Bye Cyanobacteria!

[sixty_reefer]

I found this video on journey to the microcosmos on YouTube.



1:08

And the ones I’ve been seeing in my tank

I’ve also noticed that not all amoebas have the same feeding strategy. Vampyrellids are a good example, as some don’t simply engulf their prey but instead pierce the cells and extract their contents.

 

[Lasse]

I must say that its not total impossible that sixty reefer is right in one claim - something is eating his cyanobacteria - the question I see - what?

I think that both me and many others may have fallen in the rabbit hole of only chemical parameters and/or competition plays a role - like the old discussion of micro algae growth only was a result of the availability of nutrients and/or lack of competition instead of the lack of grazing pressure.

If we add grazing to the picture around the cyanobacteria problem we may have some understanding why it can suddenly disappear without any known reason.

It happens in my own aquaria - after years of patches of a dark read cyanobacteria mats - they suddenly disappear except for some isolated parts just below the water surface. I´m sure - there is still this type of cyanobacteria in the aquarium - but they do not form mats.

I still do not think that lack of grazing is the reason why the formation of the mats start This is due to the availability of cyanobacteria as food determining the size of the grazers' biomass and the doubling time of biomass (up to a certain size) may be shorter for cyanobacteria compared to possible grazers. (production is greater than consumption) - but it could be a a possible explanation why they suddenly - without any obvious reason - disappear.

This may explain that disturbing the mats can be effective because it removes a lot of the energy for the mat-forming cyanobacteria. The jelly-like substances that form the mat itself are most likely external storage of sugar from photosynthesis - the production of slows down due to lack of energy while consumption increases or remains at the same level. Note that I am not saying that it is this way - just that it may be a possible explanatory model.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[sixty_reefer]

I’d just like to add that Cyanobacteria may not be the only thing they’re eating. In this sample, they also appear to contain the single celled algae that grows on the glass in my aquarium.

 

[Lasse]

And the ones I’ve been seeing in my tank

IMO - this two pictures is not even in the same universum. The last one seems to have a mouth and the extension could be cilia.

And the pictures you have take clearly shows that the organism has a mouth

If you can take a video how your organism move - when it could be easier to determinate what it is.

I’ve also noticed that not all amoebas have the same feeding strategy. Vampyrellids are a good example, as some don’t simply engulf their prey but instead pierce the cells and extract their contents.

You do not give up! Where in your pictures can you show this behaviour from the organisms in your aquarium?


Sincerely Lasse

 

[sixty_reefer]

IMO - this two pictures is not even in the same universum. The last one seems to have a mouth and the extension could be cilia.

And the pictures you have take clearly shows that the organism has a mouth

If you can take a video how your organism move - when it could be easier to determinate what it is.



You do not give up! Where in your pictures can you show this behaviour from the organisms in your aquarium?


Sincerely Lasse

I agree it does looks like to have a mouth.

Amoeba = shape shifting

But if not enough this video of it moving should help