Microaquarium 5

Well the time has finally arrived for my last blog posting on the microaquarium. Last Weds. I went to see it for the last time. As usual, I signed in, collected my aquarium, and selected a microscope. Dr. McFarland helped me with the microscope and pictures, we noted many different types of rotifers and micro organisms. The water has become pretty saturated with organisms and is pretty dirty, giving the organisms more food. The last two organisms I will post pictures of are the micro organisms anisonema sp. and colpidium sp. After we finished taking pictures, I bid farewell to my microaquarium and but it in the tub to be disposed of.

Anisonema sp.

Figure 77, Page 54

 

Colpidium sp.

Figure 337, Page 151

 



 

 

Microaquarium 4

The last visit to the aquarium went well. The biggest difference I have noticed is that the water has started to become more cloudy. There is also a lot more microorganisms swimming around and feeding. I can no longer find my rotifers from the first post. They have either moved or have died. The organism for this week is a Euplotes sp. which was confirmed by Dr. McFarland using Free Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide, fig. 261, pg. 124.

 

Fig. 261

 

 

I also had to add water to the aquarium this week, it was super low. 

Microaquarium 3

Week 2 of the microaquarium was much the same as the first one. I started by signing into the lab and picking up my aquarium. While Dr. McFarlane set up the camera microscope, I used a regular microscope to search for anything different in the water. I noticed it seemed to be harder to find diatoms then it was last week. I looked at the feed pellet that was added and noticed that there was a lot of different organisms swimming around and feeding on it. I also checked on my rotifers from last week and they were still thriving pretty good. The picture I took this week was a Vorticella sp. that was identified by Dr. McFarland and confirmed with Free Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide (Fig. 232 Pg. 113). It was just sitting there with no sign of movement, which is strange as it is a living organism.

 

 

Figure 232, Page 113.

Patterson, David J., and Stuart Hedley. Free Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide. London: Wolfe, 1992. Print.