Observation 4

I finished observation of my microaquarium by identifying the last interesting-looking microscopic life and by finding a reference for each of the organisms previously identified.

General Observations: There is a huge number of dead organisms in the tank, and many organisms cleaning up the carcasses. In the vicinity of major deposits of dead organisms I found a large number of gastrotriches, nematoads, and boticella. The carnivorious plant had extended tendrils throughout the tank as well, it was doing just fine for itself. The bottom of the tank remains the most active region, and the most likely place to find multicelled organisms. Also, during the course of the day I observed a fast-moving paramecium run smack into a vorticella, and then the vorticella recoiled itself really quickly, it was interesting behavior.

Newly Identified Organisms:

1. Stenostomum - an exciting worm-shaped multicelled organism that has "eyes"- cilliated sensory pits, one of these brown monsters was menacing the bottom of the tank. It moved fairly quickly for its size, which is relatively massive. Citation: Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Organisms, fig 6-4, page 156

2. Centropyxis - a shelled amoeba, brown, with very distinct portrusions, sort of bearclaw-shaped, I found a of these in the tank, not necessarily doing anything interesting. Citation: Free Living Freshwater Protozoa, fig 184, page 95

Citations for Previously Identified Organisms:

in Pennack's Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States by Smith

Philodina- fig 7.3, page 132

Gastrotrich-identified as Chaetonotus- fig 6-7, page 126

Nematoad- fig 8.1, page 193

in Free Living Freshwater Protozoa by Patterson

Oscillatoria- fig 4, page 25

Diatoms-identified as navicula- fig5, page 25

Closterium- fig 10, page 26

Volvox-reclassified as Eudorina- fig 61, page 57

Euglena- fig 120, page 70

Amoeba- fig 195, page 98

Vorticella- fig 233, page 113

Bursaria- fig 317, page 143

Paramecium- fig 345, page 153

Actinosphaerium- fig 395, page 169

from Freshwater Algae by Lund

Asterionella- fig 240, page 132

Oedegonium- fig 94, page 62

Melosira- fig 251, page 139

Now, for a view of our friend, the rotifer Rotoria, via fig 8.4, page 190 of Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates by Thors and Covitch

Observation III

Observations: There was a murky green smear on the near the bottom of the aquarium. Upon microscopial investigation, it turned out to be cyanobacterium (oscillatoria) that that have grown so densely that other organisms had trouble moving through the strands. Also, I have discovered algae about, and I assume more water has been added, since the microaquarium is almost full again, and greatly more populated by microscopic life. Most of this life seems to be near the bottom of the tank.

New organisms observed/identified:

1. Melosira - a long-stranded yellow diatom, these guys were found mostly near the bottom near the oscillatoria. I found around a dozen of them skimming the bottom tank for more interesting specimens. These didn't do much.

2. Closterium - a crescent-shaped desmid, with two compartments separated at the midsection. This is a green algae, thus it is photosythetic, and I did not observe it moving. I only found one during my observation, at the bottom of the tank, it is possible that there are more.

3. Gastrotrych - little tiny earwig-looking guys that moved fairly rapidly about, noticed these guys but didn't identify them in my previous observations. They move pretty quickly via cillia, I have observed at least a dozen in my microaquarium.

4. Oedogonium - long filamentous green algae, also found at the bottom of the tank. I noticed several strands of these, including two that had coiled together in a double helix.

I also saw most of the microscopic life I'd observed in the past, and noticed a great deal of vorticella about, which may have come from the added water.

Observation II

Observations: Somehow it seemed as though there was less going on in the tank this time around. So while I saw nothing really exciting, I took the time to identify a few of the organisms that had eluded me last time:

1. Volvox - a sphere with green areas inside, they are apparently a colony of photosynthetic organisms, that move via the use of flagella. There were a few of these, and they mostly just sat around, which seems to be what photosynthetic organisms do, generally.

2. Asterionella - what I tentatively identify this starfish looking green organism that I found. I only found one, and he sat pretty still, which is why I could only classify him as such. Not entirely sure that's what it was, since the pictures in the book didn't match exactly, but until I find it again that's what I'll call him.

From my last observation:

I observed the same huge amount of oscillatoria, although they seemed less happy this time around, I found some in smaller strands that were completely inert, which might indicate that some are dead? In that same vein, I found a portion of my microaquarium chock-full of the diatoms I found in my last observation, which may indicate that they're doing quite well in this environment. I also found roughly the same amount as last time of actinosphaerium, amoeba, vorticella, paramecium, bursaria, and nematoads. The organisms I only found a few of and were relatively stationary from last time I didn't find this time, which according to science doesn't necessarily mean that they're not there, until I find bodies.

The more mobile rotifer from my last observation I have identified as a philodina.

Due to evaporation, there is a good deal less water than the first observation, which may not bode well for these microorganisms in the long run.