I think this is in the right place, as its a piece of equipment

I bought a little microscope yesterday. Its a childs toy one, but it works! I thought it was worth the £3.99 to see if it does work

I was wondering. To see fish parasites, what magnification would I need? (obviously different depending on which parasite.. but in general say.. if I was trying to diagnose something) This thing has 100x, 200x, and 450x.. its really hard to focus on the 450x, but possible..
I've seen some wierd little things in a drop of water I had a look at.. that was at 200x. I'm quite sure they are harmless, like little clear slug type thingies. They where swarming round a teeeeny piece of decaying plant, so I guess they arent parasitic.
I did see something else scoot by, but it went too fast to have a good look at it and I couldnt find it again. It looks kind of like a ladybug, with lots of orange balls on its back. It's so interesting!

..I'm such a geek.

lol i am a geek too

Thats interesting Lucy.Pick yourself up a free copy of the sera guide How to keep your ornamental fish healthy.It covers all diseases and shows you pics of what each disease looks like under a microscope might help you ID some of what you see in your water

http://www.kokosgoldfish.invisionzone.com/...showtopic=38239

Paul posted up this nice thread about what you can find in the microscope.

STart looking. It takes a while to get used to what you are seeing. Scrape some mulm and have a peek. Just do not do it at lunch time!

ooh missed that thread, thanks Carol
Haha there are some squirmy looking things in there

oooo I have no idea about your question but now that we're talking about microscopes I saw this really cool microscope in Aquarium Fish Magazine that you can attach to the tank and look at your fish without having to take them out. HOW COOL IS THAT?!

450 magnification on a kiddy scope should be okay - is it possible for you to get glass slides (not plastic ones)?

The glass slides make all the difference in the world, esp when using a kiddy scope.

..I've found some weird stuff.

Glass slides eh? where might I get those?

Its really hard to focus it on the 450x it makes my eyes go funny.. 200x is my favorite for looking about at stuff.. I guess theres other stuff I cant see on that though.

I've inspected a piece of betta poop I found more of those slug things and a few worm type things. I think I'd IDed the slug things (as far as a species type thing, not sure which specific one they are though).. not sure about the worm. I'll get some pics up that I drew.

I looked at my split ends under there and they are BADDD!!

I purchased my glass slides and cover slips off of ebay.

I had first tried calling around to several medical supply stores, but they had nothing to offer.

If you have a digital camera, try to take some pics and post them. Maybe we can help you figure out what you're looking at!

Ooh, a little lady bug looking thing? I want a microscope now! I love looking at little microscopic thingies

Greta idea Lucy. Mmm..now I want to do that too!!

In the last 2 days I've spent at least 6 hours with my eye on that scope!

Dad said he'd get me a good one for Christmas
I'll try ebay for now then, thanks Chico.

I've taken some pics with our really rubbish camera, I havent uploaded them yet so I'm not totaly sure how good they are..

I found the strangest thing last night. I could see these two little clear balls moving around then jumping back. But then I figured they where part of something bigger.. I still cant figure out what though! They where on tiny little strings attached to something, like arms with ball hands, and they were sent out from this 'thing' they had little mouths on and they opened and a thing like a radula came out and ate stuff then they were pulled back in in a spit second. I got a blurry pic of it.

I'll get those pics up today

Wow, it sounds like a whole new world in there! I just finished reading a goldfish book that pretty much implies when you get your first microscope for the tank that's when you become a professional fish hobbyist so congrats....and pics of these creepy crawlies would be amazing..... I think

LOL trinket, I think I'll stick with being a geek for now

I have pics!!

This one is a bit of filter mulm from my betta/cory tank.
It says what you're looking at.. I've no idea what that egg thing is, it looked like it had a worm in it.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/fis...os/scope002.jpg

This one shows the egg thing better.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/fis...os/scope003.jpg

Heres a broken off hair (y'know when you get bits of hair breaking off the end, and it breaks off at little white bits? well, thats what the white bits look like)
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/fis...os/scope008.jpg

A split-end, hahaha..
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/fis...os/scope009.jpg

Now this is the weird thing with arms.. its labeled. This was in Betta poop..
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/fis...os/scope027.jpg

I think this next one shows the weird thing again, I cant rememember.
Edit: hmm, maybe i should have labeled it..
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a184/fis...os/scope015.jpg

Edit: sorry they are so big. Its hard to see stuff anyway and if I make them smaller.. it'd be even harder.