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¹ Quaid-i-Azam University, Department of Animal Sciences, Fisheries and Aquaculture Laboratory, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
² Quaid-i-Azam University, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v17_6_19 Viewed : 4306 - Downloaded : 3649 The present study was designed to test whether administration of single strain probiotic during early reaing could improve the survival and growth of rohu, L.rohita. Seventy days experiment was conducted in replicate of three and twelve hundred postlarvae (average wet body weight, 0.60 ± 0.05 mg) were equally distributed in two groups , control and treated (n=200 postlarvae /fiberglass tank). Both groups received similar feed except addition of probiotic, Geotrichum candidum, QAUGC01 in the rearing water of treated group. Postlarvae raised in the presence of probiotic showed significantly higher (P<0.05) survival rate, improved growth performance (weight gain and specific growth rate), enhanced intestinal protease, amylase and cellulase activity and significantly lower mortality (P = 0.003) after challenge with Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, proximate composition also showed significantly (P<0.05) higher values of crude protein and considerably lower levels of ash content in muscle of fry reared on probiotic supplementation. This study is the first report on the beneficial effects of single locally isolated strainof G. candidum as probiotic on early life stages of L. rohita and suggests an economically viable way to boost fish production. Keywords : Postlarvae, probiotic, survival, growth, digestive enzymes