Milkfish Bibliography covers 700 references on milkfish biology; broodstock management and fry, fingerling and egg collection and production; milkfish culture systems; health and nutrition; post harvest technology; socioeconomic and related studies; and environment and ecology. Included references range from published/unpublished documents, theses, journal articles, to project reports and conference papers.

This study was conducted to investigate low-cost substrate alternative and the optimum culture conditions in mass producing the local marine thraustochytrid, Schizochytrium sp. LEY7 isolated from the mangrove leaves of Baybay, Southern Leyte Philippines. Results showed that Schizochytrium sp. LEY7 is able to utilize commercial grade glucose and yeast extract from NaCl-treated baker's yeast as source of carbon and micronutrients respectively. Cost of mass producing the thraustochytrid isolate using the alternative production substrates was substantially reduced. Incubation temperature and salinity levels were the two growth factors significantly affecting the biomass production of the isolate. The short duration of lag phase shown by the isolate suggests a growth advantage in that cells are readily able to adapt to their new environment. Total lipids averaged to 19.4%. Principal fatty acids were palmitic acid (C16:0) with 33.52% and docosahexanoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3) with 39.92% proportion to total fatty acid. Eicosapentaenoic (C20:5n-3, 1.01%) and arachidonic (C20:4n-3, 0.90%) are present but in relatively lower amount. Our findings showed the potential of low-cost substrate in mass producing the local thraustochytrid isolate, Schizochytrium sp. LEY7 as lipid and polyunsaturated fatty acid source in aquaculture. Biomass production was enhanced by optimizing the culture conditions.

Trichodiniasis was noted in an intensive milkfish (Chanos chanos) nursery pond in Dumangas, Iloilo, Philippines. It was predominantly caused by a small trichodinid species (body diameter=23-29 µm) with well-developed denticles, identified as Paratrichodina sp. The trichodinid infection resulted in proliferative changes, including clubbing and epithelial hyperplasis of the gill lamellae sufficient to disrupt respiratory function. Tolerance tests of milkfish fingerlings in an earthen pond-simulated environment resulted in a 24 h TL90 value of 1.98 ± 0.25 ppm KMnO₄. A treatment of 1.0 ppm KMnO₄ was highly efficacious (96%) in eliminating trichodinids on gills with minimal mortality of treated milkfish observed 24 hours post-treatment.

Energy metabolism is well-studied in vertebrate systems, providing insights on the genes and mechanisms involved in different pathways necessary for the survival of an organism. Yet, such studies are still lacking in invertebrate systems much more in shrimp. An earlier study has showed several contigs from the black tiger shrimp to be homologous to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), a devastating pathogen in shrimp, including contig 31-WSSVORF82 (c31) and contig 34-WSSVORF21 (c34). This study aims to unveil the roles of three genes: c31, c34 and protein kinase (PK) in the shrimp system and its possible role in WSSV-infection. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends-polymerase chain reaction or RACE-PCR was used to obtain the full-length sequence of c31 and c34, followed by in vivo gene silencing using RNAi technology, and intramuscularly injecting dsRNA to WSSVchallenged Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Penaeus (Marsupenaeus) japonicus. Gene expression followed for healthy shrimps and dsRNA-treated shrimps. Mrc31 was revealed to be the enzyme lactase dehydrogenase (LDH), commonly released during tissue damage and is a marker for disease. The most parsimonious tree pictured Mrc31 to be sister clades to LDH of other shrimp species, Penaeus monodon and P. vannamei, supported with 100% and 72% bootstrap values, respectively. Mrc34 was highly homologous to the glycogen phosphorylase (GP) enzymes of other organisms including that of another shrimp, M. japonicus, bearing a bootstrap value of 99%. For PK, phylogenetic analysis revealed that the three open reading frames (ORFs) from P. monodon, M. rosenbergii and P. japonicus have 30% homology to WSSV-PK supported by a 98% bootstrap value. Mortality data from dsRNA-treated and WSSV-infected shrimps showed that treatment with dsRNA-LDH, GP and PK had significantly higher survival rates compared to that of the controls, Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) and Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). Silencing the three genes in the shrimp has rendered some protective effect against the virus. Gene expression showed that all three genes are present in immune-related organs such as the gills, hepatopancreas and hemocyte. This study is the first to report the possible identities and functions of contigs 31, 34 and PK providing valuable data on the shrimp's genome.