THE EFFECT OF 3 STRAINS OF LACTIC BACTERIA ON THE PRODUCTION-RATE OF ROTIFERS, BRACHIONUS-PLICATILIS, AND THEIR DIETARY VALUE FOR LARVAL TURBOT, SCOPHTHALMUS-MAXIMUS

Rotifers were cultured with three food additives differing only in their strain of live lactic bacteria. Two Lactobacillus strains significantly increased the population density of rotifers, but L. plantarum was more efficient than L. helveticus, while the effect of Streptococcus thermophilus was not significant. The amount of aerobic bacteria in rotifer cultures was significantly decreased with L. plantarum. The growth of Aeromonas salmonicida in rotifers was particularly inhibited by L. plantarum. However, the dietary value of the rotifers was improved by the three bacterial additives, since the mean weight of turbot at day 20 was significantly increased when the rotifers had been fed with any of the three additives. No further improvement of the growth rate was observed when Artemia nauplii were also fed with the additives.