Comparative Analysis of Intestinal Morphology and Gut Microbiota of <i>Spinibarbus sinensis</i> Under Different Aquaculture Systems

Abstract

Fish gut health is influenced by various factors, with the environment being a significant one. S. sinensis is a key aquaculture species in China, yet research on the impact of different aquaculture systems on its intestinal health remains limited. This study aims to explore the changes in intestinal morphology and gut microbiota of S. sinensis under two aquaculture systems. The juveniles of S. sinensis were divided into two groups and cultured in traditional ponds (CT) and an in-pond tank culture system (JY), with equal amounts of feed provided daily over a 72-day experimental period. The results showed no significant differences in growth performance metrics, including the specific growth rate, weight gain rate, hepatosomatic index, and viscerosomatic index between the two groups. In terms of intestinal morphology, the JY group villus width was significantly wider than the CT group, and the number of goblet cells in the CT group was significantly higher than that of the JY group (p p p p S. sinensis under two different aquaculture systems, which has valuable implications for the further optimization of aquaculture practices.

Keywords

• <i>Spinibarbus sinensis</i>
• aquaculture systems
• intestinal morphology
• 16S rRNA
• gut microbiota