title: The establishment of an intestinal microflora in developing goldfish (Carassius auratus) of culture ponds.
abstract: The bacterial flora in the intestinal tract of goldfish (Carassius auratus) was investigated at different stages of fish development. The floras of the diets and the water and sediment of a culture pond were also analyzed. The total counts in the intestine ranged from 2.2 × 10(6)-2.1 × 10(8) cells g(-1) wet weight.Aeromonas hydrophila, A. punctata, Pseudomonas, Bacteroidaceae andClostridium species were the common components in the intestinal tract of goldfish from larvae to adult stage.Bacteroides type A appeared at 44 days with a density of 10(3) cells g(-1) and then predominated with densities of 10(5)-10(7) cells g(-1). The intestinal microflora of goldfish become relatively stable after 67 days of hatching. These observations suggest that the intestinal microflora of adult goldfish becomes established approximately 2 months after hatching.
authors.affiliation: Department of Fisheries, Nihon University, Shimouma 3, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsunohara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohkoshi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deguchi