Bacteriophage 18 was previously isolated by multiplication in Aeromonas hydrophila. The bacteriophage receptor was shown to be the lipopolysaccharide (LPS), specifically the low MW polysaccharide fraction (LPS core oligosaccharide) A. hydrophila mutants, resistant to this phage were isolated and found to be devoid of LPS O antigen by several criteria and had alterations in the lipopolysaccharide core.