Effect of probiotics on the growth and survival of Penaeus monodon (Fabricius)

The culture of shrimps received maximum importance due to its unique taste, high nutritive valueand persistent demand in the world market. In recent years, the diseases of shrimp hindered the developmentof shrimp culture. In the present study an attempt has been made to culture the giant tiger shrimp, P.monodonin 12 ponds each with 0.6ha near Vellapallam village of Sirkali taluk, Nagai district, Tamilnadu. The use ofprobiotic bacteria in aquaculture has tremendous scope and the study of the application of probiotics inaquaculture has a glorious future. In the present study the probiotics, viz., Super biotic, Super Ps, Zymetin andMutagen was applied in culture ponds (“A” section) of P. monodon which is compared with “B”section pondswithout probiotic treatment. Growth and survival rate of the ponds which w as applied (“A ” section) withprobiotics was higher than that of “B” section ponds. The bacterial population decreased at the end of culturein “A” section ponds, but in “B” section the bacterial population was not showing a significant decrease. Blackgill, white gut and fungal diseases were recorded in “B” section ponds. But these diseases were not that muchreported in probiotic treated (“A” section) ponds. The general conclusion obtained from the present study isthat the probiotic plays a vital role in growth, survival and disease resistance of the animal by maintaining goodwater quality parameters throughout the culture period. It is clear from the bacterial colony data that greencolony dominated only in the “B” section ponds. So it can be recommended that the probiotics can be very wellutilized for the shrimp ponds to get maximum growth and survival.