Antibiotic exposure to minimize microbial load in live feed Isochrysis galbana used for larval rearing of Indian pearl oyster Pinctada fucata

Abstract

Pearl oyster larvae are reared in static water in dense numbers and fed with large amounts of unicellular algae. The combination of high larval densities, debris from dead larvae and high loads of organic matter stimulates the selection and growth of opportunistic bacteria in larval tankslx2. High microbial load noted in the rearing water, tissue samples and in the micro algal feed, resulted in poor spat production of less than 3.0% in Pinctada fucata hatchery3.