ABSTRACT
The gut of start-feeding larval turbot was rapidly colonised by bacteria and the gut microflora was determined by the bacterial flora of the rotifers used as food. Vibrio was the dominant genus in the gut with Vibrio alginolyticus being the dominant species. There was no correlation between larval survival rate and the type of bacteria present in the gut microflora. However, the higher survival rates found in larvae reared under extensive (low-density) conditions compared to intensive (high-density) rearing conditions was correlated with a slower rate of bacterial colonisation of the larval turbot gut. The slow rate of colonisation may be beneficial by reducing the gut bacterial load during a critical period of gut development.
