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The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary soybean isoflavones (SI) supplementation on growth performance, innate immune responses, hepatic antioxidant abilities, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) gene expression and resistance to the pathogen Vibrio harveyi in Trachinotus ovatus. A basal diet was supplemented with SI at 0, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80 mg kg(-1) feed for 8 weeks. Significantly maximum weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) were observed in treatment with 40 mg kg(-1) SI supplement (P < 0.05). Feed conversion ratio (FCR), feeding rate (FR) and survival rate were not significantly different among treatments. Fish fed a diet with 40 mg kg(-1) SI showed significant increase in plasma total protein content, complement 3 content, lysozyme activity as well as respiratory burst activity, but decrease in alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities (P < 0.05). Increased plasma alkaline phosphatase activity, hepatic total antioxidative capacity, catalase activity and superoxide dismutase activity were also noticed in fish fed SI at 40 or 60 mg kg(-1) (P < 0.05). On the contrary, the lowest hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) content was observed in fish fed SI at 40 mg kg(-1) (P < 0.05). Compared with the control, the relative level of HSP70 mRNA in fish fed SI at 40-80 mg kg(-1) were significantly increased, respectively (P < 0.05). After challenge with V. harveyi, significant higher post-challenge survival was observed in fish fed diets with 40-80 mg kg(-1) SI supplement than that in control group (P < 0.05). These results indicated that dietary intake containing SI could enhance the immune ability of fish and improve its resistance to infection by V. harveyi. Especially supplementation with 40 mg kg(-1) SI to the fish for 8 weeks showed remarkable improvement in the growth, non-specific immune responses, hepatic antioxidant abilities and HSP70 gene expression.

Two experiments were conducted to study Gloiopeltis furcata spore culture with different substrates in the nonreproduction season. Using spores discharged by fertile G. furcata frozen for storage, two experiments were conducted during the nonreproduction season. In the first experiment, G. furcata spores were collected and incubated in aquariums using palm line, polythene line, vinylon line, and three types of plastic sheets (white, ripple, and transparent polymethyl methacrylate) as substrates. In the second experiment, G. furcata spores were collected and incubated in a plastic tank using plastic sheets of different materials (PP, PE, and transparent PVC) and plastic even nets of different mesh sizes (3, 2, and 0.5 cm) as substrates. At the end of the experiment (after 60 d), discs with raised thallus were found on different plastic sheets and white plastic even nets, but no discs were visible on any type of line or on the black plastic even net (3-cm mesh). The white plastic even net was found to be a suitable substrate for G. furcata spore culture in farms and for sporeling culture in sea. Results presented in this study are expected to aid in the progress of the artificial seeding of Gloiopeltis.

Two 60-day experiments were conducted to study the influence of photon flux density (PFD) and temperature on the attachment and development of Gloiopeltis tenax and Gloiopeltis furcata tetraspores. In the first experiment, tetraspores of the two Gloiopeltis species were incubated at five temperature ranges (8°C, 12°C, 16°C, 20°C, 24°C) under a constant PFD of 80 μmol photons m−2 s−1 with a photoperiod of 12:12. In a second experiment, tetraspores were incubated under five PFD gradients (30, 55, 80, 105, 130 μmol photons m−2 s−1) at a constant temperature of 16°C with a photoperiod of 12:12. Maximum density of attached tetraspores was observed at 16°C for both species. Maximum per cent of spore germinating into disc was recorded at 12–16°C for G. tenax and 8–12°C for G. furcata. Maximum per cent of discs producing erect axes for G. tenax and G. furcata were recorded at 24°C and 20°C, respectively. Light had no significant effect on tetraspore attachment and developing into disc, but it affected the growth, sprouting and survival of its discs. Under 30–55 μmol photons m−2 s−1, the discs of the two species of Gloiopeltis did not form thallus until the end of the experiment. Optimum PFD range for G. tenax discs was 80–105 μmol photons m−2 s−1, whilst it was 80–130 μmol photons m−2 s−1 for G. furcata. Results presented in this study are expected to assist the progress of artificial seeding of Gloiopeltis.