Aquaculture Technology Center

The Classification, Morphology, Habitat, and Life Cycle of Marine Sponges Marine sponges are primitive organisms classified as invertebrates within the kingdom Animalia. They are called "primitive" because they lack true tissues or organs. Sponges are commonly referred to as Porifera due to their porous body structure. The phylum Porifera is estimated to include more than 8,000 species. Sponges/Porifera are divided into 3 classes: Calcarea, Hexactinellida, and Demospongiae. Calcarea are calcareous sponges composed of calcium carbonate (spicules) shaped like needles. Members of this class are generally around 4 cm in size and tubular in shape. Hexactinellida are a class of marine sponges that contain silicate and lack spongin. Demospongiae are freshwater sponges that do not have triaxon spicules but have monaxon forms. Extinct sponge classes include Archaeocyatha, Sphinctozoa, and Stromatoporoidea. Porifera are multicellular animals with a simple body structure. This phylum ha...

  Actinomycetes as Probiotics to Support Fish Growth The Actinomycetes species that has potential to be used as a probiotic is Streptomyces sp. This species is known to inhibit pathogenic bacterial infections and has antiviral capabilities. Streptomyces sp. Actinomycetes has potential as a probiotic in shrimp aquaculture because it has several advantages, such as acting as an agent that produces antibacterial and antiviral compounds, as a degrader of complex compounds such as starch, protein, lignocellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, keratin, and chitin, which play a role in mineralization and nutrient cycling in ponds, as well as in the digestion of shrimp feed in the host's large intestine. The majority are non-pathogenic and have spores that can survive in extreme conditions. The requirements for microorganisms to be used as probiotics are that they must be able to survive in acidic and alkaline conditions, provide protection to their host, and be able to survive in extreme environ...

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROBIOTICS AND E. COLI Bacterial contamination of Escherichia coli in aquatic environments certainly causes water pollution, which later affects the growth of aquatic biota. The use of probiotics can improve intestinal health conditions, thus playing a role in increasing fish digestive efficiency.   Escherichia coli has several antigens, namely O, H, and K antigens, where O antigen (somatic) is the outermost part of the cell wall lipopolysaccharide and consists of repeating polysaccharide units. O antigen is thermostable or heat-resistant and alcohol-resistant. Escherichia coli can be transmitted through activities such as hand-to-mouth contact or through water. Certain strains can cause inflammation of the peritoneal lining and intestines. E. coli becomes a dangerous pathogen when it lives outside the intestines, such as in the urinary tract. Further research is needed regarding the potential of Actinomycetes bacteria to develop its potential as a pro...

  Macroscopic and Microscopic Characterization Colony Morphology Identification Colony morphology identification is a macroscopic characterization observed visually. Observation of colony morphology from isolates was carried out by identifying colonies based on their morphology. Isolates on SCA agar medium were initiated by opening the petri dish to determine different colony types. The observed colony morphology included substrate mycelium, aerial mycelium, pigment, and elevation. The morphology identification process was done by visual observation, and once completed, the petri dish was sealed with plastic wrap and placed back into the incubator. Gram Staining The Gram staining procedure was performed to determine bacterial cell shape using a microscope, including coccus, bacillus, and spiral. Another purpose of Gram staining is to determine whether the observed bacteria are Gram-negative or Gram-positive. The working steps of the Gram staining method are as follows: prepare the ...

Antibiotics Antibiotics are microorganisms that can inhibit harmful microorganisms in the body, such as in infections. According to Hakam (2016), based on antibiotic activity, antibiotics are divided into 2 groups: broad-spectrum antibiotics and narrow-spectrum antibiotics.   1. Broad-spectrum antibiotics   This type of antibiotic can kill both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. This antibiotic can broadly kill bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Examples include chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and ampicillin.   2. Narrow-spectrum antibiotics   This type of antibiotic is only active against several types of bacteria. Examples include neomycin, penicillin, and streptomycin. Antibacterials Antibacterials are substances that can inhibit bacterial growth and can kill pathogenic bacteria by disrupting metabolism or damaging the cell wall of pathogenic bacteria. Antibacterials are distinguished into 2 types: bacteriostatic and bactericidal, which can...

Actinomycetes are microorganisms native to the sea and can be found on the surface of seawater, the seabed, in sediments, coral reefs, and in soil. Actinomycetes are prokaryotic, like bacteria, but possess mycelium and are classified as microbes with the potential to produce secondary metabolites. Actinomycetes form symbiotic relationships with sponges on the outside of the body (extracellular exosymbiosis), inside the sponge (extracellular endosymbiosis), in the cytoplasm (intracellular symbiosis), and in the cell nucleus (intranuclear symbiosis). Actinomycetes are capable of producing bioactive compounds from antibiotics (70%), fungi (20%), and bacteria (10%). This type of microbe has been widely used in the pharmaceutical, animal feed, fisheries, and other industries. Commercial products that utilize actinomycete secondary metabolites include tetracycline, erythromycin, vancomycin, and streptomycin. Actinomycetes are a group of Actinobacteria found in soil. These bacteria cause the ...