Field trial of beneficial effects of carotenoid-producing Bacillus aquimaris SH6 spores to whiteleg shrimps

Abstract

This field study was performed to demonstrate that Bacillus aquimaris SH6 spores administered as a feed supplement in adequate amounts confer beneficial effects to the whiteleg shrimp. Shrimps were administered either B. aquimaris SH6 spores at 1x10⁶ CPU g⁻¹ pellet (SH6 group) or a mixture of SH6 and B. subtilis SH23 spores at 5x10⁵ CFU g⁻¹ pellet for each strain (SH6-SH23 group). After a 28-day feeding period, the number of SH6 spores in the gut of whiteleg shrimp in the SH6 group and the SH6-SH23 group were 5.7x10³ CFU gut⁻¹ and 7.7x10³ CFU gut⁻¹, respectively. The total bacterial population of these two experimental groups increased about 10-75% compared to that of the control group.