Technical article · 2025
Ermel Viteri Santana, Marcos Santos, Jan Koesling, Andrew Shinn
Probiotic wafers delivering concentrated Bacillus strains significantly enhance Penaeus vannamei broodstock performance, nauplii output, grow-out yields, and pond biosecurity.
Traditional powdered and top-coated probiotics face operational constraints such as dosage inconsistency and leaching. This article evaluates the development and commercial efficacy of slow-sinking, water-stable probiotic wafers (Sanolife PRO-TAB) containing Bacillus subtilis, B. pumilus, and B. licheniformis (>2 × 10^9 CFU/g). Commercial trials in Ecuador with Penaeus vannamei broodstock receiving 0.4 g of probiotic wafers daily demonstrated marked reproductive gains: survival rates of non-ablated females significantly improved, daily copulation events nearly doubled from 5% to 9%, egg production per female rose by 6%, and total nauplii production increased by 37%. Treated offspring exhibited lower pathogenic bacterial and Vibrio loads throughout hatchery cycles. In Thailand grow-out ponds (22 ppt salinity), wafer-treated ponds reached harvest in 98 days versus 102 days for controls, achieving 14% higher yields. Nursery trials showed economic profit improvements ranging from 12% to 54% above standard practices. The wafer format enables targeted pulse delivery, stimulates ingestion even in challenged animals, supports dual gut-environment bioremediation, and simplifies daily farm protocols.
probiotic wafers, Penaeus vannamei, Bacillus subtilis, broodstock performance, nauplii production, Vibrio control, shrimp aquaculture
Probiotic wafers delivering concentrated Bacillus spores directly to shrimp improve broodstock performance, increase nauplii production by 37%, and enhance farm profitability.
Targeted microbial management in shrimp farming requires innovative probiotic delivery methods, such as attractable non-feed matrices, to ensure effective gut colonization and pathogen suppression even during periods of reduced shrimp appetite.
A comprehensive review of biosecurity strategies across the shrimp value chain, covering broodstock management, pathogen exclusion, microbial management, and farm-level protocols to prevent disease outbreaks.
