Effects of a probiotic (Bacillus subtilis FY99‐01) on the bacterial community structure and composition of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei,Boone) culture water assessed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and high‐throughput sequencing

In China, many commercial probiotics are added as water additives into shrimp culture ponds with no sediment. In these ponds, probiotics should have great effects on the bacterial community of culture water at different culture stages. However, the specific effects have not been clarified yet. In this study, the effects of applying the probiotic Bacillus subtilis FY99‐01 on the bacterial community of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture water at different culture stages were determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and high‐throughput sequencing. The water quality parameters, shrimp production, survival rate and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were also analysed. The results showed that application of probiotics improved the water quality by reducing the levels of pH, nitrite and soluble reactive phosphorus, whereas there was no significant effect on shrimp production, survival rate and FCR. Application of probiotics brought no obvious effect on bacterial α diversity while had effect on bacterial β diversity. In addition, probiotics brought different effects on the bacterial community structure at different culture stages, and the effects are stronger in the early and middle phase than in the late phase. Sequencing results demonstrated that probiotics could increase the abundance of Flavobacteria, whereas decrease the abundance of α‐Proteobacteria in the late phase of culture. Besides, principle component analysis results indicated that using probiotics also could increase the abundance of beneficial microalgae (Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta) and decrease the abundance of Vibrionaceae.