4

Today, when looking through the 4x objective, I could already see the little rotifers swimming around. they are easily visible because of the whip like flagella. One rotifer in particular seems to be stuck on or attracted to a long strand of grass. I say this because he is only moving along it. U gave also spotted a circular organism that has many long spike looking extensions surrounding its body. This is known as an Actinosphaerium. (Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa, D.J. Patterson). They engulf and digest rotifers. (Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa, D.J. Patterson). Next, I looked at the bottom portion of the aquarium where the dirt is settled. In this area, I found more Actinosphaeriums and cyclops. I spotted two cyclops, one larger than the other which must be a juvenile cyclops. They had identical features and before I knew it, they had swam away. Before I was finished, I spotted a long snake like obkect. This is a spirogyra, part of the Filamentous category of green algae. (Freshwater Algae, Canter, Hilda and Lund, John). 

#3

Upon looking at the microaquarium today I noticed a large circular object which moved very quickly. It stayed along what appeared to be part of the plant. The organism seemed to be attaching itself to the plant while gradually working its way down the plant. The organism I have found is a cyclops. (Alan P. Covich, James H. Thorp. "Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates. 10/26/2010.) The cyclops has a diet which includes algae, so I am assuming it must be eating the algae that has formed along the plant. (Alan P. Covich, James H. Thorp. "Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates. 10/26/2010.) I can clearly see the antenna at the top of the organisms body. Along with the cyclops, I observed many rotifers swimming around the plants. Also, we added one beta food pellet to the 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%.)

Day 1 Observations

I put my microaquarium together by sucking and pouring the soil and water into the created aquarium. I used water source number 1, which came from the Tommy Schumpert Pond located at the Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge. I then added plant A (Fontinalis sp. Moss. Collection from: Natural Spring. at Carters Mill Park, Carter Mill Road, Knox Co. TN. Partial shade exposure) and B (Utricularia gibba L. Flowering plant. A carnivous plant. Original material from south shore of Spain Lake (N 35o55 12.35" W088o20' 47.00), Camp Bella Air Rd. East of Sparta Tn. in White Co. and grown in water tanks outside of greenhouse at Hesler Biology Building. The University of Tennessee. Knox Co. Knoxville TN. ), to the microaquarium. (http://botany1112010.blogspot.com/)After stuffing the plants in, I place the aquarium under the microscope. I saw the plants along with little circles or rotifers swimming around the leaves through the water. The rotifers swam very quickly and abruptly. I also saw something that had many large tentacles. It would also move quickly and abruptly and in order to get a good view of them, you must watch it for a while and occasionally adjust the focus of the microscope. I will soon find out exactly what the organism consisting of the numerous tentacles is.