SHIFT IN THE INTESTINAL MICROFLORA OF ATLANTIC HALIBUT (HIPPOGLOSSUS-HIPPOGLOSSUS) LARVAE DURING FIRST FEEDING

Isolates of aerobic intestinal bacterial flora from unfed Atlantic hal ibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) larvae revealed a population dominate d by nonfermentative rods of the Cytophaga/Flexibacter/flavobacterium group. Following the onset of feeding, the flora gradually changed tow ards a fermentative flora dominated by the Vibrio/Aeromonas group. Thi s transition occurred faster in a group which was reared in water cont aining cultivated phytoplankton, in contrast with groups where the lar vae were kept in filtered water. No major differences in the bacterial flora of the tank water were found among the groups.