Effect of a strain of Lactobacillus used as probiotic on the biological parameters of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Aquaculture is among the fastest growing sectors in agriculture. Freshwater and marine aquaculture production has increased remarkably recently as has the growing demand for seafood. A study was conducted for 15 days on Oreochromis niloticus fryaiming to assess the effect on animal performance of a Lactobacillus strain used as probiotic incorporated in a diet formulated for tilapia fry. The parameters measured were daily live weight gain, standard length, total length and survival rate. Our results showed that the overall individual average weight gain as well as the survival rate were not significantly higher for animals supplemented with probiotic when compared to control animals. Longer lasting experiments are required to confirm these results.