Botany 111 Term Project: Microaquarium

Lucas Hietala, Section 002, Lucas I.Wb. H,

Post 3: Observation 2

     On the afternoon of Thursday, October 31, 2013, a second follow-up observation of the MicroAquarium™ was made. Identifications were made with the assistance of Dr. McFarland and reference books available in the laboratory, and alterations to the aquarium's environment were noted.

    According to Dr. McFarland, a food pellet was added to the aquarium on Friday, October 25, 2013, though the time at which this was done was not specified. This food pellet was observed to be partially dissolved, and the container that it was drawn from was labeled as "Ocean Nutrition: Atison's Betta Food". It is unknown if chemicals or nutrients in this food pellet will adversely affect a particular organism or the overall health or conditions inside the aquarium, and it is a possible subject of study to consider the effects of various food sources on the conditions of a freshwater aquarium such as these and their inhabitants. 

    The water level in the aquarium had lowered when observed. What this is a result of is unknown, be it evaporation or lack of added water. Observed in the prior water level were the dried husks of various microorganisms, as well as a portion of the A. varium. The A. varium, as previously mentioned, has a growing necrotic region, which has expanded further since last observed, rising from the bottom of the plant to the middle region, and now extending downward as well from the portion of the plant that had left the water of the aquarium The lesion from the bottom is approximately 1/4 of an inch, and the one on the top is approximately 1/16th of an inch. Both other plants seem to be surviving well, and no necrotic lesions were noted. 

    Soil levels at the bottom of the aquarium have remained steady and level, with few to no disturbances if there have been any. Movement was observed in the soil, but the organism that caused this movement did not appear, and was therefore unable to be recorded. Soil particulate has further settled, and it seems unlikely that it will settle further than it has, though there is now food particulate in the aquarium that has replaced the former soil particles.

    During the observation, organisms previously mentioned in this record were found again. The Tachysoma sp. is moving as rapidly as before, and seems unaffected or benefited by the introduction of the food pellet, as yet unknown. The Amoeba sp. was similarly observed, but it was similarly found to have no noticeable change in behavior. 

    While scanning the region around the food pellet (which was floating at the top of the aquarium, in the central region, adjacent to the A. varium), a new creature was observed. With the assistance of Dr. McFarland and a reference book, this was identified as Aeolosoma sp. (likely hemprichi or leidyi). It appears as a worm-like creature, moving in a fashion similar to a flattened caterpillar, sucker-like mouth gasping for food as it nosed along the surface of the A. varium leaves (Pennak, 1989). Its size in comparison to the rest of the aquarium's fauna was shockingly large, possibly rivaled by some of the larger crustaceans. Overall, its great size and method of motion imparted a feeling of unease or nausea, a sense of wrongness as compared to the grace and smooth motion of the rest of the organisms. 

    The bottom layer of the aquarium held an attractive tenant, however. What was identified as a Verticella sp. was attached to a small outcropping of sand or possibly some form of rock (Patterson, 1992). A wreath of cilia fanned out from its food intake, visibly pulling tiny particulates in a miniscule current as it fed. This motion was hypnotic, and the long stem of the organism allowed it to sway in the almost imperceptible motion of the water inside the aquarium. Several others of similar form have been observed as well, from those that are attached on the soil in the bottom of the aquarium to a few that have made their home on the tops of the U. gibba. However, none have been observed as being attached to either the A. varium or the Fontalis sp. The reason for this is unknown, and this tendency will be discussed with Dr. McFarland for elucidation in the next post. 

    Last of the organisms identified and discussed for this observation was a curious creature with a slow overall movement and lemon-shaped oval body. Its head, however, was perched on a long, flexible, and rapidly moving neck, a ring marking the base of the rounded anterior end. As its behavior was unusual, Dr. McFarland was consulted, and the organism was identified with the assistance of a text as Lacrymaria sp (Patterson, 1992). The constant motion of the head is a result of the creature's rapid feeding, which is necessary to maintain the rapid movement of the head. This cycle's beginning and end (if they exist) was not observed, and the creature made a slow, wide circle in the middle region of the aquarium, close to the Fontalis sp. 

(Pictures to be Uploaded at a later date)

Bibliography

 Patterson, DJ, Free-Living Freshwater Protazoa. 2nd Edition. ASM Press, 1992. 223 pages.

Pennak, Robert W., Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the United States. 3rd Edition. Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1989. 628 pages.