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A 60-day feeding trial was carried out with juvenile Jian carp ( Cyprinus carpio var. Jian) to study the effects of myo-inositol (MI) on the growth, digestive enzyme and intestinal microbial population. Diets with seven levels of inositol (163.5, 232.7, 384.2, 535.8, 687.3, 838.8 and 990.3 mg MI kg−1 diet) were fed to Jian carp (initial weight 22.28±0.07 g). Per cent weight gain (PWG) was improved with increasing inositol levels up to 535.8 mg MI kg−1 diet ( P<0.05), and plateaued ( P>0.05). The protein production value, lipid production value and ash production value were increased with increasing dietary inositol levels up to 384.2, 838.8 and 838.8 mg MI kg−1 diet respectively ( P<0.05). Although intestinal protein content and trypsin activity were not affected by inositol levels ( P>0.05), chymotrypsin, lipase and amylase activities in intestine were the lowest for fish fed the MI-unsupplemented diet ( P<0.05). Alkaline phosphatase, Na+, K+-ATPase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and creatinkinase activities in the intestine were increased with an increase in the inositol levels up to 384.2–687.3 mg MI kg−1 diet ( P<0.05). Intestinal Aeromonas hydrophila and Escherichia coli decreased with an increase in the levels of dietary inositol up to 232.7 and 687.3 mg MI kg−1 diet respectively ( P<0.05), while Lactobacillus in the intestine increased with an increase in inositol levels up to 990.3 mg MI kg−1 diet ( P<0.05). In conclusion, inositol improved growth, digestive capacity and intestinal microbial population of juvenile Jian carp, and the dietary inositol requirement for PWG of juvenile Jian carp is 518.0 mg MI kg−1 diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition and antibacterial properties of indigenous intestinal microbiota from Prochilodus argenteus were studied during reproductive (alimentary restriction) and non-reproductive (normal feeding) periods. Dilutions of intestinal contents from 21 specimens of P. argenteus captured from São Francisco Basin, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, were used for enumeration, isolation, identification and determination of in vitro antibacterial properties of predominant components of the intestinal microbial ecosystem. Predominant species recovered for both periods were: Aeromonas hydrophila, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Lactococcus lactis and an unidentified Gram-positive rod for facultative anaerobes and Bacteroides stercoris/eggerthii and Fusobacterium mortiferum for obligate anaerobes. Gram-positive components of this microbiota showed high antagonistic activity against gram-negative species. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus sp., Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecium and the unidentified gram-positive rod had wider range of antagonism properties. The indigenous intestinal microbiota of P. argenteus was quite similar to that of other fishes and the reproductive and alimentary status has few influences on its composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]