sulfidophilum-fed = 81.9 %; control = 71.5 %), the feed conversion rate improved (R. sulfidophilum-fed = 1.83; control = 2.11), and there was no difference in the shrimp average body weight. The approximate bacterial cell cost was $0.003 to $0.005 per 1 kg feed, indicating that the R. sulfidophilum approach is economically feasible and a promising candidate for probiotic bacteria in shrimp aquaculture. Keywords: photosynthetic bacteria, Rhodovulum sulfidophilum, Marsupenaeus japonicus, shrimp, probiotics