Author(s): Sujita Balami, Krishna Paudel and Nisha Shrestha

Abstract: Intensive striped catfish farming has resulted in various health difficulties for the species and significant financial losses for farmers due to fish losses and high treatment costs for veterinary pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics. As such, these drugs increase the strain of drug-resistance pathogenic microbes and residual effect on fish muscles. Also, the larval survival of striped catfish is meager compared to other species. Diseases like Edwardsiellosis are prevalent in striped catfish, causing high mortality, which probiotics can reduce. Probiotics are live microbes added in feed or in water that can modify the host-associated microbial community. Probiotics reach the gut of fish, where they proliferate and either compete for the nutrients, act as a bactericide, or barrier against the growth of opportunistic bacteria. Probiotics promote the growth and survival of striped catfish larvae and other fish species by stimulating fish's non-specific or innate immune system and better feed utilization. As a result, striped catfish farmers should be encouraged to use probiotics, and researchers should conduct more research on this topic.

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