November 11, 2008, viewing number five yeilded a lot of the same specimens. The one that I spent the majority of my time watching and studying was a tardigrade, or more commonly known as a water bear. I managed to photograph and video one moving around at the bootom of the tank. I also located what appears to be four tardigrade eggs at the bottom of the tank, which looked like they were about to hatch.

References

Rainis, K. G. and Russell, B. J. 1996. Guide to Microlife. Franklin Watts. Tardigrade. Pg. 234-237.

MicroAquarium Veiwing #4

Veiwing number four of the microaquairum on novmeber 4, 2008 yeilded some sightings of new organisms in the tank, but for the mosat part nothing had changed except for the number of diatoms and blue green algaes which have grown exponentially, with three new patches of merrismopedia in groups of 100 or more. The first was a nitzchia (Canter-Lundand Lund 1995). Its green color shows that chlorophyll is present and that it releases oxygen. There were several colonies of these that consisted of around 4-10 cells, all located around the cyanobacteria oscillatoria. The most exciting discovery I made in my aqaruium was a Tardigrade or, otherwise, more commonly known as a water bear. I was unable to obtain a picture because the specimen was in the middle of the aquairum crawling around in the sediment. These unusual organaisms are among the most enviromental hardy in the world.

References

Canter-Lund, H. and Lund, J.W.G. 1995. Freshwater Algae: Their microscopic world explored. Biopress Limited. pg. 131. Fig. 235. pp. 360

MicroAquarium Veiwing #3

Veiwing number three has yeilded some interesting findings. Since the food pellet was put in the aquarium the number of copepods and ditoms has increaed exponentially along with gastrotrichas, tachysoma, and aspidisca. I observed an amoeba engulfing a dead copepod, a process known as phagocytosis, which was very interesting. The amount of cyanobacteria has also nearly doubled, with two new sightings of merrismoped around a peice of leaf at the bottom of the tank. The spyrogyra has also been growing a great amount under and in the sediment at the bottom of the aqarium. Also observed in the sediment were nematodes that resembled worms poking and moving through the debris. The last thing that I observed was a protozoa called an epistylis, that was attached to the food pellet, and resembled an ascomycete muchroom. It had a long stem/stalk with an upside down mushroom cap, which I asume is its head. Near the opening were cilia that swirled around collecting food.

Refences:
Pennak, Robert. Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the United States. New Tork: The Ronald Press Company, 1953