Microscope

[JayM]

Would something like this suffice for disease identification? I know it’s cheap, but with any luck it won’t be needed more than a few times.

 

[sfin52]

Would something like this suffice for disease identification? I know it’s cheap, but with any luck it won’t be needed more than a few times.

You link isn't working

 

[JayM]

Not sure why copying the link doesn’t work in my 1st post.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Not sure why copying the link doesn’t work in my 1st post.

That actually is too high in magnification. You want a dissecting scope that can view from 20x to perhaps 120x
I do most of my work at around 40 to 80x
I found a nice lens that clips onto my iPhone.
Jay

 

[JayM]

That actually is too high in magnification. You want a dissecting scope that can view from 20x to perhaps 120x
I do most of my work at around 40 to 80x
I found a nice lens that clips onto my iPhone.
Jay

I like the phone lens idea. Thanks.

 

[Mikeltee]

No it will not. Some say the $100 will ID dinos. I spent $300 on a Swift 350T and this barely usable image is the result...

Your best option is to score a used 20 year old microscope that was $2k brand new. They can be had for a couple hundred if you are quick.

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjql5bdw6mDAxVGnloFHau0DCQYABAKGgJ2dQ&ase=2&gclid=CjwKCAiAyp-sBhBSEiwAWWzTnr_wza6H28WG-tVCcEgHEhYACXUtI3tKYuE5YJ2y9Cohs3cEIA9YIRoC8g8QAvD_BwE&sph=&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESxAHg9vEM1yljahsL1iOUCqH7tNNFi98L2F41iagi1Ody4wHYvqOnoyeAIK82rIIQCnS5KY1g0jefnGhMsujX5EXRl1A29q5_ACd03Mf1eBa7sztRM_BEkJRh7n8vJ0bfnonVxMK4O2pQUYHLWjEvT_4hrGAm-vEfRT0bFINJhWgV5rPs4zq8d3AYgdSk5SNmFp0jiGLC-4dxDwLWzVOCZdOQqa0KWwKktbW1ct_G1YMPT8vPdzteaZqfTa35uEh1Hy8-Sc0-&sig=AOD64_39PH7x8Hx6uBA0cI4Y8LLR5sJeHg&ctype=5&q=&nis=6&ved=2ahUKEwixsY7dw6mDAxWkpLAFHWShC_QQwg8oAHoECAQQDA&adurl=

 

[Mikeltee]

That actually is too high in magnification. You want a dissecting scope that can view from 20x to perhaps 120x
I do most of my work at around 40 to 80x
I found a nice lens that clips onto my iPhone.
Jay

What are you viewing at 20x? You need 400 to ID dino strains. I bought mine for dinos but if you have some suggestions of other stuff that I can view, please share. I also look at my phyto cultures and check for contamination also at 400x.

 

[Tcook]

You can sometimes pick up a nice used Nikon Alphaphot-2 for $200-$250 if you are planning to spend that amount and use it often. These are/used-to-be required for medical students to purchase then sold off a year or two later. They have decent objectives including a 4x.

 

[jason2459]

What are you viewing at 20x? You need 400 to ID dino strains. I bought mine for dinos but if you have some suggestions of other stuff that I can view, please share. I also look at my phyto cultures and check for contamination also at 400x.

OP is looking for something for disease I'm assuming on, imbedded, or in the fish. High power and slides are not desirable for dissection. Though what was linked could be used for very thinly sliced cell samples.

 

[Mikeltee]

You can sometimes pick up a nice used Nikon Alphaphot-2 for $200-$250 if you are planning to spend that amount and use it often. These are/used-to-be required for medical students to purchase then sold off a year or two later. They have decent objectives including a 4x.

I scoured ebay for a month for one when I was in the market. They go really quick. Mine has a solid mechanical stage and the objectives offer a nice and clean image, however the fine focus is not fine enough. The next model up had a finer focus for an extra $50. I wish I had sprung for it.

 

[JayM]

OP is looking for something for disease I'm assuming on, imbedded, or in the fish. High power and slides are not desirable for dissection. Though what was linked could be used for very thinly sliced cell samples.

Yep. Hippo tang was showing symptoms of flukes, did FW dip and am curious to see what all the white specs that fell off are. Curiosity more than anything. If I can find something for
$60-$80 bucks that will suffice, I’ll do it. I’m not gonna spend 100’s of dollars.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

What are you viewing at 20x? You need 400 to ID dino strains. I bought mine for dinos but if you have some suggestions of other stuff that I can view, please share. I also look at my phyto cultures and check for contamination also at 400x.

This was posted in the fish disease forum. For metazoans, you need something lower power.
Jay