Skin and gill microbiome profiles and network structures in farmed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and their relationships with health conditions

The findings show that the tilapia microbiome differs across the skin and gill tissue surfaces, and from the pond waters in which they are cultured. In reported diseased cases, these microbiomes show enrichment of potential pathogenic genera and less complex microbial co-occurrence networks, which may be used as an indicator of microbial dysbiosis in aquaculture systems. Understanding how these alterations may be used to predict potential disease outbreaks requires an understanding of the functional impacts of the changes in the microbial assemblages, allowing for timely interventions to mitigate the impacts of disease in the aquaculture system.