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The combined effects of a commercial probiotic, BetaPlus®, and a prebiotic, isomaltooligosaccharides (IMOS) on the growth, survival rate, intestinal microbiota, and hemato-immunological parameters were evaluated in Caspian brown trout (Salmo trutta caspius Kessler, 1877). Caspian brown trout fingerlings (~ 9 g) were fed a control diet (basal diet) or a synbiotic diet (the basal diet + 2 g kg IMOS + 1 g kg BetaPlus®) for 7 weeks. At the end of this trial, fish fed the synbiotic diet showed significant improvements in body weight increase, feed conversion ratio, and survival rate compared with fish fed the control diet (P < 0.05). In addition, fish fed the synbiotic diet had the highest levels of white blood cells, monocytes, and neutrophils (P < 0.05), while the red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematrocrit, mean corpuscular volume, and lymphocytes were significantly higher in the control group (P < 0.05). The serum triglycerides, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, albumin/globulin ratio, and immunoglobulin M levels, as well as alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities were higher in the synbiotic group than in the control group (P < 0.05). In addition, fish fed the synbiotic diet showed significantly higher gut total viable aerobic bacterial counts and lactic acid bacteria (P < 0.05). The results demonstrated that BetaPlus® in combination with IMOS enhanced the growth, survival rate, intestinal microbiota, and some haemato-immunological parameters in Caspian brown trout fingerlings.

The present study was aimed at determining the effects of medicinal herbs adjuvants on growth, hematoebiochemical parameters, some non-specific immunity and disease resistance to Photobacterium damselae in Sobaity sea bream (Sparidentex hasta). The fish (mean body weight 3.08±0.31 g) were fed fishmeal diets supplemented with either 1% of Garlic (Allium sativum), 1% supplemented of Ginger (Zingiber officinale), 1% supplemented of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), a mixture of these herbs (1% Garlic + 1% Ginger + 1% thyme), and control diet without medicinal herbs, for 8 weeks. The highest weight gains (WG %) and the specific growth rate (SGR) were in fish that fed diets with the mixture of three medicinal herbs (P<0.05). The number of WBC and RBC showed a significant increase in ginger and the mixture of three medicinal herbs compared to the control (P<0.05). The highest total protein and the lowest cholesterol levels were observed in treated groups with ginger diet (P<0.05). The highest albumin and the lowest triglyceride levels were achieved in mixture of these three herbsgroup. The analysis of AST and ALT were significantly decreased in the mixture of these three herbs and ginger groups (P<0.05). The lowest ALP level were showed in mixture of these three herbs group. Furthermore, serum lysozyme activity, total immunoglobulin (Ig) and complement activity (ACH50) were significantly increased in the mixture of three medicinal herbs fed fish and ginger groups (P<0.05). After feeding experiment, fish were infected with Photobacterium damselae strain FN1 and mortalities were recorded. The results of this study demonstrated that dietary mixture of three medicinal herbs and ginger groups could be an improvement in the growth and some non-specific immunity of Sobaity sea bream fry.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the long‐term effects (7‐month experiment) of diets consisting of fish oil (Kilka fish) and vegetable oil (rapeseed) on the reproductive performance of sterlet sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus) broodstock. Forty‐five broodstock (990.3 ± 20.05 g) were randomly allocated to three different diet treatments. Three experimental diets were formulated with graded levels of fish oil (100% FO), vegetable oil (100% VO), and a combination of fish and vegetable oil (50% FO + 50% VO). At the end of the 7‐month feeding trial period, the weight gain and final weight were changed significantly different between the treatments (p < 0.05). Broodstock fed the FO + VO diet had higher growth than those fed the only FO or VO diets (p < 0.05). The highest germinal vesicle migration percentage was observed in FO + VO treatment (p < 0.05). The DHA/EPA, DHA/ARA and EPA/ARA ratios in oocyte exhibited a significant difference in the different treatments (p < 0.05). This study indicates that nutrition of broodstock with diet including FO + VO (p < 0.05) can positively affect the growth performance of larvae compared with only FO or VO diets. Furthermore, the high levels of 18:1n‐9, AL and ALA contents in oocytes from broodstock fed VO and the lowest ALA content in oocytes from broodstock fed FO underlined the important role of broodstock diets in the reproductive process and embryonic and/or larval developments of sterlet.

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This study has been conducted in order to identify the present species in the northern part of the Persian Gulf. Samples were collected on the sub tidal zone of Larak Island (Persian Gulf) via SCUBA diving in July 2011. The literature review on the distribution revealed that this is the first report of Holothuria hilla from Larak Island. The species identification was made using morphological keys and review of their ossicles.