The potential of shallot skin powder and actinomycetes metabolites as antimicrobe and antibiofilm in the treatment of eel (Anguilla bicolor bicolor) infected with Aeromonas hydrophila

BACKGROUND: Eel (Anguilla bicolor bicolor) is an Indonesian export commodity. However, it is facing a problem related to Aeromonas hydrophila, which can cause motile aeromonas septicemia (MAS) and produce biofilm formation. Problem with antibiotic resistance challenges the need of an alternative treatment. Therefore, it is important to explore a solution to treat infection and the biofilm formed by A. hydrophila. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we used shallot skin powder and actinomycetes metabolite 20 PM as antimicrobe and antibiofilm to treated eels infected with A. hydrophila. RESULTS: Shallot skin powder (6.25 g 100 g(−1) feed) and Actinomycetes 20 PM metabolite (2 mL 100 g(−1) feed) were found to be effective as antimicrobe and antibiofilm agent in treating eels infected with A. hydrophila. Eel treated with antibiotic, shallot skin powder, and actinomycetes metabolite had 80%, 66%, and 73% survival rates, respectively. Other indicators such as red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were increased, but white blood cell count and phagocytic activity were dropped. Biofilm destruction were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy to determined antibiofilm activity of actinomycetes metabolite against biofilm of A. Hydrophila. CONCLUSIONS: Shallot skin powder and actinomycetes metabolite were potential to treat infection of A. hydrophila in eel as an alternative treatment to antibiotics. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13104-023-06611-9.