A Collotheca rotifer gags on a greenie

billporter1456 · Post by **billporter1456** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 1:38 pm

I was watching a Collotheca rotifer when it appeared to have a bit of trouble ingesting a green organism. It finally succeeded. I found it interesting that the rotifer appeared to alter its process of engulfing the organism after several failed attempts. On its successful attempt, it began contracting around the organism from a higher, closer to the corona, part of its body. I'm not saying that it learned from its failures, but it certainly showed an adaptive response to the situation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDwph-fNLO8

hoarybat · Post by **hoarybat** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 4:20 pm

Fantastic video. My apologies if you've described it elsewhere, but what's your setup for this?

billporter1456 · Post by **billporter1456** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 6:16 pm

hoarybat wrote:Fantastic video. My apologies if you've described it elsewhere, but what's your setup for this?

Many thanks for your compliment! I should have included something about equipment used in the description under the video. I just did that by putting this in the description:

Equipment: Nikon Labophot microscope with phase contrast objectives and condenser; homemade LED illumination, Amscope MU300 3mp USB camera

Jacek · Post by **Jacek** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 11:22 pm

Super !

hoarybat · Post by **hoarybat** » Sat Aug 23, 2014 9:48 pm

Thanks for the additional insight into your equipment Bill. It's wonderful to see such high quality stuff produced with equipment that I might someday be able to afford!

I'd like to reiterate my compliment on your commentary and video editing. I love photography, but think the process of video editing is only barely preferable to unanesthetized dentistry. I've been watching your YouTube channel with my biologist-in-training five year old daughter, and she loves your stuff.

billporter1456 · Post by **billporter1456** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:36 am

hoarybat wrote:Thanks for the additional insight into your equipment Bill. It's wonderful to see such high quality stuff produced with equipment that I might someday be able to afford!

I'd like to reiterate my compliment on your commentary and video editing. I love photography, but think the process of video editing is only barely preferable to unanesthetized dentistry. I've been watching your YouTube channel with my biologist-in-training five year old daughter, and she loves your stuff.

If you don't get phase contrast equipment, just sticking with brightfield and darkfield, you can get by for around $500. And that includes a $120 camera. I recall that your daughter liked the "Stentor Gets Stuck" video, but liked the escape of the bdelloid rotifer even more. As for the video editing, it can certainly get tedious, but it's a big part of the hobby for me. Thanks for your comments!

billporter1456 · Post by **billporter1456** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 6:26 am

Jacek wrote:Super !

Thanks, Jacek! Glad you liked it.

zzffnn · Post by **zzffnn** » Sun Oct 05, 2014 2:32 pm

Very nice video, thanks Bill. Both my 4 yo and myself like your YouTube videos a lot!

Please kindly advise a fellow junior Labophot 2 owner. How did you achieve darkfield with a budget of under $380 excluding camera?

I guess that Nikon turret phase condenser (~$300 eBay) is needed, unless DIY? For darkfield at 20x-40x, is a specialized darkfield /phase objective needed?

Also, why did you use LED illumination. Is it to reduce heat and increase light intensity for phase contrast (is stock 30w halogen not good enough at 40x)? Or is it for:
"episcopic lighting with Ikea LEDs diffused with half table tennis ball"?

Thanks again!

billporter1456 · Post by **billporter1456** » Sun Oct 05, 2014 5:37 pm

zzffnn wrote:Very nice video, thanks Bill. Both my 4 yo and myself like your YouTube videos a lot!

Please kindly advise a fellow junior Labophot 2 owner. How did you achieve darkfield with a budget of under $380 excluding camera?

I guess that Nikon turret phase condenser (~$300 eBay) is needed, unless DIY? For darkfield at 20x-40x, is a specialized darkfield /phase objective needed?

Also, why did you use LED illumination. Is it to reduce heat and increase light intensity for phase contrast (is stock 30w halogen not good enough at 40x)? Or is it for:
"episcopic lighting with Ikea LEDs diffused with half table tennis ball"?

Thanks again!

Hi zzffnn,

That $500 figure was based on an Omax scope I bought that had a dry darkfield condenser (about $320) and an Amscope 3 MP camera ($120). I later bought a couple of "junk" Labophots on eBay (one for $80 and one for $300) that combined to form a decent stand. The Nikon phase contrast condenser was about $250 and I spent about $800 or so on objectives. You don't need specialized objectives for darkfield, but you do for phase contrast. I use LED lighting mostly because I just like the way the it looks. I don't like the yellowish view with the halogen lighting. It's also much cooler.

zzffnn · Post by **zzffnn** » Sun Oct 05, 2014 6:37 pm

Thanks Bill for your kind reply.

Is your OMAX scope useable with Darkfield at 400x? I considered OMAX before, along with Amscope T490 with Amscope darkfield condenser. I noticed that Amscope models with Kohler illumination costs almost ~$500, while I am not sure about their optical qulity.

However, I got a sweet Labophot 2 with off eBay for $550 (it has teaching heads (which can be used for afocal imaging), E Plan objective up to 40x, Kohler and everything checked out fine with a Nikon service tech). So I did not pursue OMAX or Amscope.

Per my Nikon service tech, you can use a blue lamp filter (~ eight USD) to reduce the yellow coloration of halogen lamp. I tried it and think that it does produce whiter image. But surely, LED is unbeatable at staying cool, which is important for observing pond life.

zzffnn · Post by **zzffnn** » Sun Oct 05, 2014 6:37 pm

Sorry double post.

zzffnn · Post by **zzffnn** » Sun Oct 05, 2014 6:37 pm

Sorry triple post.