update for November 14, 2012

Lacrymaria sp.

Bibliography

Patterson, D. J., and Stuart Hedley. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide. London: Manson, 1998.

update for November 9, 2012

A significant decrease in the number of organisms was observed.  Some of the organisms previously observed were still present, but in such small numbers that an adequate visual record was not made.  The decrease in number of organisms could be attributed to the decrease in available food, with the nutrients introduced on October 26 having been consumed and no additional nutrients having been introduced.

update for October 31st, 2012

A significant increase in the number of organisms was observed.  This was likely due to the addition of a food pellet on October 26 ("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%.)

 

The organisms observed and recorded last week, Haltera sp. and Tachysoma sp., were both still present.

All images captured using a Sony HDR-HC9 video camera attached to an Olympus CH30 microscope.

Bibliography
Patterson, D. J., and Stuart Hedley. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide. London: Manson, 1998.
Pennak, Robert W. Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the United States: Protozoa to Mollusca. New York: Wiley, 1989.

update for October 24, 2012

No major changes were observed in the MicroAquarium other than a decrease in the water level and a lightening of the color of the pods on the Utricularia gibba L..

All organisms noted at the time of aquariums set-up were still present.

Using the microscope's 40x magnification, several microscopic organisms were observed.

Image captured using a Sony HDR-HC9 video camera attached to an Olympus CH30 microscope.

In the top-left corner of the view is Haltera sp. (fig. 304 p139 Patterson 1998).  Between the Haltera sp. and the unknown object is Tachysoma sp. (fig. 265 p125 Patterson 1998).  Both organisms are motile.

Bibliography
Patterson, D. J., and Stuart Hedley. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide. London: Manson, 1998.

MicroAquarium set-up; October 17, 2012

The source that provided the water for this tank is the Tommy Schumpert pond located at Seven Islands Wildlife refuge ( Botany 2012).  A sample of the lowest layer of water, containing silt and other debris, from the water source was pulled and transferred to the tank using an eye dropper.  The same process was followed with the middle and top layers of the water sample to ensure inclusion of an adequate number of the water source's organisms in the MicroAquarium.  

Samples of Amblestegium sp., a moss, and Utricularia gibba L., a flowering carnivorous plant, were chosen and used to decorate the tank (Botany 2012).

A sample of dead leaf matter (far left) was included for no good reason.

Considerable effort was expended towards capturing and transferring to the tank a relatively large critter that has been tentatively identified as a mite.  More information and accurate identification will follow.

Bibliography
Botany 111 Fall 2012 [Internet]. University of Tennessee, Knoxville Biology Department.  c.2012 [cited 2012 October 25].  Available from: http://botany1112012.blogspot.com/
Watersource 1. Tommy Schumpert Pond, Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge. N35 57.256 W83 41.503 947 ft 10/9/2011.