Water Mite

[Olympusman]

I've trying to get one of this species for a couple of years.



20x objective two sets of Zerene stacks stitched in Microsoft ICE.
Usually, even with Glutaraldehyde these mites walk around very rapidly, making it difficult to get a good stack. This one was quite slow and occassionally took a rest break. I followed it around for about an hour and a half trying to get good stacks before it moved.
For those of you in pursuit of water mites, the trick is to photograph them before they contract their legs in death. This means that whatever you are using to slow them down, it must work very slowly. A drop of vodka to a drop of pond water will work, but it takes a long time.

Mike

[vasselle]

Bonjour.
Very nice.
Et très beau travail vue la difficulté de la photo.
Cordialement seb

[Jacek]

Very nice

[Olympusman]

Merci boucoup.
Oui, tres difficile.

Mike

[carlos.uruguay]

[zzffnn]

Mike,

Very nice photo!

I have never used chemicals on water mites before, but here is what is likely to happen based on pharmacology and chemistry:

Glutaraldehyde has a high chance of killing subjects, unless you use very low dose (which will work very slowly). It also does not really paralyze subject (it kills slowly). Its chemical property also indicates that it may shrink/destroy fine surface details of living organisms.

Lidocaine (throat spray, Benzocaine chemical teething gel or other -caine) may work the best. Toxicity is relatively low (much lower than glutaraldehyde), paralyzing rate is high and effect is fast. Similar kind of meds are used for labor and delivery (baby birth) to numb pain. Your water mite may actually recovers after taking a long "nap". Shrinking of biological sturcture won't happen with lidocaine. Graham Matthews of this forum prefers to use lidocaine.

Alcohol may be the slowest, unless you use high dose (but too high a dose may kill rather than paralyzing mites).