Week Five MicroAquarium Observation

     During this final week’s observation, I noticed a decline in the past seemingly abundant amount of bodos.  Although the bodos declined, most other life appeared to have increased. This increase came in the form of diatoms of varying type (figure 2,3), many more Cyclopes, more worms (Aeolosoma Ehrenberg) and a newly identified Dero sp. This was identified using the posterior of the organism and is pictured in figure 1 below (Pennak).  The part pictured is of the rear end, used to identify it are the clear tentacle like protrusions coming out if the larger green plant mass.  The dark linear mass in the middle of the plant mass is the rest of the organism.  An increase of life within the soil was noticed, though the organisms were too concealed to identify. The water plants appear healthy and green and still have what appear to be cyanobacteria healthily growing among most of them (figure 4). 

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Identified Organisms:

Bodos 

Midge

Cyclops

Aeolosoma Ehrenberg

Dero sp.

Diatoms

Week Four MicroAquarium Observation

During this week’s observation of my microaquarium, I saw similar organisms at last week, such as the many hundreds of small bodos moving all about the aquarium.  Many worm- like organisms were seen as well, one was able to be identified as Aeolosoma Ehrenberg, as pictured in figure 2 (Ward 1918).  This worm had reddish orange spots running along it, with small hair-like filaments along the side.   This week I was also able to snap a picture of one of the Cyclopes living in the aquarium (figure 1) (Thorp 2010).  Of the same two I observed last week, one appeared larger (figure 1) with larger matching sacs on either sides of its body towards the rear of the organism.  The plants appeared healthy and green, they have a larger amount cyanobacteria growing this week. There also seemed to be more life within the soil at the bottom of the aquarium.

Identified Organisms:

Bodos 

Midge

Cyclops

Aeolosoma Ehrenberg

(Figure 1)

(Figure 2)

Works Cited

Works cited:

McFarland, Kenneth [Internet] Botany 111 Fall 2013. [cited 22 October 2013]. Available from http://botany1112013.blogspot.com/

Patterson DJ. 1992. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa. Washington (DC): Wolfie Publishing. 223p.

Ward HB. 1918. Fresh-Water Biology. Boston (MASS): Stanbope press. 1106p.

Patterson DJ. 1992. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa. Washington (DC): Wolfie Publishing. 223p.

Thorp JH. 2010. Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates. San        Diego (CA): Elsevier Inc. 1021p.

Pennak RW. 1989. Fresh-Water invertebrates of the United States. New York (NY): John Wiley and Sons, Inc . 628p.

Week Three MicroAquarium Observation

Life has come back to my aquarium. On Friday October 25 one Atison's Betta Food pellet was added to the aquarium, perhaps adding to the jolt in life in the aquarium.  Last week a sharp decline in life was observed, but this week an increase was noticed.  Hundreds of Bodos were observed moving around in seemingly random areas of concentrated populations (Patterson 1992).  Also observed were about six worm-like organisms either moving within the water mosses or living in the top layer of dirt.  The water mosses seemed to be healthier and greener this week as well and appeared to have cyanobacteria growing on them.  New to this week’s observation are two Cyclopes (Thorp 2010). I was able to see them without a microscope, but only as small white dotes moving swiftly about the aquarium, which were later identified with the microscope.  

Identified Organisms:

Bodos 

Midge

Cyclops