Enrichment of Brine Shrimp (Artemia franciscana) Nauplii with Potential Probiont Strains, Bacillus JAQ04 and Micrococcus JAQ07

Abstract

The study of bacterial interaction with crustaceans used in aquaculture, such as brine shrimp Artemia is gaining importance. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the effect on survival, growth and development of Artemia nauplii enriched with potential probionts JAQ04 and JAQ07 in gnotobiotic condition. Brine shrimp lethality concentration assay (LC50) was carried out under monoxenic condition to identify the cytotoxity of these probionts. After decapsulation of the cyst, the Artemia nauplii were preincubated with high concentration of probiont Bacillus JAQ04 and Micrococcus JAQ07 at concentration of 107 CFU ml-1. These bacteria were previously isolated from juvenile of Tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus). Pathogenic and toxicity assay demonstrated that both probiont strains were not pathogenic to the host. Significant survival (p<0.05) was observed in Artemia nauplii enriched with Bacillus JAQ04 (73%) and Micrococcus JAQ07 (63%) as compared to the control (43%). This study also demonstrated that potential probionts significantly improve the growth of the Artemia nauplii as demonstrated by higher body length when compared to the control (p<0.05). Therefore, it is suggested that Bacillus JAQ04 and Micrococcus JAQ07 were not harmless, and had significant effect on the growth and development of Artemia.