Observations for 10/29/14

Prior to my observations...

Beta Food Pellet added to each Microaquarium

On Friday October 24, 2014 "ONE" Beta Food Pellet was inserted into each 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 my observations on 10/29/14, I noticed the aquarium appeared to have some decomposing matter within it. The water appeared less clear than on the initial day of observations when it was assembled. The activity and amount of living organisms appeared to have decreased as well. With assistance, I was able to identify a Euchlanis Rotifer (Pennak, 1989). These rotifers have cilia at the front of their bodies that looks similar to a moving wheel when they are moving. This species also has a clear body with two flagella behind them to help them propel through the water. The usually eat bacteria, debris, and small protozoans (M.E. 2014).
Additionally, I also observed a Euplotes walking on the side of a section of plant material (Patterson 1996). This organism belongs to the phylum Ciliophora and has the ability to both walk and swim. It is covered with rows of cilia which help propel it though the water. This organism has two types of nuclei: a macronucleus and one or more micronuclei (Microscopyu, 2014).

Finally, I observed a Macrochaetus rotifer as seen in the picture above (Pennak, 1989). Like other rotifers, this one also uses cilia to propel itself through the water.