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April, Fools!
This semester is turning out to be Tiny Animal-themed. Next week's lab involves studying salt regulation in crayfish. When I went to order them from a biological supply company, they were out of stock for the bigger crayfish. Maybe this is for the better? We need to take blood samples from these guys, though, so that might get really tough. In any case, I went ahead and ordered the little guys.
Regardless of the science, crayfish are so much fun to have around and play with. They're also a lot of extra work to maintain. I set up 4, 10-gallon aquaria and two, 10-gallon sweater boxes for them:
I failed to install any dividers in the sweater boxes, so I hope these guys are small enough with enough hiding places that they won't totally destroy each other.
I need to buy more of those filters that hang on the back of the 10-gallon tanks. Thank goodness I bought underwater pumps last spring.
The lab involves acclimating the crayfish to different salinities. This year I had the presence of mind to take a photo of what that looks like:
PS, two of the baby horsies are still happy. Tragically, I think Chip got prematurely euthanized because people freaked out because they didn't realize that he came with his Chip. Way too many cooks in the aquarium room this spring. I was not present when the decision was irrevocably made.
The main tank still contains a miscellaneous starfish and tiny blue crab, plus a bunch of sea urchins that I think are growing increasingly ravenous. If you look really closely you might be able to spot the crab.
Little crayfish dudes:
And now time for another stupid nonstop Friday. I do not approve of my Friday schedule this semester and I hope I never have another Friday like this one. Research meetings, teaching, office hours, brief gasp of useless time, more teaching, administrative meetings, whee.
This semester is turning out to be Tiny Animal-themed. Next week's lab involves studying salt regulation in crayfish. When I went to order them from a biological supply company, they were out of stock for the bigger crayfish. Maybe this is for the better? We need to take blood samples from these guys, though, so that might get really tough. In any case, I went ahead and ordered the little guys.
Regardless of the science, crayfish are so much fun to have around and play with. They're also a lot of extra work to maintain. I set up 4, 10-gallon aquaria and two, 10-gallon sweater boxes for them:
I failed to install any dividers in the sweater boxes, so I hope these guys are small enough with enough hiding places that they won't totally destroy each other.
I need to buy more of those filters that hang on the back of the 10-gallon tanks. Thank goodness I bought underwater pumps last spring.
The lab involves acclimating the crayfish to different salinities. This year I had the presence of mind to take a photo of what that looks like:
PS, two of the baby horsies are still happy. Tragically, I think Chip got prematurely euthanized because people freaked out because they didn't realize that he came with his Chip. Way too many cooks in the aquarium room this spring. I was not present when the decision was irrevocably made.
The main tank still contains a miscellaneous starfish and tiny blue crab, plus a bunch of sea urchins that I think are growing increasingly ravenous. If you look really closely you might be able to spot the crab.
Little crayfish dudes:
And now time for another stupid nonstop Friday. I do not approve of my Friday schedule this semester and I hope I never have another Friday like this one. Research meetings, teaching, office hours, brief gasp of useless time, more teaching, administrative meetings, whee.
