Microaquarium Setup

To set up my aquarium, Dr. McFarland and I acquired water from the tanks out behind Hesler Biology Building. We took water from several tanks. We then added Utricularia gibba L. [Flowering plant. A carnivous 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). This was pushed into my plastic microaquarium by a dissecting tool. I waited a few minutes and then observed my aquarium through a microscope where I saw several ciliates and what seemed to be amoeba-like creatures. There was also a much larger specimen that looked like a larvae of some kind. 

2nd Observation

Prior to this observation a betta food pellet was added to my microaquarium. (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%.)

During this observation I discovered six organisms I did not see the first time. These include: Amoeba, Pleurotaenium, a nauplius Cyclops larvae, and two different types of Annelids: Stylaria(Trumpet-like proboscus) and Chaetogaster(rounder end).

Figure 14: Pleurotaenium. Forest. Fig 337

Figure 15: Stylaria and Chaetogaster. Rainis. Fig 107 & 108

3rd Observation

By this time my microaquarium has lost a bit of water and the Utricularia is decaying more rapidly. Two of my organisms, Tachysoma and Paramecium have gotten immensely larger. I noticed a fewer number of Euchlanis rotifers, but an increase in Lecane rotifers. There was also decrease in planarians, but an increase in juvenile Cyclops. We saw, but were unable to capture a picture of an adult Cyclops with larvae attached. We concluded that in this last week the adult released its eggs and led to the huge increase in juveniles. Dr. McFarland and I noticed an increase in activity near the water's edge ehich is due to the organisms' need for oxygen which is nearest the surface.

Even with my third observation I was able to discover new organisms in my microaquarium.  These were Actinosphaerium, Anabaena, Coleochaete, Gloecystis, Difflugia, Epalxix, and Lorica (an organism that resembled an outer shell of an annelid, which we were unable to capture a picture of or find out much about). Three of the new discoveries were types of algae. One of them, Anabaena, with visible heterocysts (ntirogen-fixing mechanisms).

Figure 9: Patterson. Fig 394

Figure 10: Prescott. Fig 318

Figure 11: Coleochaete. Tiffany. Fig 75

Figure 12: Gloecystis. Prescott. Fig 48

Figure 13: Chlamydaster. Patterson. Fig 402

1st Observation

During my first observation I had a plethera of life in my microaquarium. Tiny flagellates accounted for much of the biomass at first glance. However, there were eleven other organisms cohabitating with these tiny creatures. Among these eleven were: Flatworms, Coleps, Colpidium, Cyclidium, Euchanis,  Mites, Oscillatoria, Paramecium, Tachysoma, and Vorticella. (Most are pictured below)

  

 


Figure 3: Colpidium. Rainis Fig. 27



Figure 4: Coleps. Patterson. Fig 333



Figure 5: Euchlanis sp. Smith. Fig 7.14

Figure 5: Oscillatoria. Forest. Fig 604

Figure 6: Paramecium. Patterson. Fig 344

Figure 7: Tachysoma. Patterson. Fig 265

Figure 8: Vorticella. Patterson. Fig 232

<><><><><><><> Figure 1: Flatworm. Patterson. Fig 17<><><><><><><> 

Figure 2: Coleps. Rainis Fig. 26