Characteristics of marine vibrios isolated from fish farm tanks

Abstract

Twenty-five cultures of organisms (grouped into presumptive V. parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus strains) isolated from tank water used to farm marine fish were subjected to a series of preliminary tests for the identification of V. parahaemoliticus. None were positively identified as this organism. Consequently the isolates, following their characterization as Gram-negative, motile, oxidase-positive rods which were fermentative without the production of gas, together with ten named Vibrio spp., were subjected to various tests and the results were subjected to computer analysis. They were sorted into clusters and it was found that both the presumptive V. parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus groups were largely homogeneous. The analysis also showed that the presumptive V. parahaemolyticus strains and one presumptive V. alginolyticus strain were best classified as V. parahaemolyticus and that all but one of the presumptive V. alginolyticus strains would have been best classified as V. anguillarum. The named V. alginolyticus strains proved to be a heterogeneous group and were not closely related to any other group of organisms. The significance of the occurrence of Vibrio spp. in tank water used to farm marine fish, especially when this water is heated power station effluent, is discussed.