Probiotic Bacteria for Fish Growth and Infection Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fish farming faces challenges in increasing fish growth rates and preventing microbial infections, particularly bacterial infections that cause wounds, ulcers, and septicemia, due to the reliance on antibiotics which can lead to resistance and environmental contamination.

Innovation Solution

The isolation and characterization of novel probiotic bacteria species Aliivibrio njordis, Aliivibrio balderis, and Aliivibrio nannie, which are administered to fish via water to enhance growth and treat/prevent microbial infections by topical exposure, utilizing their probiotic effects to prevent pathogenic bacteria entry and promote health.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If antibiotics and chemical control agents are used to control infections in fish farming, then the survival rate of fish is improved, but antibiotic resistance develops and toxic agents spread to the environment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurvival rate of fishVSAvoidantibiotic resistance and environmental contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces probiotic bacteria as an intermediary substance that mediates between the fish and pathogenic bacteria. These probiotics colonize the fish intestine and compete with pathogens for resources and attachment sites, providing protective effects without the harmful side effects of antibiotics. This resolves the contradiction by replacing antibiotics with a benign intermediary that achieves similar protective functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of infection control from chemical (antibiotics) to biological (probiotic bacteria). By altering the nature of the control agent from toxic chemical substances to beneficial living organisms, the solution maintains fish survival while eliminating antibiotic resistance and environmental contamination issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If feed content is increased to enhance fish growth, then the growth rate of fish is improved, but the cost of feed and resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrowth rate of fishVSAvoidfeed consumption and resource use

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The probiotic bacteria perform self-service functions within the fish intestine by producing enzymes that digest feed more efficiently and by stimulating the fish immune system. This enables the fish to better utilize the feed they consume, improving growth rate without requiring increased feed quantity. The probiotics essentially service the digestion and immunity functions that would otherwise require more resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical approach of simply increasing feed quantity with a biological mechanism where probiotics enhance feed utilization efficiency. Instead of adding more feed to achieve faster growth, the probiotics modify the digestive and immune processes to extract more value from the same feed amount.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If fish are contained at high concentrations to increase productivity, then the output per unit area is improved, but the risk of infections and disease outbreaks increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoutput per unit areaVSAvoidinfection risk and disease outbreaks

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The probiotic bacteria are administered to fish before they are exposed to high-density farming conditions and potential pathogens. This preliminary colonization of the intestine establishes a protective barrier in advance, allowing the fish to withstand the higher infection risks associated with high-density containment without compromising productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The probiotic bacteria act as a temporary, easily administered protective layer that can be introduced via water or feed. These living organisms provide short-term protection during the critical periods of high disease risk in intensive farming, allowing sustained high-density production without permanent infrastructure changes or expensive interventions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS11266168B2Probiotic bacteria for fish

Publication Date: 2022.03.08 PREVIWO AS

AI summary

A method for increasing the weight and growth rate of fish, preferably Salmonidae, and for preventing and/or treating microbial infections, comprising the steps of a) adding one or more species of probiotic bacteria to water, wherein the species of bacteria comprises or consists of Aliivibrio njordis, Aliivibrio balderis and/or Aliivibrio nannie; and b) exposing the fish to the water containing the one or more species of probiotic bacteria. Preferably, the bacterial strains Aliivibrio njordis strain B1-25, 8-1/2013 mandib V11, Aliivibrio balderis B1-24, 18-1/2013 kidn V12 and/or Aliivibrio nannie B8-24, 313/2013 kidn V13 are used.