Characterisation and evaluation of novel bacterial consortium as a biofloc inoculum for nursery rearing of Labeo rohita and Oreochromis mossambicus

Anirban Paul; P. Routray; Snatashree Mohanty; Biplab Kumar Sandha; Samikshya Parida; Subham Biswal; D. K. Verma; K. C. Das; P. K. Sahoo

doi:10.21077/ijf.2026.73.1.175458-12

Authors

Anirban Paul
P. Routray
Snatashree Mohanty
Biplab Kumar Sandha
Samikshya Parida
Subham Biswal
D. K. Verma
K. C. Das
P. K. Sahoo

https://doi.org/10.21077/ijf.2026.73.1.175458-12

Keywords:

Biofloc; Labeo rohita; Oreochromis mossambicus; Probiotics; Survivability; Seed rearing.

Abstract

The present study explored isolation, characterisation and formulation of a probiotic bacterial consortium for application as a biofloc inoculum to enhance growth and survivability during seed rearing of rohu (Labeo rohita) and tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). Six potential probiotic bacterial strains viz., Priesta aryabhattai, Bacillus cereus, Exiguobacterium indicum, Acinetobacter indicus, Mixta calida, and Bacillus altitudinus, were isolated from autochthonous sources and identified using 16s rDNA PCR, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The probiotic potential of these bacterial isolates was assessed through comprehensive in vitro assays along with safety analyses. All the isolates and their combination exhibited antimicrobial potency against important fish pathogens; tolerance to a wide range of pH and bile concentrations and strong adhesion properties including autoaggregation, co-aggregation,biofilm formation capacity, and cell surface hydrophobicity. All the isolates were non-haemolytic, non-pathogenic to fish when at high doses (5x109 cells) and demonstrated significant free radical scavenging activity. Further, all the isolates showed tolerance to ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and ability to grow on fish mucus. The efficacy of the consortium was further validated through fry to fingerling rearing trials in biofloc systems for rohu (L. rohita) and tilapia (O. mossambicus), with jaggery as a carbon source. Fish fry were stocked at one fish per litre and reared for 90 days without water exchange and fed with feed containing 30% crude protein. On termination of the experimental trial, higher survival rates 80% for rohu and 100% for tilapia, were observed in the treatment groups, compared to control groups (71% for rohu and 92% for tilapia. The present study highlights the effective utilisation of a bacterial consortium as biofloc inoculum for seed rearing of rohu and tilapia, along with improved growth performance. The study demonstrated effectiveness of the bacterial consortium as a biofloc inoculum for enhancing seed rearing efficiency in rohu and tilapia.

Keywords: Probiotics, Adhesion properties, Growth performance, Rohu, Seed rearing, Survival, Tilapia

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