Dino ID

[ZaphodBB]

Afternoon,

Looking for a second opinion on Dino ID.

Using the identification guide here https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellate-identification-guide.671466/

Before looking through a microscope I thought it may be Amphidinium as it's pretty much localized to the sandbed. After looking at it through a microscope *think* it's actually Prorocentrum. They are motionless, and don't have the "beak" Amphidinium do. Since they don't migrate into the water column nightly, I'm doubting it 's Ostropsis, but let me know if folks think differently.

Dino's appeared after installing a macro algae reactor that worked *too* well and bottomed out nutrients. I'm now feeding heavily and dosing ammonia (dr Tims) and finally got nitrate back to readable levels on the test kit (~5ppm now). I'm also not cleaning and not doing water changes.

UV filter's a bit out of my budget at the moment but if I had Ostropsis I'd make it work. What about dosing silicates? I've read forcing a diatom bloom can help beat dinos back.

 

[Dan_P]

Afternoon,

Looking for a second opinion on Dino ID.

Using the identification guide here https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellate-identification-guide.671466/

Before looking through a microscope I thought it may be Amphidinium as it's pretty much localized to the sandbed. After looking at it through a microscope *think* it's actually Prorocentrum. They are motionless, and don't have the "beak" Amphidinium do. Since they don't migrate into the water column nightly, I'm doubting it 's Ostropsis, but let me know if folks think differently.

Dino's appeared after installing a macro algae reactor that worked *too* well and bottomed out nutrients. I'm now feeding heavily and dosing ammonia (dr Tims) and finally got nitrate back to readable levels on the test kit (~5ppm now). I'm also not cleaning and not doing water changes.

UV filter's a bit out of my budget at the moment but if I had Ostropsis I'd make it work. What about dosing silicates? I've read forcing a diatom bloom can help beat dinos back.

The cells look like they have been damaged by drying. How did you prepare the specimen for viewing?

 

[ZaphodBB]

The cells look like they have been damaged by drying. How did you prepare the specimen for viewing?

A simple smear of some slime on a slide.

Photo was taken 5 minutes after putting it on the glass slide. Do you think that's a short enough time for it to dry? It was still wet when I took the photo.

 

[Dan_P]

This sort of sample preparation can distort these organisms. I have studied miixd algae growth on microscope slides and I am familiar with how slides look when going “dry” during a brief examination of a slide pulled from the water. The photo’s you posted had that appearance.

 

[ZaphodBB]

This sort of sample preparation can distort these organisms. I have studied miixd algae growth on microscope slides and I am familiar with how slides look when going “dry” during a brief examination of a slide pulled from the water. The photo’s you posted had that appearance.

Ah, thanks for the insight. That may have happened.

I'll get coverslips and prepare a proper wet mount slide and see if the organisms are less distorted.

I appreciate the insight!

 

[Dan_P]

Ah, thanks for the insight. That may have happened.

I'll get coverslips and prepare a proper wet mount slide and see if the organisms are less distorted.

I appreciate the insight!

Tag me when you post the new photos.

By the way Zaphod Beeblebrox is a favorite. The books after the Hitchhikers Guide were also entertaining and weird.

 

[ZaphodBB]

Tag me when you post the new photos.

By the way Zaphod Beeblebrox is a favorite. The books after the Hitchhikers Guide were also entertaining and weird.

@Dan_P

K, yes the first pictures were definitely damaged. With a proper wet slide prepared I can see them zooming around a bit and they look like Amphidinium to my untrained eye.

Any thoughts on ID? Pictures and a video attached.

& Yes, I love hitchhiker's guide and the "trilogy" of 5 books that follow.

 

[Dan_P]

@Dan_P

K, yes the first pictures were definitely damaged. With a proper wet slide prepared I can see them zooming around a bit and they look like Amphidinium to my untrained eye.

Any thoughts on ID? Pictures and a video attached.

& Yes, I love hitchhiker's guide and the "trilogy" of 5 books that follow.

The cells look like Amphidinium. The filaments look like cyanobacteria

 

[ZaphodBB]

The cells look like Amphidinium. The filaments look like cyanobacteria

Thanks very much!

 

[Jamie9]

Sorry to resurrect this post, but I was wondering if you are using any kind of stain when you prep the slide, or is that just a natural wet slide? Thinking of getting a cheap microscope and dusting off my high school chemistry skills.

 

[EnterName]

Sorry to resurrect this post, but I was wondering if you are using any kind of stain when you prep the slide, or is that just a natural wet slide? Thinking of getting a cheap microscope and dusting off my high school chemistry skills.

No stain needed. I think it's just very blue LED light or the white-balance for the posted images was off. You can see dinoflagellates, cilliates, algae, etc. just fine without any stain :)
You can look at post #5 in the linked thread they were made without stain. (The 3rd image is taken from the web though and appears to be phase contrast something you wouldn't get with a cheap microscope). My images are taken with DIC which is even worse, but still good to compare shapes, etc. :)