Control de vibrio sp. en el cultivo de camarón litopenaeus vannamei aplicando un consorcio bacteriano comercial.

Abstract

In shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture, the administration of bacterial consortia is uncommon and very important to maintain a healthy and balanced aquatic environment. These consortia are composed of different types of beneficial bacteria such as Bacillus sp. and Lactobacillus sp. that improve water quality, break down organic matter and compete with potential pathogens. They should be used because these bacteria control diseases, improve growth and decrease the need for antibiotics, resulting in sustainable production. This study evaluates the efficacy of a bacterial consortium as a control strategy to decrease the influence of Vibrio sp. in shrimp (L. vannamei) culture. Postlarvae at PL25 stage were used, subjected to four treatments with and without bacterial consortium (CC-7; CC-14; CC-21; SC) with three replicates for periods of 7, 14 and 21 days, followed by a Vibrio sp. challenge of 96 hours in each period. The culture was carried out in 12 experimental units of 40 L with 30 postlarvae in each unit. Survival, days of consortium administration to inhibit Vibrios, and weight of cultured organisms were analyzed. The results show that the bacterial consortium (CC) treatments achieved survival rates above 90% in all cases, with treatment 3 of 21 days (CC-21 and SC-21) being the most effective with a survival of 94.43% after challenge with Vibrios sp. and positive relationships were observed between weight gain and postlarvae survival. The work demonstrates that the use of bacterial consortia can be an effective alternative to antibiotics in shrimp production, improving survival and growth of L. vannamei, especially against exposure to pathogens such as Vibrios sp. The findings suggest that prolonged application of the bacterial consortium offers the best protection, although even short periods of administration in low water volumes of 30 L at a low density of 1 postlarvae/L show positive effects. The research contributes to the development of sustainable strategies for disease control in shrimp farming, with potential implications for improved production and reduced environmental impact in the industry.