Mud carp ( Cirrhinus molitorella), a typical native freshwater species in Asia, has high meat quality and nutritional value. However, infectious disease and slow growing hinder its aquaculture. A research team led by Dr Eric Sze Tung-po of the School of Science and Technology investigated the use of a common probiotic bacterium, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus strain GG (LGG), as a feed supplement for cultivation of mud carp fingerling. In a 60-day study, the growth performance parameters of the LGG-supplemented diet group were found about two-fold higher than the control group. In addition, fish fed with an LGG-supplemented diet showed substantial resistance against the infection of pathogenic bacterial Aeromonas hydrophila compared to the control group. Published in the scientific journal “Applied Microbiology”, the research findings provide insights to the fish farming industry for promoting the reduction in the use of antibiotics and improving the growth performance of “safer” mud carp to the market at a manageable cost.
