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.