Adding Plants to Aquariums
Elodea(Cabomba)
Duck Weed
Algae
Setting up the Aquarium
• Add the elodea, duckweed, and algae. Carefully measure out
the amount of each organism as instructed below, since too
much duckweed and algae may choke out the animal life in
your aquarium.
• 1-2 Sprigs of Elodea – Place the elodea on a wet paper towel.
1. Measure the plant and record its size.
2. Place the plant in the aquarium.
3. Plant it in the gravel or let it float freely.
• 10-15 Duckweed Plants
1. Use your spoon to scoop up the tiny plants and put them onto your wet paper
towel.
2. Put the plants in the aquarium.
3. Count the plants and record the number.
• 3 Droppers full of Algae
1. Use your dropper and place 3 droppers full of algae into your cup.
2. Can you see the algae in the jars? Record what you see on your record sheet
or in your notebook.
3. Put the algae into your aquarium. Record what you see.
Then draw and label a picture of how your aquarium looks today.
Adding Animals to Aquariums
Fish
Snails
Adding Animals to the Aquarium
1. Dip an inch or two of water from the holding tank into
your clear plastic cup.
2. Use a spoon to scoop two snails out of the holding tank
into your cup.
3. Catch two mosquito fish in the net. Turn the net inside
out and touch it to the water in order to put the fish into
your cup.
4. At your work area, use your hand lens to observe the
animals in the cup. Notice their size, shape, and color.
5. With your dropper, move some of the water from your
own aquarium to the cup. Work slowly and carefully,
adding the water a little at time until the cup is about half
full. This will help your creatures get used to the water
in your aquarium before your put them into it.
6. Now pour the animals gently into your aquarium.
7. Use your hand lens again to observe your animals.
Record your observations.
Adding Creatures to
Aquariums
Isopods
Crickets
Adding Isopods
1. Use a spoon to scoop two isopods into your
clear plastic cup.
2. Return to your seat and observe your isopods
closely with the hand lens. Record your
observations. Include information on size,
color, movement, and body parts. Illustrate
and label your observations.
3. Place your isopods gently in the terrarium and
cover the top of the Terrarium.
4. Watch what they do for two or three minutes.
Record your observations.
Adding Crickets to the Terrarium
1. Capture two crickets. Be sure to be very gentle.
2. When you get one, cover the top of the cup with
an index card and return to your seat to observe
the cricket with the hand lens. Record your
observations. Include information on size,
color, movement, and body parts. Illustrate and
label your observations.
3. Gently place your crickets in the terrarium and
watch what they do for two or three minutes.
Record your observations.
4. Cover the terrarium with this lid to keep the
crickets from hopping out.