11/2/12 MicroAquarium Observation 3

MicroAquarium Observation 3 - November 2, 2012

This week my MicroAquarium has greatly increased in biological diversity and activity. On Friday October 26th a Beta Fish food pellet (Nutritional information in bibliography) was placed into all of our MicroAquariums. Based upon this addition it seems there is a direct correlation between an increase in life and the addition of the BFFP. My visiting time was around 11 A.M. on Friday, November 2nd. 

Interestingly, the top layer did not have as much as activity as last week, it seems all of the activity has shifted towards the bottom half. on the upper layer I saw a lot of the same organisms. Most notably, an actinosphaerium was identified again (Patterson 1996). Once more, this multi-celled organism was stationary and had many axopodium (legs). 

Upon scrolling through the MicroAquarium the middle layer had quite a bit of activity. Unfortunately, I could only gather one confirmed species. This species was a Vorticella (Patterson 1996). Attached to a stem of one of the plants the organism was not mobile. No chlorophyll was present in the organism and it was multi-celled.  This organism had "teeth," also known as cilia to assist in food collection and guide it down the digestive tract much like a Stentor (Figure 223, Page 113, Patterson 1996). Aside from this discovery, many of the same organisms are present in the MicroAquarium as last week, but with more regularity and larger size. 

The liveliest layer was the bottom layer. Many dead organisms appeared on the bottom, also. Two species of cyanobacterium were identified in this layer. The first, oscillatoria, is multi-celled and slowly moved through the liquid (Figure 328, Page 187, Prescott 1978). This organism is very long and somewhat rigid and also has chlorophyll pigments present, differentiating it from normal bacteria. The other species, ulothrix, is a smaller species of cyanobacterium. Though still long, it's individual cells were closer together, allowing the organism to have more agility; this cyanobacteria again had pigments present (Figure 328, Page 187, Prescott 1978). This week I again identified a stentor, this stentor had the same cilia as the previously mentioned vorticella and has grown significantly since the last examination (Figure 214, Page 112, Patterson 1996).  A pediastrum was also identified in the bottom layer, this organism does not move and is multi-cellular, it contains a lot of chlorophyll (Figure 81, Page 63, Prescott 1978).

Bibliography

• Patterson D. 1996. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa.  1st Edition. Loudon, NW, London Madison Publishing. 223 pp.

•   Botany 111 Fall 2012 (Blog). Watersource: 9.  Sterchi Hills Greenway Trail on Rife Range Road in Knoxville (cited 2012 October 22).  Available from: http://botany1112012.blogspot.com/
• Prescott, G.W. 1978. How to Know Freshwater Algae. 2nd Edition. Dubuque, IA. W.C. Brown Publishing. 293 pp. 
• "Atison's Betta Food" 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%.