Week 2

Another week has passed since I created my MicroAquarium. I saw some of the same types of organisms I observed in week 1, as well as some new discoveries. I noticed some changes to this little environment as a whole. Finally I added a food pellet before ending my observations.

I observed more of the small, dark, and round organisms I wrote about last week, as well as the tear-shaped organism.

Overall, there seemed to be less activity in the open water area. Many of the organisms seen moving around this open space in week 1, seem to have moved to the base of my aquarium. The "linear shaped creature, green in color" I observed in week 1, had moved below the sediment of my aquarium, and lined the bottom. I have done some research on this organism, and it turns out to be a type of algae. Therefore the green pigment I saw is evidence of chloroplasts, and photosynthetic behavior. I believe this particular type of organism is a "Desmid."

Soon after I found these Desmids, a much larger, faster organism passed under the microscope lens. It seemed to be a multi-cellular organism. I followed it around and watched it dive into the sediment of my aquarium. This was the largest organism observed thus far. Dr. McFarland helped me to identify this creature and said that it is called a "Cyclops."

Attached to Plant B were some pods or sacks with beautiful cell structures. Some appeared light green in color, and others appeared deep violet in color. Inside of them were very small, moving organisms. I learned that these were parts of this carnivorous plant, and that they actually trapped the organisms I observed, in order to take their nitrogen and provide it for the plant.

I observed couple clear organisms varying a little bit in shape. The first was lemon-shaped and had a tail-like physical trait. This may be a flagella. The second example was more free-formed in shape. It was longer than it was wide, and appeared to suck things up and spit them back out.

Finally, I caught a moving, green organism. It was moving fairly quickly and gracefully through my aquarium, in a spiraling motion. I have not been able to identify this organism yet, so for now it will remain my mystery organism.