Paramecia doing paramecium stuff

[Radazz]

My first really successful paramecium culture.
Lots of conjugation going on and clear views of food funneling down the gullet forming food vacuoles, and the contractile vacuole getting rid of excess water.

Enjoy, Radazz

[Hobbyst46]

Very informative video. What is the volume of the culture ? is it kept indoors or outdoors ?

[75RR]

Nice work

[Radazz]

Very informative video. What is the volume of the culture ? is it kept indoors or outdoors ?

I have a little one gallon tank with a beta living in it. I put a flat rock where any food that goes to the bottom ends up there.
I noticed a few paramecium in that debris, so I sucked up all I could with a pipett and shot it into a beaker ( 100 mm ) and added distilled water. Then I threw in a bunch of beta food to simulate over feeding.
Now there are bacteria everywhere and loads of paramecium as well as stylonchia paranema amoeba and other Bacteria hunters.
So far no didinium.
I’ll keep putting the excess food into the mix.
Watching to see what develops.
Radazz

[Hobbyst46]

Very informative video. What is the volume of the culture ? is it kept indoors or outdoors ?

I have a little one gallon tank with a beta living in it. I put a flat rock where any food that goes to the bottom ends up there.
I noticed a few paramecium in that debris, so I sucked up all I could with a pipett and shot it into a beaker ( 100 mm ) and added distilled water. Then I threw in a bunch of beta food to simulate over feeding.
Now there are bacteria everywhere and loads of paramecium as well as stylonchia paranema amoeba and other Bacteria hunters.
So far no didinium.
I’ll keep putting the excess food into the mix.
Watching to see what develops.
Radazz

Thanks a lot. Those Paramecia and other protozoa must be hardy, they survived the mighty Beta ...

[MicroBob]

Hi Radazz,
very nice video, thank you for posting!

I was told that, for whatever reason, Volvic mineral water is especially good for paramecium cultures.
For other purposes I wouldn't recommend water that has travelled that far (Volvic to Bob: 1400km) and is marketed by a big food company when alternatives are available. But this might be the single exception.

Bob

[Radazz]

I suspect the stock came in with the plants. They were in there for several weeks before the fish.
I will try a control of distilled water and fish food to see if the food contains them, I doubt it but I must remain objective.