Benefits of probiotic administration on growth and performance along metamorphosis and weaning of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis)

• A short pulse of Pdp11 modulates intestinal microbiota promoting sole larviculture.
• The microbial modulation obtained was linked to a digestive enzyme stimulation.
• Both enhanced parameters involved a better growth performance and body compositionin sole first stages of culture.

Suitable nutrition at first feeding in marine fish larvae is an important factor for successful larval and juvenile rearing. In this way probiotic supplementation may contribute to better face the habitual stress of metamorphosis and weaning at early sole stages. The aim of this study was to optimize Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 administration to Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) at early stages of development. For this purpose, we studied the influence of a short pulse of S. putrefaciens Pdp11 (10–30 dah) on growth performance, gut microbiota modulation, digestive enzymes activities and body composition. These probiotic bacteria were incorporated using Artemia as live vector (2.5 × 107 cfu mL− 1) and supplied to sole specimens in a co-feeding regime (Gemma, Skretting) by triplicate. S. putrefaciens Pdp11 colonized larval gut being present from 23 to 119 dah. Probiotic supply significantly modulated larval and fry gut microbiota. A PCA analysis including all the parameters analyzed strongly associated S. putrefaciens Pdp11 presence with a higher fish growth, a higher digestive proteolytic activity level and a fish body composition modulation along S. senegalensis rearing. In addition less size variability was obtained from metamorphosis until the end of weaning. In conclusion a short pulse of S. putrefaciens Pdp11 (10–30 dah) seems sufficient to obtain a suitable microbial modulation involved in a better growth performance and body composition that suggests a great potential for sole aquaculture production.