Effect of dietary supplementation of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) on growth performance, survival, lactobacillus bacterial population and hemato-immunological parameters of stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) juvenile

The dietary supplementation of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) in stellate sturgeon juvenile, Acipenser stellatus (with mean initial body weight of 30.16 ± 0.14 g) was evaluated for the effect on growth, autochthonous intestinal microbiata and hemato-immunological parameters for 11 weeks. FOS was added at a level of 0, 1% and 2% to the commercial pellet diet (BioMar). At the end of the experiment, growth parameters, survival rate, lactobacillus bacterial population, hematological and immunological parameters were determined. The fish fed on 1% FOS significantly showed higher final weight, WG%, SGR and PER and lower FCR compared to those of the control group (P 0.05). However, FOS administration resulted in lower survival. The serum lysozyme activity was significantly affected by dietary 1% FOS (P 0.05). In fish fed on the diet with 1% FOS showed a significant increase of total heterotrophic autochthonous bacterial and presumptive LAB levels (P