The Probiotic Pediococcus acidilactici Protects Goldfish (Carassius auratus) Undergoing Induced Stress

Abstract

According to the United Nations and World Health Organization Expert Panel, probiotics are defined as "live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host." The present study was conducted to determine whether introducing the probiotic, Pediococcus acidilactici to the diet of goldfish (Carussius auralus) confer health benefits when fish undergo induced stress. Two types of stress were induced one was a physical stress condition mimicking stress associated with the handling of fish. The second condition is a physical and biological stress, involving exposure of the fish to a common fish pathogen, Ichthyopthirius multifilis, in addition to the handling stress. The results demonstrated that fish whose diets are supplemented with 0.1% (w/w) of Pediococcus acidilactici have reduced mortality rates associated with the physical stress condition of handling, and decreased mortality rates associated with the biological and physical stress condition of exposure to the pathogen, Ichthyopthirius multifilis.