Tiny black bugs????

[Eric P]

I found some really tiny black looking bug like things moving around on some coraline in my tank. They are wwwaaaayyyyy too small fo me to get a pic. About the size of the point of a needle, maybe .002"-.005". I am going to try to catch some to check them out under the microscope. Any idea's are appreciated.

Eric...

[tims]

got me on that one, there are soooo many type's of pods and such.. maybe tom or spanky willpoke there head in

[Eric P]

Thanks Tim. I have never seen them before, I don't know why I noticed them tonight. These are by far the smallest living things I have ever seen. I put a small pvc fitting near them I will see if I can get some and have a closer look. I have an older 50X-1200X microscope although trying to focus on anything past about 200X is nearly imposible.

Eric...

[tims]

can you do a cover slip ? and do you have an oil emersion lens? that would help at the high mags. big time..

[Eric P]

Tim, I am no pro, can you explain in laymens terms. I have some glass slides and I dont think the lenses are oil filled.

Thanks, Eric...

[tims]

Sorry Eric,

basically, since they are so small a cover slip would help keep them in place.

meaning ..

1. take a small drop of water and bugs and place in center of slide, place a cover slip( usally a small square glass( very very thin)) it will suck it self down flat and should have no air bubbles under it.

2. now you should be able to see and or focus better now.

an oil emerson lens is a lense made with a special seal so the lense itself can be in a drop of oil that you would put on top of the cover slip. this will allow the higher mags. to focus better. usally the oil lenses have a red marked or lettering around. man i wish you were closer, i would take them/some in to work and take a look and maybe get some cool pics!

hope you can see them. i did try and due a search on the net but did not come across anything at all. i hope some of the others may know!

[Eric P]

No luck with catching any as of yet. These things are so small and seem to be isolated to one really smooth piece of coraline. I have not seen them anywhere else in the tank.

Tim, thanks ok I get your drift. I will have to get the thin glass covers. I only have some 1mm thick slides. Not sure about the lenses yet.

Eric...

[Eric P]

Tim, thanks a ton for the help. No luck catching the bugs but I was able to focus in on a small drop of tank water @ 400X. WOW!!! There is some freaky looking stuff living in there!!! When there are things swimming in a drop of water that is smaller in diameter than a pencil like they were in an olympic size pool....well lets just say it's way cool......

Eric...

[tims]