Last Observation

For the last observation, I saw more lacane rotifers on plant B. Also in plant B was a cyclops and many actinosphaerium: confirmed on pg. 169 (Patterson 1996.) There were many nematodes swimming, with their whip-like motion, within the soil layer and plant A: confirmed on pg. 226 (Pennak 1996.) They move by the friction off the vegetation around them. Most of its coloration comes from what it ingests. In order to grow, Nematodes shed their outermost cuticle from time to time much like snakes: confirmed on pg. 227 (Pennak 1996.)

Fourth Observation

On this fourth observation, I've seen more of the same organisms, but yet, I've still found new ones as well. I did notice that my food pellet had gotten stuck on the side of the aquarium because the water had evaporated over the weekend. Right off the bat, I saw a huge organism within the soil. It was a cyclops and made for a really good picture. Picture confirmed in Fig. 29.104 on pg. 798 (Edmonson 1959.)



I saw many more lacrymaria and noticed a Litonotus swimming in the middle of the aquarium and shot a video of his/her acrobatics. Video confirmed in Fig. 10.2.e on pg. 268 (Edmonson 1959.)

Third Observation

This week, I noticed more activity since applying the food pellet. ("Atison's Betta 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%.) The organisms were more numerous and diverse and some had grown. There was an Ostracod (seed shrimp) lying dead in the top of the organic layer. I also took some pictures of paramecium and other organisms in the utricularia (as seen at the right). This was confirmed in Fig. 10.11 on page 226 (Edmonson 1959.) Their were even more paramecium along the food pellet. Man, were they happy!!!!




I also got a picture of an actinosphaerium (left) growing withing the matrix. Confirmed on pg. 169 (Patterson 1996.)




Another picture (right) shows the paramecium growing next to the food pellet.

There is also a vorticella located in there.






Yet here is and even better picture of a vorticella: confirmed on pg. 292 (Edmonson 1959.)









This is a picture of a philodina rotifer: confirmed on pg. 421 (Edmonson 1959.)

Microorganism activity

This is a video of a seed shrimp on Plant A: confirmed on pg. 443 (Pennak 1989.)






Here are some pictures of the seed shrimp in action on the bottom of the aquarium. He seems to be sifting through the sludge and digesting different objects.

10/13 - Initial Observation

Hello everyone, this post contains what was seen on the first day directly after making the micro aquarium.

Location: To begin, water source number twelve was the one I picked. It is described as the water pool below a spring in the location of Fountain City Park, west of Broadway at Hotel Avenue, Knox County, Knoxville TN. It has full shade exposure and is called Spring Feed Pond. Its coordinates are N36 02.253 W83 55.986 990 ft. It was taken out on 10/12/2009.

Plants: A: Amblystegium varium (Hedw.) Lindb. Moss. Collected from natural spring at Carters Mill Park, Carter Mill Road, Knox Co. TN. It has partial shade exposure. N36 01.168 W83 42.832. 10/11/2009


B: Utricularia vulgaris L. Flowering. A carnivorous plant. Original material from south shore of Spain Lake (N 35o55 12.35" W088o20' 47.00), Camp Bella Air Rd. East of Sparta Tn. in White Co. and grown in water tanks outside of greenhouse at Hesler Biology Building. The University of Tennessee. Knox Co. Knoxville TN.


Observation: I saw many organisms in my micro aquarium; each were at a different location.

Top: Up here were a few very tiny organisms that didn't move very fast and one had a short flagella which propelled it forward. Another type was small and round and kept doing flips. Both were transparent.

Middle (Plants A & B): Around here, I saw a few organisms on Plant B around the nodes. These little guys were green and very numerous and spun around in circles on the node. I also saw a fast, snake-like figure slithering in and out of my viewing area within the water. Another microorganism I saw was a doughnut shaped transparent organism that slowly moved by doing somersaults. Plant A wasn't viewed very heavily and there wasn't any organisms seen there in what little time it was viewed. Hopefully, more will be seen in the upcoming weeks.

Bottom: This is where a majority of the action was seen. In this slimy scum was a huge microorganism that had a tongue or tentacles that would grab objects and it looked as though it was eating them. It was brown and had "hairs" all over its body and looked and moved like a mouse. There was another organism similar in shape but slightly smaller. It had a flagella that looked more like a tail because it was broad at its junction and came to a point. It had a cupped shape to it which made it look even more like a mouse. It moved at a moderate pace and was transparent.