Biofloc system supplemented by Pseudoalteromonas piscicida 1Ub protects the Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei from Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection

This study aimed to evaluate the supplementation of the probiotic Pseudoalteromonas piscicida 1Ub to the biofloc system as an ecofriendly strategy for protecting white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) from Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection. Shrimp with an average body weight of (0.50 ± 0.09) g were reared in 30 glass jars with a working volume of 2.5 L at a density of 20 ind/L. Shrimp were reared for 5 d for each treatment, which included the biofloc system without and with 10⁶ colony forming unit (CFU) per mL probiotic. The regular clear water system was used as control. All treatment groups were challenged with 10³, 10⁵, and 10⁷ CFU/mL V. parahaemolyticus. For the negative control, shrimp were reared without V. parahaemolyticus. The results showed that the density of V. parahaemolyticus cocultured with P. piscicida 1Ub decreased and the density of V. parahaemolyticus in rearing water and shrimp body in the probiotic-treated group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The survival and immune response (total hemocyte count, phagocytic activity, respiratory burst, phenoloxidase, and superoxide dismutase) of shrimp in the probiotic group was higher than that in the positive control (P < 0.05). Moreover, supplementing the biofloc system with the probiotic could protect shrimp hepatopancreas from damage caused by V. parahaemolyticus, regardless of bacterial density. Thus, the supplementation of the probiotic P. piscicida 1Ub in the biofloc system could significantly protect and increase the resistance of shrimp to V. parahaemolyticus infection.