Current Knowledge in Synbiotic Use for Fish Aquaculture: A Review

Abstract

Synbiotics are nutritional supplements that combine probiotics and prebiotics, enhancing their beneficial effects.Nowadays, probiotics are also becoming an integral part of aquaculture practices to obtain high production, and, although considerably less information is available regarding probiotics applications for fish, they offer benefits with regards to improving immune status and fish production.Despite the promising potential benefits demonstrated in current literature to these feed ingredients, to date the use of synbiotics in fish farms has been poorly investigated and available data are still scarce.The parameters investigated in these studies have been the following: effect on survival and growth, feed conversion, body composition, haematological/biochemical parameters, digestive enzyme activity, immunological response and disease resistance.This review compiles the results from recent studies, aiming to highlight the properties of synbiotics evaluated for potential application in farming fish.Various factors as fish specie, time of feeding treatment and supplement dose as well as the type of prebiotics and probiotics can significantly affect the activity of synbiotics.Moreover, many aspects such as mechanism which mediate host benefits are poorly understood.Future studies are needed to provide a better knowledge and fully conclude on the effects of adding synbiotics in fish fed.