Week 4

After four weeks into the project I have started to notice that there are thousands of diatoms all over the aquarium. Before, i would notice these organisms, but they weren't as abundant. Now it obvious that the life in the aquarium has grown tremendously, Diatoms are a major food resource in the aquarium and as life in the aquarium increases the diatoms have increased as well (Diatoms: Life History and Ecology). The cilliate colonies have increased in numbers dramatically along with Euplotes and Difflusia (above). I have identified many gastroch which I had earlier confused with cilliates because of the cillia they possess. With longer bodies, they glide through the water more than zip along like other quick moving cilliates. There are many strobilidium which are small cilliates with visible cillia only near the adoral zone of the membranelles (Patterson, 160). On the floor there is not as much life as there once was around the week 2 period. It may be because I cannot see anything for all the algae that has accumulated. Freefloating near the surface, Phascolodon are moving from plant to plant, organisms i have not come in contact with yet. Their well developed microtubular rods allow them to digest large particles. It was clearly visible that they were feeding.

"Diatoms:Life History and Ecology." University of California Museum of Paleontology. 14 Sep. 1997. 15 Nov 2008 .

Patterson, D. J.. Free Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide. London: Manson Publishing Ltd., 1992.

Monday

This week I have seen more interesting organisms than in weeks before. For instance, the Peranema to the right ingests food with the use of two ingestion rods(Patterson 210). There is clear visible movement of the flagella. The flagella mostly stays straight with the end twirling in search of food. It was also common to see more than one organism at any point. Between cilliates, amoebas, different flagellates, rotifers and many other organisms, I am suprised not to see any organisms feeding on other organisms. If I ever see it happening I'll be sure to get a picture of it. The amoeba above is one of the many that I saw. They have very colorful organelles which are free floating inside the amoeba. With very slow movement they stretch out their pseudopods and dragging itself along the aquarium wall. A final video I have shows a Rotifer in feeding. The feeding structure called the corona is outlined with ciliated tufts which create a current that brings food into the mouth ("Rotifers"). As you can see in the video, these rotifers can be startled as I tapped my pencil on the aquarium, very interresting.

Patterson, D.J.. Free Living Freshwater Protozoa: A Colour Guide. London: Manson Publishing Ltd., 1992.

Egmond, Wim. "Rotifers." microscopy-uk.org.uk. 1995. 10 Nov 2008 .