Effects of commercial superzist probiotic on growth performance and hematological and immune indices in fingerlings Acipenser baerii

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of using superzist probiotic (a mixture of Lactobacillus spp., Bacillus subtilis , and Bifidobacterium bifidum ) on growth performance and hematological and some immunological indices in fingerling Acipenser baerii . In total, 240 Acipenser baerii fingerlings with mean weight 10.5 ± 0.14 g −1 were stocked in 12 tanks, 20 per each tank and each treatment in triplicate. Diets were prepared by spraying slowly the mixture of 50 ml saline serum with 100, 200, and 300 mg probiotic powder per 1-kg diet to make the concentrations 1 × 10 6 , 2 × 10 6 , and 3 × 10 6 CFU g −1 of probiotic bacteria in diet. Results showed that there was a significant increase in the final weight, weight gain (WG), percentage weight gain, condition factor (CF), and specific growth rate (SGR) in fish fed PB 300 treatment compared with the control at the 8th week ( p < 0.05); also, the lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) belonged to fish fed PB 300 that showed a significant difference compared with fish fed control diet ( p < 0.05). Except for neutrophil, lymphocyte, and hematocrit ( p < 0.05), values of all hematological parameters of fish fed different concentrations of probiotic diet did not differ from the values of fish fed the control diet ( p > 0.05), but there was a significant increase in lysozyme and IgM fish fed probiotic (PB 300 ) and compliment (ACH 50 ) (PB 200 and PB 300 ) compared with control treatment during 56 days. Therefore, results indicated that 300 mg kg −1 probiotic ( Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium ) can be used as a proper probiotic in sturgeon aquaculture to enhance fish health and growth performance.