Rhonin Charles O.

Piamonte STEM 11 March 15, 2019

An Essay for the Future Study Entitled: Growth Rate, Feed Conversion Ratio, and
Mortality Rate of Oreochromis niloticus (Tilapia) in Freshwater Treated with Lactic Acid
Bacteria from Oryza sativa (Rice)Wash

Ever since prehistoric times, food has always played a huge and essential role in the
maintenance and evolution of human life. From the basic fulfillment of one's appetite, to fueling
a person with as much energy as he can get to function within his whole lifetime, food can pretty
much do a myriad of things. Because of this, food has stayed around for millions of years and
has made its way towards becoming a basic need for most, if not all, organisms living around the
world, especially humans. If prepared and consumed well, food has the power to supply life and
nutrients to its consumer. Do the opposite and one can inflict pain and even death to whoever
eats the prepared food.
Many lives have been saved through the power of food, especially those of humans
suffering from famine and malnutrition in several countries (e.g. South Sudan) (Gridneff, 2017).
And since the presence of food itself can support life in the midst of hard times, its absence also
has the power to take life away from those who need it. Due to these reasons, food has been
considered as one of the most important needs for humans, and in exchange, has shaped the way
of life and pattern of relationships all throughout the species' history.
The main reason why humans have given so much importance to food is because of the
amount of essential nutrients it provides for humans' daily activities (President’s Council on
Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, 2017). Most foods either contain different amounts of carbohydrates,
fats, vitamins, minerals or proteins which all help to maintain each of the body systems' normal
functions (Ferriera, 2018). One of the important functions that these nutrients are responsible for
is facilitating the repair of damaged cells and the growth of new ones. This is carried on by the
protein molecule, which is found in a lot of foods including seafood, poultry, dairy products,
beef and white meat (Ratini, 2018).
Among all the aforementioned foods which contain the protein molecule, one of the
healthiest sources of animal protein is seafood, especially fish (Harvard T.H. Chan School of
Public Health, 2019). Fish is a preferred source of protein because it contains a lower amount of
fat among other animal protein sources and has omega-3 fatty acids as well, which are healthy
for the heart (Ratini, 2018). Aside from this, fish is also easily found on almost every place
around the world since bodies of water are readily available in most countries and are also easily
accessible for fishermen. Since 1961, the world population has continuously grown at a rate of
1.8% every year. With this rate, fish consumption has also grown at 3.6% yearly and its average
apparent per capita consumption has grown from 9 kg in the same decade to 16 kg in 1997,
making fish's per capita availability double itself in the last 40 years (WHO, n.d.). The high
protein and nutrient contents of fish and its availability, therefore, make it an ideal food for
people living all around the world.
However, despite the availability and the rapid increase in fish supply over the years,
there are also delimiting factors that affect the growth and production of fishes. In a study
conducted by Viadero (2005), it was discovered that in freshwater aquatic systems, there is a
direct relationship between the water quality of the fishes’ habitats and the fishes’ growth. The
factors that affect fish growth and production are divided into three classifications. These factors
are either physical, chemical or biochemical, or even a combination of both. Examples of
physical factors which are considered essential to the growth and production of fishes are the
concentration of settled and suspended solids in the water while chemical factors include the pH
level, alkalinity and the presence of metals in the water. Any case of imbalance between any of
these factors can make a huge difference between producing an ideal amount of fishes and
creating a huge decrease in fish growth and production, which in turn affects food supply for
most countries which consider fish as one of their most consumed source of protein.
The fast and constant increase of fish production through the years has also resulted to
the production of advancements in the technology used in fishing. Due to the steady rates of fish
catch, technology also evolved to adapt and produce cheaper artificial fibers which are more
durable for catching fish. Furthermore, better innovations such as more efficient fishing gears,
equipment used in navigation such as the electronic sonar and mechanized systems were
invented in order to yield better fish catch results and quicker transportation of fish products
from the sea to both local and international markets. These breakthroughs on mechanized fishing
techniques later on led to the worsening of the fish population's conditions and by the 1970s, has
led to the endangerment of some marine species on an international scale. In the year 1989,
commercial fishing and small fishers have caught and harvested about 89 million t of marine fish
all around the world. However, in spite of the constant improvements and innovations for
developing better equipment used in fishing, fish catch worldwide has not increased. Between
the years 1970 and 1995, while the world's fishing fleet's size has increased by 400%, fish catch
has only increased by 30%. This led the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) to come up with an estimation that 74% of the world's major fisheries has either been
exploited, overexploited or depleted (Green, White, Flores, Carreon III & Sia, 2003).
Another factor which has decreased the amount of fish supply over the past few years is
water pollution (Ganguly, 2013). Since almost all species of fish live in aquatic habitats, water
quality serves as an absolutely important factor which should be maintained in normal and
livable levels in order to create an ideal habitat for fishes that are living in a specific area.
However, aquatic systems have been perceived as dumpsites for sewage and wastes which are
considered to be toxic especially when drained off to large bodies of water such as oceans and
seas. Aside from this, aquatic habitats have also been exploited in order to maintain the function
of facilities and infrastructures which are thought to satisfy the demands for comfort and luxury
from the continuously increasing human population. These sources include domestic sewage,
industrial organic and inorganic wastes, agricultural wastes, oil and oil dispersants, power plant
wastes and many more(Datta, 2015). Due to the aforementioned factors caused by human
activities and disturbances, normal levels of physical and chemical parameters in water are
altered, producing less livable areas for fishes to survive.
One of the many consequences brought by the fluctuations in levels of the
aforementioned parameters related to water quality such as pH levels and alkalinity is the
toxicity caused by ammonia in aquatic habitats. Ammonia (NH3) is a type of chemical used
mainly for commercial and industrial purposes especially in developing countries. About 80% of
industrially produced ammonia is used as fertilizer in agriculture and it is important as it serves
as the precursor for the synthesis of nucleotides and amino acids. It is also naturally produced
during the breakdown of organic matter such as wastes coming from plants and animals (New
York State Department of Health, 2005). In fishes, ammonia is a result of the decomposition of
their excretions as nitrogenous waste products and is also a byproduct of the metabolism of
protein which is released across the fishes’ gill membranes. However, if levels of ammonia rise
above normal levels due to parameters such as temperature and pH levels in the water, fish
health can also be negatively affected (Levit, 2010).
All of these effects caused by pollution and rapid and irresponsible fishing methods
greatly threaten the population of fishes all around the world. Furthermore, the slow decrease in
fish growth and production also affects a lot of the sectors concerned with fish catch, growth and
yield. Examples of these sectors include both fisheries and aquaculture.Both of these sectors deal
with marine life, especially fish and are mostly concerned with the cultivation and trading of
these aquatic products. However, even though there are huge similarities between aquaculture
and fisheries, there actually exists differences between the two of them. Fisheries deals primarily
on catching, processing and selling fish products while aquaculture is more concerned with
cultivating both aquatic animals and plants. Another name for aquaculture is “fish farming”.
While fisheries simply deal with capturing wild fish, aquaculture moves far beyond the line and
focuses on the general aspects of marine life as a whole (Prabhat, 2012). Both sectors of science
work together in order to maintain sustainability in aquatic ecosystems and because of the
existing relationships between the two, a variable such as pollution, which might affect only
fisheries, has a huge tendency to affect aquaculture as well.
In Asia, aquaculture is widely practiced especially on the southeast part of the continent.
For over 500 years, coastal aquaculture became a traditional practice for most of the countries
included in the region but was only characterized by small-scale operations, inadequate
management and low yields and production until attempts were made to develop aquaculture in
the last three decades. However, pollution and malpractice of new fishing methods and
technologies in aquaculture have both led to many conflicts involving the deterioration of the
rates of natural resources found in marine habitats. For example, important water bodies such as
Manila Bay, Jakarta Bay, the Gulf of Thailand, the Strait of Malacca and Johor Strait have all
been victims to the inefficiency caused by sewage discharge and industrial effluents in the
region. Manila Bay in the Philippines, for example, with a coastline of approximately 190 km
became one of the most heavily populated bodies of water in the region before its rehabilitation.
The bay served as a dumpsite for approximately 1.4 million residents from Manila who generate
about 760 x 106 1 day-1 of raw sewage. As a result, a sampling of soil taken back in 1969 showed
coliform counts which exceeded 1000/100 mL and the permissible coliform count/100 mL for
water used in shell fishing in the United States is 70 (Eng, Paw & Guarin, 1989).
Specifically, the Philippines is one of the countries in Southeast Asia to rely on fisheries
and aquaculture especially on an economic point of view. As a country with a coastline of 17 460
km along with territorial waters covering an area of about 2.2 million km2, the Philippines served
as one of the largest and most productive fish producers around the world and has ranked 12 th in
the year 2000. In the same year, the total fish production of the country was estimated to be at
2.94 million t where 84% was derived from marine capture fisheries. The amount of export of
fish and products related to fisheries was approximately USD400 million and between the years
1984 and 1997, the fisheries sector has contributed between 3.8% to 5.0% of national GDP and
18.4% to 20.6% of agricultural GDP at the same time. Aside from this, the fisheries sector has
helped provide 1 million people with employment back in 1977 (Barut, Santos, Mijares, Subade,
Armada & Garces, 2003). All of these prove that fisheries and aquaculture, when used carefully
and responsibly along with the organisms concerning both sectors, can boost one or more
countries economically. However, certain disruptions bringing negative effects (e.g. deterioration
of water quality caused by pollution) in the habitats of marine life can change these numbers
really quick and can even affect people’s lives due to the loss of potential food sources and
employment opportunities that these sectors can offer.
One of these sources include tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), one of the important food
fishes in developing countries including the Philippines. It is considered to be the second most
produced fish in the country annually after milkfish (Guerrero, 1985). In 2002, tilapia production
has covered a total harvest area of 30 221 ha and the top five tilapia-producing provinces were
Pampanga, Batangas, Bulacan, Laguna and Sultan Kudarat. According to the Food and
Agcriculture Organization of the United Nations (2019), freshwater fishponds contribute the
most to tilapia production at 53.88% and the remainder from freshwater fish cages (37.85
percent), brackish water fishponds (6.75 percent), freshwater fish pens (1.40 percent), brackish
water fish cages (0.06 percent), brackish water fish pens (0.04 percent) and marine fish cages
(0.01 percent). In 2002, total aquaculture production in the Philippines reached 1 338 178 tonnes
at a value of US $ 2 264 880 000 and total tilapia production contributed about 122 390 tons
ranking third after seaweed and milkfish and making it one of the most economically important
food fishes for the Philippines even after its price has risen by at most 17% through 2017 due to
coral reef destruction and pollution (Dy, 2018).
In order to combat all the negative effects brought by water pollution and the byproducts
of irresponsible usage of technological innovations in fisheries and aquaculture, alternatives and
solutions have been presented in the past. One of these is using probiotics to treat water where
fishes live in. In a study conducted by Bachruddin, et. al. (2017), probiotics were shown to have
different effects on Vaname shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei Boone) depending on varying
dosages. It was also mentioned that some species of probiotics such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus
licheniformis, and Bacillus megaterium have the potential to break down organic matter from
feed remains along with nitrification bacteria such as Nitrobacter sp. and Nitrosomonas sp.
which have the capability to reduce ammonium levels in water. Lactic-acid bacteria (LAB) such
as Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus fermentum can also have the potential to enhance
and improve the shrimp’s digestive system and maintain the levels of the water’s pH at optimal
level.
LAB are groups of Gram-positive, non-sporulating, anaerobic or facultative aerobic cocci
which produce lactic acid due to their metabolism of carbohydrates. They play a huge and
important role in the production of food especially in food preservation, and health maintenance
as well, since it also plays a big part in the immunomodulation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract
(Quinto, et. al., 2014).Because of its benefits to humans and other living organisms, LAB is
known for its potential to work as a form of probiotics to promote digestion. LAB originate from
a lot of areas including soil, water plants and even in animals (Lahtinen, Ouwehand, Salminen &
Wright 2012). Lactic-acid bacteria have also been found to potentially grow in rice washed
water. In a study conducted by Gil, et. al. (2015), rice wash with a 1:3 rice-water ratio produced
high bacterial count within 12h (1.5 x 109cfu/ml) and were considered to be potential probiotic
drinks within 12h to 42h after fermentation.
 LAB have been used in a variety of purposes including the fermentation process to
preserve food and to enhance the characteristics that they have. Also, another property of LAB is
its protectiveness in order to control pathogens which are foodborne. Lastly, LAB can be used as
probiotics to improve the health of humans and livestock. LAB species have also been
discovered in the gut microbiota of several aquatic species and are of higher abundance in
freshwater fishes rather than those living in saltwater habitats. Furthermore, LAB have been used
in several products which claim to have probiotic properties in aquatic environments. Examples
of these products are Bactotell, Alchem Poseidon, Efinol L, Sorbiflore and Cernivert LBC ME10
and all five have been featured in peer-reviewed studies with Bactotell being the first
zootechnical aquaculture feed additive authorized in Europe both for salmonids and shrimp
(Lahtinen, et. al., 2012).
In the study by Bachruddin, et. al., water treated with 2 mL/10L proved to be most
effective, producing a mean weight of 7.4 g and an average length of 10.40 cm. Also, the same
treatment produced the lowest mortality rate of 41% for the shrimps. This proves that LAB and
probiotics, as a whole, are beneficial for the Vaname shrimp and shows the feasibility of
probiotics, specifically lactic-acid bacteria’s potential to improve digestion, not just for shrimps,
and improve water quality through maintaining pH levels in aquatic habitats.
Fishes and marine life, in general contribute a lot to multiple aspects of society including
food production and the sciences. However, due to the misuse and abuse of advancements and
innovations in fishing, fish catch, growth and production have also become subject to negative
effects such as pollution in places where they live. This research would help to find better
alternatives like lactic-acid bacteria to help the fisheries and aquaculture sectors and promote the
growth and production of fish, specifically tilapia, which proves to be of great economic
importance to the Philippines. As researchers, it is part of our jobs to seek problems affecting
other organisms around us and to provide solutions for them. Through doing so, we can make a
difference by slowly transforming the world into a place where every organism can have the
chance to live, without any disturbances or hindrances.
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