Observation Week 2

My first observation of my aquarium under the microscope was interesting. I realized that my water level had dropped from when I first observed it in lab. I also realized that the plants had either grown or spread throughout the aquarium. I observed many organisms living in the aquarium and they seemed to be feeding off the soil and squirming around quickly in the water. There were several rotifers swimming around in the soil.

Observation Week 5

In observing my aquarium this week I once again noticed that my water level had decreased dramatically. My plants had seemed to be dying and I believe its possible that they may have already been dead. Under the microscope I spotted Euchlanis sp. Cyclopoid sp. Litonotus sp. and Cyclidium sp. I also observed a saw a few other new organisms however I did not identify them.

The following are pictures I identified from my microaquarium:
  Figure 1 

Patterson, D. (1996). Free Living Fresh Water Protozoa A Colour Guide . In D. Patterson, Free Living Fresh Water Protozoa A Colour Guide (p. 149). London: Manson Publishing Ltd.

Figure 2

Pennak, R. W. (1989). Fresh-Water Invertebrates Of The United States Protozoa to Mollusca. In R. W. Pennak, Fresh-Water Invertebrates Of The United States Protozoa to Mollusca (p. 171). Canada: John Wiley And Sons Inc.

  Figure 3

Patterson, D. (1992). Free Living Fresh Water Prototozoa A Colour Guide. In D. Patterson, Free Living Fresh Water Prototozoa A Colour Guide (p. 133). London,NW: Wolfe Publishing.

Figure 4
Smith, D. G. (2001). Pennak's Fresh Water Invertebrates Of The United States. In D. G. Smith, Pennak's Fresh Water Invertebrates Of The United States (p. 495). New York, NY: John Wiley And Sons Inc.

Observation Week 4

In observing my aquarium this week I found many paramecium and rotifers around the plants and close to the surface. My plants have began to look ill and are turning brown as if they are dying. The pellets didnt seem to have much change to them however they did seem to have decreased in size a bit. Im not sure if the organisms are beginning to die however that seems to be the observation Im seeing. My water level had evaporated once again this week.

Observation Week 3

I went and observed my Microaquarium for the 2nd time. Dr. Mcfarland had added one Beta Food Pellet, the food pellet "Atison's Beta Food" 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%. I saw organisms swimming around the Beta Food such as rotifers a vortecella. I also observed that one of the plants had trapped a nematode which is a worm like organisms. I believe these new observations had to do a lot with the addition of the Beta Food.

Vorticella- The Vorticella is a protist (protozoan) and belongs to the Phyllum Ciliophora.  It is a very interesting, stalked ciliate with an inverted bell shape.  The stalk contains a contractile fibril called a myoneme.  When stimulated, it shortens, causing the stalk to coil like a spring. 


Rotifers- Rotifers are small, mostly freshwater animals, and are amongst the smallest members of the

Metazoa -- that group of multicellular animals which includes humans, and whose bodies are organized into systems of organs.

Most rotifers are about 0.5mm in length or less, and their bodies have a total of around a thousand cells. This means that their organ systems are a greatly simplified distillation of the organ systems found in the bodies of the higher animals.


Works Cited
http://www.micrographia.com/specbiol/rotife/homebdel/bdel0100.htm
http://www.microscope-microscope.org/applications/pond-critters/protozoans/ciliphora/vorticella.htm

Setting up Aquarium

Procedure

1) Received aquarium with stand and lid. We were given a substance similar to glue to help secure the lid.
2) We placed 3 colored dots on the left hand corner of our aquarium. 

• First dot = Lab Section
• Second dot = Table in which you sit during lab
• Third dot = The seat number you sit in at your table

3) Used pipettes to fill aquarium with water almost to the brim trying to coat the bottom layer with soil.
4) Added two plants into aquarium with water.
5) Placed aquarium under water and observed.
6) Removed aquarium from microscope, installed lid, and placed on stand.

Materials

1) Water - Frenchbroad River, Seven Islands Refuge

• Contained Cladophora sp. alga, Family- Cladophoracea 

2) Plants - 

• Amblestegium sp. 
• Uticularia gibba L.