Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management Organisms of my Vernal pool.

Hello.

Hydra with Ostracods.




Fingernail clam (Sphaerium).




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Hello.

Mr Cody are Vorticella who parasitizing snails.



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Hello.

Volvox algae colonies.






I don't have a microscope, the photos are taken with a magnifying glass.
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The protozoans on the snails are not Vorticella. However there are other similar stalked protozoans that will look like Vortecella. Examples are Opercularia, Epistylis, Carchesium, and Campanella. The stalked protozoans on the snails I don't think are parasites. I think they are termed - commensalism or commensal organisms - a relationship between two species in which one species obtains food or other benefit from the other without causing harm or benefit to the latter. Snails are just forming a subsrtate or surface for attachment for the protozoans.

I question if the green spheres in above pics are Volvox. I cannot see the colonies with good clarity and resolution. There are several other genera of green algae that form spheres with individual cells composing the colony matrix. Sharper images would help with identification.

Have you ever found fingernail clams in stomachs of perch? I have seen snails in YP stomachs.

Hello.

Thank you Mr Cody.

No I don't have Fingernail clam in the pond.
I was wondering if it would be good to put some.

Although the water is very cold 4c, there're a lot of Daphnia, but I see they are starting to make a lot of Ephippia.


I culture Bursaria truncatella with Paramecies and volvox.
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Beautiful Daphnia. Those are uncommon large individuals. Are they Daphnia magna?

Hello.

Yes they are big , they are Pulex.

There is a basin in the wood where there is a very heavy accumulation of Maple leaves.

As you can see in the pictures the water is very very dark very red and it's full of Daphnia, the water is so dark that even during the day you can't see the Daphnia, to see them I have to use the spot.


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Azteca - Are you positive they are D.pulex??. With your photo method they look too big to be D.pulex. Often D.magna develops in woodland pools without fish. D. pulex will survive in ponds with fish but D. magna does not survive in fish ponds because fish eat every last onD magna because they are about 2X bigger than D.pulex. You could collect a few, preserve them in iodine based skin cleanser from a pharmacy and send the daphnia to me. I would verify the specie. Although knowing the specie does not do you a lot of benefit. Your main benefit is having a source for lots of them what ever you name them.

Another way to separate D.pulex from D. magna is to carefully measure them. D. pulex will be around 1.2-2.0mm and D. magna will be 4mm-5mm(to 0.5cm) and more than 2X the size of D.pulex. .

Hello.

I put the 4x option on my Cell to take the picture of volvox, I thing I did not remove it to take the picture of Daphnia.

Send these Daphnia to the U.S.A, I don't think if it will pass.
Thank for the offer.

But I have a doubt, I will send them to the University of Montréal.
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Helo.

Bursaria truncatella.

A giant ciliate predatory of Paramecia.



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Hello.

Despite millions of Ephippia on the surface of the water for a few days before sinking to the bottom, they say only 5to15% will hatch.

Are there any members who have ever hatched ephippia.
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Hello.

Each Ephippia contains 2 female eggs, even at 15% it doesn't take many that hatch to replenish the population.

This morning I found green Stentors in large quantities on the leaves in the water.
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Hello.

With my 40x magnifying glass, I managed to take these pictures.

You can compare the size of the stentors next to the leaf veins.




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Hello.

Azteca





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Azteca - Can you get the the Gammarus to live and reproduce in the perch pond?

Hello.

I have already tried but they are quickly eaten.
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