Second Observation

Today I observed my MicroAquarium Which had one Beta food pellet inserted on Friday October, 21.  There was quite a bit more activity in the Aquarium.  The filaments growing from the moss and plant parts have now spread across the entire aquarium all intertwined. Around the food pellet and the top of the aquarium there are several paramecium and a few Euchlanis protozoa collecting the food.

Here's a picture of one Euchlanis (rotifer) I found around the middle of the aquarium feeding on some smaller microorganisms and debris.  The Euchlanis have two little pointy feet with which they use to propel them through the water (Smith 2001).


Food pellet supplied by: "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%.

First observation

Today I observed my MicroAquarium in the lab.  There were definitely signs of growth on the plant parts, little filament like structures have started to grow.  Paramecium have showed up, and they are moving around and are collecting things and eating.  Not as much action in my aquarium as I would've hoped to see, but I predict my second observation to be a little more exciting.

Here's a picture of a couple paramecium eating.  Paramecium are unicellular microbial organisms that move around using cilia.  The cilia pulse rhythmically pushing the Paramecium in whatever direction it's trying to go (Patterson 1996).

Setting up my MicroAquarium

On Tuesday October 11th I set up my MicroAquarium in my lab section.  Using a pipet I extracted mud and water from the bowl containing contents from a water pool in Lynnhurst Cemetery off of Adair Drive. Knox Co. Knoxville TN. Partial shade exposure Spring Feed Pond N36 01.357 W83 55.731 958 ft 10/9/2011.  Then I stuffed some plant parts/mosses, provided by the lab instructor, into the microaquarium.  Now all there is to do is wait and observe the growth of organisms in my aquarium.