Growth of a Kingdom

This week Beta Food Pellets were added to the MicroAquariums.  "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%. (McFarland).  This addition instigated quite a bit of growth within the aquatic empire.  My initial observation of the MicroAquarium was the noticeable decrease in water level.  This could be a result of evaporation or absorption by the pellets.  The next change I noted in the state of the aquarium was the growth of a green algae or fungal growth composed of moving filaments.  It seems like life within the empire has grown exponentially.  I observed a significant increase in the number of protozoa.   

 

This protozoa is called Actinophaerium (Patterson 169).  I observed at least two of them in my aquarium.  

This is a sampling of the other types of protozoa I found swimming around the empire.  This one here, a species of Paramecium (Patterson 153), is swimming amongst the filaments of the new algae growth.

I also found a very matured cyclops (Covich and Thorp 789) darting around in the algae.  It reminds me of a shrimp-like creature.  The two nodes attached to the bottom of the cyclops are pouches containing developing larvae.  After desperately trying to track this little guy down, I managed to capture this picture.

I also managed to find and identify the subsequent form of this larvae called nauplii (Covich and Thorp 789).  I am certain that there are more than one of these guys in the aquarium, but they are so fast I only saw/took a picture of this one. 

I found Randall once again, but she was not difficult to spot at all.  She has grown so big!  Hanging out in the algae again, I don't think she ever stops eating.  This is just a head shot, but it appears hat she has grown in length by at least 25%. 

In addition to these new creatures, I observed a noticeable growth in number of nematodes within the aquarium.

References for Identification:

Covich, Allan and James Thorp.  Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates. San Diego: Academic Press, 1991. 789.

Patterson, D.J. Free Living Freshwater Protozoa.  Washington, D.C.: Manson Publishing Ltd., 1996. 153, 169.