Effect of probiotics on the growth performance and survival rate of the grooved carpet shell clam seeds, ruditapes decussatus, (Linnaeus, 1758) from the suez canal

Abstract

The carpet shell clam, Ruditapes decussatus is one of the most popular and commercially important bivalves in Egypt. This study aimed to evaluate the addition of probiotic to fresh algae, yeast and bacteria on growth performance and survival rates of the studied species. The experiment was performed in the Mariculture laboratory, at the Department of Marine Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, for 126 days from February 17th to June 21th 2018. The experiments were implanted in seven square fiber glass tanks with upwelling closed recirculating systems. Six diets were used in this experiment in addition to a control. The growth performances were determined by measurement of all biometric parameters including shell length, height, width, total weight, soft body weight and dry weight. The highest specific growth rate and growth gain of shell length, height, width and total weight were recorded in diet F (mixed algae + probiotic) while the highest SGR and GG of soft weight and dry weight were recorded in diet D (bacteria + probiotic).