Observation #4

When I observed my aquarium for this very last time, I noticed a few things that were distinct from last time relating to populations that I had viewed previously, as well as one new organism. This week I viewed a very interesting organism called a Seed Shrimp, or ostracod. It was very small and Mr. McFarland was able to identify it has a juvenile ostracod. It had a hard shell with small legs sticking out. This photograph is from micrographia.com. Throughout my entire aquarium I only saw this one organism. It was swimming along plant material, similar to how this photograph shows the ostracod swimming among algae.
The number of rotifers seemed to stay the same. They continued to swim throughout the aquarium, especially around the plant materials. The populations of the arcella, filamentous algae, and especially vorticella, all greatly increased.

I actually learned a lot about vorticella this week. And I got some great photos and a video! Dr. McFarland explained to me a way that you can tell exactly which type of ciliate you're looking at. Here are some photographs I took as well:

As you can see in the video below, Dr. McFarland taps the aquarium, and immediately the vorticella responds. I researched this organism with some of the books that were in the lab. The book "Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa, A Color Guide" by D.J. Patterson and S. Hedley gave a description that focused more on the physical qualities of the organism, than the habitual qualities. It describes it has having cilia that are only present as wreaths of feeding cilia. It is made of an upper band, which very interestingly generates currents of water for feeding. It also has a lower band that corresponds to the moving membrane. The food passes through a cavity before it's packaged into vacuoles. The problem with most peritrichs is the vulnerability to predators due to their stalks, however, the vorticella's contractile stalk gives them some protection. The "Guide to Microlife" by Kenneth G. Rainis and Bruce J. Russell, gave information that referred more to the vorticella's habitat. It encouraged looking in quiet waters and around aquatic plants, filamentous microlife and other submerged objects, because that is the environment that you will find most vorticella attached to. Vorticella will sometimes be found in clusters, however, do not confuse them with colonies. Colonies are individuals who share a common stalk, clusters have their own stalk. If you catch them at the right moment you could see individuals become motile and migrate some, before settling down and growing a new stalk. I am very intrigued by these creatures. They are SO small but there is so much to learn about them!

Observation #3

This week when I viewed my microaquarium I saw many new organisms, including some organisms that I was able to see last week, but unable to identify. This past week in class we talked about many of the organisms that I saw this week, including diatoms. I had many different types of diatoms throughout my aquarium. This week I was able to use a camera, so all the photos and videos that I include are mine.The photographs seen here are of a couple different types of diatoms. The long filamentous-like organism on the left is actually just diatoms strung together. These are the organisms whose silica cell walls remain after they die, creating diatomaceous earth which is used for water filters and polishing agents.
The second organism that I saw was a euglena. These organisms are green because they contain the necessary pigments for photosynthesis. Here is a picture of the one I viewed in my aquarium. It was located approximately midway through my aquarium and it was close to the plant material.
The next organism that I viewed was really interesting, but I'm not sure what it is. Dr. McFarland thought it may be an arcella, a type of testate amoebae, meaning it has a shell. But this image looks more fluid. I will have to find out this week when I look at my aquarium.
There were many different types of rotifers in my aquarium this week, two of which I got some excellent photographs and videos. The first rotifer is a shelled type of rotifer. It looks very different from the other types that I have seen so far in this aquarium. The second type that I was able to see appeared much larger and a horn and salvary glands were all visible. I was able to take a video of this rotifer. I will include this in a second post for Observation #3.

Observation #2

So...Here I am on week two of our MicroAquarium observations. The number and type of organisms within my aquarium have greatly increased and it was exciting to look at them under the microscope! I was in the laboratory for over an hour and by the time that I had to leave I still had a ton of stuff that I did not get to look at for long .

The first thing thing I noticed when I viewed my Aquarium under the microscope, were small organisms moving around, quickly eating just about whatever particle came their way, including plant material. Dr. McFarland helped me to define them as rotifers. They were moving with spinning 'tails'. The photograph above is from www.microscopyu.com. These are most likely lecane rotifers. They 'swam' throughout the aquarium, and moved throughout the bottom, middle, and top sections. I saw what may have been another rotifer when I was viewing the plant material. They were eating, moving very quickly up and down the carnivorous plant. However, these organisms had two tails.

As far as the plant material goes, it was obvious that the carnivorous plant had begun to spread itself out some as it looked for organisms to devour. Around the plant material I was able to see filamentous algae. I was not able to use the microscope with the camera so I do not have any pictures. I will take some this next week.

Throughout the entire aquarium I saw small circular/oval organisms moving around - I have absolutely no idea what they are.

I was, however, able to identify Vorticella, the classic peritrich ciliate. According to Micrographia.com they are one of the more common microscopic creatures in freshwater. They are attached by a contractile stalk, and have a bell shape when fully extended. The cilia are seen at the edges of the bell shape. I found this photograph which is exactly like the organism I saw in my aquarium. This image is from www.micrographia.com. I saw only one colony of 4 organisms. They seemed to be attached to the side of the aquarium within the middle section of the aquarium. These ciliates were stationary, though the bell-shaped portion of the organism moved slightly with the movement of the water. I did not see them ingest any other organisms or plant material.

I took only a quick glance at the area surrounding the food pellet that was inserted into the aquarium.

On Thursday October 4, 2008 one pellet of "Atison's Betta Food" was added to each Micro Aquarium. It is made by Ocean Nutrition, Aqua Pet Americas, 3528 West 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104. Ingredients: Fish meal, wheat flower, soy meal, krill meal, minerals, vitamins and preservatives. Analysis: Crude Protein 36%; Crude fat 4.5%; Crude Fiber 3.5%; Moisture 8% and Ash 15%.

It was quickly being engulfed by the hundreds of round/oval organisms that I have not yet identified.

So that's it for week two. Hopefully I will be able to take some pictures this week and identify more of the organisms that I've seen.

Observation #1

My MicroAquarium hosts a number of exciting creatures that I am thrilled to learn more about! My water sample was taken from dish #4:

4. Horse Farm Pond, Carter Mill Road, Knox Co. Tennessee Partial shade exposure Well Feed Pond N36 00.431 W83 41.767 1069 ft 10/12/2008

And it also contains both plants A:

A. Amblystegium varium (Hedw.) Lindb. Moss. Collection from: Natural spring. Fountain City Park west of Broadway at Hotel Ave. Knox Co. Knoxville TN. Partial shade exposure. N 36o02' 15.18" W083o55' 59.95"988 ft. 10/13/2008

And B:

B. Utricularia vulgaris L. Flowering Plant. A carnivous plant. Collection from: Greenhouse in White Ave Biology Annex. The University of Tennessee. 1400 White Ave. Knox Co. Knoxville TN.Partial shade exposure N 35o57' 33.45" W083o55' 42.01". 932 ft 10/13/2008

Viewing the Aquarium with my naked eye, I immediately saw a tiny organism that was jumping up and down from the bottom, as if to say "Hey! Look at me!" As I have done a little research, I have a feeling it is a cyclops. I will have to confirm that as I continue to look at my aquarium. It has what looked like two antennae protruding from it's front, and I could see straight through it. It looked like it was convulsing or something. The photograph that I have at the top of my page shows a striking resemblence to the creature I saw. I took the photograph off of www.micrographia.com. I saw only two other organisms, both were somewhat round/oval/egg shaped. One of them was moving around and looked like it was doing somersaults.

That's about all I know right now...but I'm excited to discover more!