u/_MiCosmos

Hi, I found this organism in a sealed saltwater jar ecosystem I made using materials from the coast of Ireland (Atlantic Ocean). It looks similar to (Bottle-brush worm Poecilochaetus serpens with regenerating tail from Roscanvel, Brittany) but: it has clearly visible “legs” along the sides it has small dots on antennas it was hiding near the wood and came out after 2 weeks The jar is fully sealed and contains seawater, sand, and a piece of driftwood. Any idea what this could be?

Second picture — I found it as an artwork, and it seems to show the one on the left. However, I haven’t been able to find its name, even in the book from which someone apparently took the image. (Page doesn’t appeared in the book after I downloaded it!) and my one has long legs…

I left sodium polyacrylate (the gel from a diaper) in the garden for a whole year.

What I found under the microscope is incredible: algae, spinning rotifers, wiggling nematodes, and these active little “mites”?

I can’t identify this particular mite species and it has a distinctive “star-like” structure at the end of its mouthparts and is constantly on the move. Any ideas what it is?

Watch how the particles slowly settle and the water begins to clarify nature finding its balance. And this is still not the end of the process before it becomes fully stable.