In Taiwan, the prevention and treatment of the fish diseases include a
limited number of government-approved antibiotic and chemotherapeutics.
However, the use of antibiotics can lead to the development of
antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains and may modulate the immune
response. With strict regulations on the use of antibiotics in
aquaculture, the use of probiotics and prebiotics has significant
potential and there has been increasing interest in aquaculture to
control fish diseases. Probiotics are viable cell preparations that have
beneficial effects on the health of a host by improving its intestinal
balance via improved feed value, enzymatic contribution to digestion,
inhibition of pathogenic microorganisms, growth-promoting factors, and an
increased immune response. Prebiotics are indigestible (by the host) feed
components that provide beneficial effects to the host by their selective
metabolism by favorable bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. The
research on the use of probiotics and prebiotics in aquatic animals is increasing with the demand for environment friendly aquaculture.
Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of
the probiotics and prebiotics on the growth performance and disease
resistance of aquatic animals.