I'm sorting benthic suction samples from marsh water interface looking specifically for juvenile crabs 2-16mm. The samples often contain a lot of organic matter, mostly peat, and decomposing marsh plant material. We had previously been using rose bengal to stain the organisms in the samples however I've found that the stain doesn't bind well with the juvenile crabs due to their shell (I assume) but does bind with a lot of the benthic organic matter. Is there a more effective dye that I could use or possibly a better methodology for staining decopods.
Thanks!
I think before rose bengal they used congo red which is highly carcinogen...
Better would be:
Erythrosin or eosin red is chemically similar and doesn't bind a lot to plant matter. It is also quite cheap. I would go for this one.
Rhodamine B should work too.
I have also heard of people using Methyl blue for amphipods
You could try Nile Red and then fluoresce it. It's lipid soluble so it should potentially differentiate cells from sediments. I've not tried it, so I'm only throwing out ideas here.
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