Normally many of the non-FA algae comprising the films/scums are thriving and not dead or dormant. His algae was not really dormant but it was stressed and most of it had lost its flagella (swimming hairs). I did not have him preserve the sample due to close proximity to me. Some of the stress could have been from collection and sample being in the dark for a couple days. Some algae types that are scum formers do not have flagella and thrive on the surface.
