Bacterial flora associated with larval rearing of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii

• Published in: Aquaculture 2002-01, Vol.203 (3), p.279-291
• Main Authors: Phatarpekar, P.V., Kenkre, V.D., Sreepada, R.A., Desai, U.M., Achuthankutty, C.T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal aquaculture; Animal productions; Animal reproduction; Aquaculture; Bacteria; Bacterial flora; Berried prawns; Biological and medical sciences; Crustacea; Crustaceans; Eggs; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Invertebrate aquaculture; Larvae; Macrobrachium rosenbergii; Rearing water; Water
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/S0044-8486(01)00705-0

Quantitative and qualitative analyses of bacterial flora associated with larval rearing of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, along with important water quality parameters, were carried out over a larval cycle. Total viable counts (TVC) varied between 1.1±0.6×10 4 and 9.8±1.5×10 6 colony forming units (cfu) ml −1 in water, 2.4±0.4×10 5 and 8.6±1.6×10 6 cfu g −1 in eggs and 2.5±1.4×10 4 and 1.6±1.0×10 8 cfu g −1 in larvae. The bacterial population of eggs and larvae decreased with the age. Physico-chemical characteristics of water fell within the optimum ranges. The bacterial flora was predominantly Gram-negative, comprising more than 75% of the total isolated strains. Aeromonas, Alcaligenes and Pseudomonas were the most frequently encountered genera (prevalence>10%) in water, whereas Alcaligenes, Enterobacteriacae, Pseudomonas and Streptococcus were the most abundant strains associated with larvae. Vibrio spp. were detected in eggs and water but were conspicuously absent in larvae. The bacterial flora of eggs was similar to that of water, while a distinctly different population was observed in the larvae.