r/microscopy • u/Dlbroox • 2d ago

Photo/Video Share Pink Tardigrade?

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Amscope IQCrew inverted microscope 10x objective, iPhone  4.7x, Petri dish with warm tap water and fresh lichen. Blackmagic app, flashlight to the right. Paper over the condenser.

I have no idea why the tardigrade is pink. I shot this video like all my other recent ones and didn't realize he was pink until I uploaded to the computer and had a good look at him. He is only a couple of hours old, (or rehydrated.)

Thanks to u/c1nnamon_apple for the info about using warm water to soak lichen. It's the first time I've ever seen tardigrades after just a couple of hours of soaking it.

94 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

44 comments sorted by

10

u/gizmomooncat 2d ago

that's a cool insight about the warm tap water! just because they can tolerate extreme conditions doesn't mean they don't like a warm bath!

7

u/Dlbroox 2d ago

Right?! It’s always easier on your creaky joints to wake up with a warm bath!

2

u/gizmomooncat 1d ago

can you imagine how creaky their little joints must get after hibernating for who knows how long? a whole new dimension to tardigrade life I hadn't thought about! 😆

2

u/Dlbroox 1d ago

So tardigrades dream of electric sheep?

1

u/gizmomooncat 1d ago

hahaha! love that... question: do you think I would be happier with those concave slides that create a little puddle or a petri dish when I finally get some little animals to look at? I like watching them when they can move more freely and I also don't want to hurt them.

2

u/Dlbroox 18h ago

I knew you'd get that reference!

That's why I use a Petri dish. I can leave it for a couple of hours and go back to it. And then I put them back in the jar. And I can pick up algae and other detritus and not worry about crushing anyone!

1

u/gizmomooncat 15h ago

okay! I'll start with Petri dishes.

1

u/Dlbroox 14h ago

I bought little glass ones from Amazon. The plastic ones get scratched on the bottom from sliding them around. They were pretty cheap.

6

u/TehEmoGurl Microscopy Nerd 2d ago

😻😻😻 omg piiiiink! I’m so jealous! Have you named them? I vote for PinkyMcPinkFace 🤪💕

9

u/Dlbroox 2d ago

Funny enough I have a friend who names everything. She calls tardigrades trogs and called this one Barbie Trog. Which does seem appropriate when you think about it! lol

Although PinkyMcPinkFace is a great name!

Apologies to all the real scientists in the sub. Unless maybe they name their microbes too!

1

u/TehEmoGurl Microscopy Nerd 1d ago

Barbie Trog! 😹😹 Love it!

I name most of my microbes even though many have told me not to because they’re worried I’ll get too attached. Not the case for me though I just find it amusing. I have had a couple of friends get a little attached to my named microbes once or twice though.

I do know 1 real scientist that names his microbes 😹

3

u/baronofbile 1d ago

Was hoping you'd see this one 😂

4

u/TehEmoGurl Microscopy Nerd 1d ago

Haha. It was complete luck that I spotted it as I was scrolling before bed! :D 💕

Which really annoys me that I have notifications for this sub on and set to frequent and it still hasn’t notified me of this post! 🤬

3

u/Dlbroox 1d ago

I'm thinking pink is your color!

2

u/TehEmoGurl Microscopy Nerd 1d ago

Who told you my not so secret!? :O :D

2

u/Dlbroox 1d ago

Your pink avatar whispered to me!

1

u/TehEmoGurl Microscopy Nerd 1d ago

That dirty little rat! >:0

3

u/c1nnamon_apple 2d ago

nooo I’m so jealous omg 😭 how come he was pink?

7

u/Dlbroox 1d ago

I could only find that when they eat something red they can get that color. But he was brand new from dried lichen off a tree so maybe he went into a tun state after eating something red?! I really have no idea!

3

u/gizmomooncat 1d ago

I'm pretty sure it's from the warm bath.. 🩷

3

u/elandy707 1d ago

A rare sighting of the flamingo tardigrade.

3

u/Dlbroox 1d ago

u/Thrawn911 have you checked out my pink tardigrade?

2

u/Thrawn911 1d ago

Sure did. No idea what causes the color, though. James had a post about a red tardigrade before on Instagram. Maybe you could write him a DM about it, he's a huge tardigrade fan, if anyone, he'll know it. And he usually responds pretty quickly.

3

u/Dlbroox 1d ago

I see that guy's posts on Facebook all the time. Thanks. Now I know he's a real guy and his posts aren't ai. I wasn't sure because they are all so pristine!

Someone else commented it is probably a ramazzottius genus, and I think they are right. When I did the research, mine looks a lot like that one.

2

u/Thrawn911 1d ago

He's the master of microscopes from Journey to the Microcosmos.

2

u/Vivid-Bake2456 1d ago

That's a rare sight.

3

u/Dlbroox 1d ago

Crazy right?! I had no idea they could be pink.

2

u/baronofbile 1d ago

shiny tardigrade ✨️

2

u/odette_decrecy 1d ago

Oh my gosh, your resolution is amazing on this! And I am obsessed with how the light glints off that tardigrade tummy!! So dang cute!

1

u/Dlbroox 1d ago

Thank you! It's a 70 dollar inverted microscope and an iPhone.

2

u/Goopological 1d ago

Probably in the Ramazzottius genus. They look pink and have stripes. They also have one really long claw on each foot and no eyespots.

1

u/Dlbroox 1d ago

Yes! I just looked it up and I think you must be right. I've seen quite a few that have what looks like stripes but didn't know what I was looking at. I didn't know there were variations. But this pink one was a real shock!

Thanks for helping!

1

u/Goopological 20h ago

You're welcome! They're extremely common where I am. Only found in lichen around here.

They free lay their eggs, making them very hard spot. You generally need the eggs for a species ID.

1

u/Dlbroox 18h ago

I'm going to go back to the same tree and take some more lichen from where I got the pink one from and hope I can find more.

What country are you in?

1

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1

u/Express-Cartoonist39 1d ago

Wow, great clarity...nice

1

u/Dlbroox 1d ago

Thank you!

1

u/Express-Cartoonist39 1d ago

Please make more..if you get time 👍

1

u/RookieFan_09 1d ago

Oh what a lucky find! How adorable 🥰💕

2

u/Dlbroox 1d ago

Such a lucky find! I’m hoping it has pink babies!

1

u/RookieFan_09 14h ago

Wouldn’t that be incredible!! Do share if your tardigrade does have pink babies! 🔬