Week 4

Observations
My MicroAquarium has experienced significant changes since a week ago. As I have observed every Friday, this Friday (Nov. 5) there was some INTENSE plant growth. The lower portion of my aquarium appears to be encompassed by intricate netting. The thatched appearance covers the soil and the base of the plants. I immediately spotted two distinct seed shrimps, the organism with significant population last week, along with two annelids actively swimming in the open areas of the aquarium. I unfortunately spotted one inactive annelid stretched out along the soil. Everything near the dead worm seemed stagnant.

I observed eight to ten seed shrimps on the broad leafed plant (Plant B). The seed shrimps were active, frantically dissecting the plant. I also noticed that the whole aquarium has experienced a drastic increase in tiny creatures. These creatures are clear and move around freely--not in clusters bunched together. They swim in random patterns around the aquarium. I noted at least 20 of these organisms at the base of Plant B.

An exciting observation concerned a brief view of a single cyclops. The creature was near the soil and had two pairs of antennae at the head of its body. The cylcops can swim at a slow pace with the aid of the antennae, or slightly faster with "jerks" if they utilize their other appendages and the thorax (www.microscopy-uk.org.uk).

I also observed an interaction between one of the annelids and a seed shrimp. They didn't visibly dislike one another, but the seed shrimp was occupied breaking down the soil, so it may have been oblivious to the annelid's presence. And when the nondescript tiny organisms would unintentionally come near the larger organisms, it would immediately jerk away, as if sensing danger.

The thin leafed plant once again had sparse life, with a rare seed shrimp here and there. However, I did observe a very peculiar occurrence. There seemed to be a huge bubble structure resting in Plant A. Within the bubble there was a live annelid resting along the curved wall of the bubble. I spotted a total of four bubble structures, along with one more buried in the soil. But no other ones housed a visible living creature inside.

The strange observations of my MicroAquarium will be blamed on the Beta Pellet that was inserted recently. The pellet may have reacted oddly with the pond's organisms to produce the web of plant life along the bottom, and may have also caused the death of the large annelid. Next week's observations will definitely be interesting.