I got my octo last thursday... He is from my LFS as there were no briareus available.... unfortunately I have NO idea what kind he is but I am pretty sure he is a pygmy... but he is a "small common brown octopus"... but he is very cool... he likes to eat... and eat.... and eat... and torcher the hermit crabs... there is one that he has been after for days... yesterday he was over it for 2 1/2 hours!!! but the crab is still doing fine... I don't know why he hasn't gotten it... his mantel is about an inch and the crab is in a turbo shell so he should definately be able to get it.... We offered him a fiddler last night but it was kinda big for him and he couldn't kill it and then he got scared... the fiddler died so I will have to get him another one.

I have a question... places that sell "freshwater fiddler crabs" are these different or are fiddler's brackish and they are just putting them in fresh?

But he is doing really good and he is really funny but he doesn't really want anything to do with us but he doesn't seem to mind us looking at him..... when we can find him....lol :wink:

Congrats on your new octo, try and post pics so some of the more experienced people on here can help ID him. I just know pygmies are usually nocturnal, and have large eyes when compared to the mantle size. Do you know where Rigby was collected?

No idea... but as much as he eats who knows.... but i don't think his eyes look big... how do i post pics here...

Congrats on the new octopus! And I used photobucket to post pictures here, It seems to work just fine!

you make an "advanced" post, then go to attachments or something like that, and it should let you browse for them or get them from a url

not the best but here

and he does have 2 spots

i dont think pygmies have eye spots, im not too knowledgeable when it comes to identifying octos. If it came from the Pacific (california) its probably a Bimac, and if its from the Atlantic, it might be a Hummelincki (sp?) but once again, dont go by what i say, i have just entered this hobby so i only know from what i've read on here. Someone more advanced should be a much more reliable source than I.

oh and not that it helps but he is "tank raised"....lol

:welcome: Rigby!

if hes tank raised thats almost certainly Bimac. They are diurnal and very outgoing (once again this is from reading not actual personal experience). There is an article on here on Bimac care in the article section of Tonmo, it has a lot of useful information.

yeah i thought maybe but they said that "he wouldn't be very big" so i guess we will just see if he grows... but if he was captive bread then they should know what species he is I would think... but tank breed and captive bread are not the same... so who knows

:welcome: Rigby! Glad to hear your little one is eating and interacting.

With eyespots you can rule out Mercatoris and Jobini (Caribbean dwarfs). If your LFS doesn't know what species it is, they sure don't know its ultimate size. Also, size is relative, they may mean it won't grow to the size of a GPO and they are most likely correct.

Tank raised is translated to a WC mom who laid and brooded eggs in an aquarium so they should have (or be able to get) a very close idea on age if you bug them about it. However, there are a lot of shipped in critters labled tank raised with no forwarding address :hmm: (you see a lot of this with seahorses and all the "tanks" are somewhere in Asia, generally owned by the US broker's "family"). You might ask the LFS owner to tell you which ocean (they sometimes have that on their order sheet) so that you will have a better idea on required tank temperature. Anything from the Pacific or Mediterranean usually needs cooler temperatures (60's to low 70's) to thrive. Atlantic and Indonesian are typically need warmer water (high 70's). If you can get a clear shot of the eye spots there are several people on Tonmo that should be able to help with an id.

He order the octo for me and before we ordered it we had him call and see what the species was.... but just as liveaquaria or anywhere else they said "it is a common brown octopus"... i just laughed and said order it... I will ask him and see if he can find out where it came from... but i wouldn't be shocked if it came back as "from the ocean"...lol

I got the octo out of the box from the airport.... his wife wanted us to pre pay for him

based on the proportion of the eyes to the body could he be a dwarf?

if the eyes are relatively big in proportion to the body, then thats common in dwarf, try and look at some pictured that are online of them, and compare it to your octo.

what kind of octo is on the cephalopod care "keeping cephalopods in captivity" the first pic

what kind of octo is on the cephalopod care "keeping cephalopods in captivity" the first pic

looks like a bimac.

yeah it looks like the same octo on the bimac page and they are both by nancy....

but I am almost positive Rigby is a baby bimac... It says that under 3 months he should be fed more than once a day... his mantle is about an inch... how big is a 3 month bimac... or how often should he be eating?

I just fed Rigby some shrimp... he sure likes food... He will reach out to investigate you inside the tank but not on the outside... but he has the distinct blue eyespots that the bimac pics have... is there any other octo with blue eyespots like that... but he looks just like it...

Look carefully at the false eyespot - does yours have an unbroken chain like Ollie in the photo? If so, it should be a bimac.

Nancy

yes

is there one with a broken ring?

I just looked at him for a long time and it is definately unbroken... he was hanging out on the glass but i haven't cleaned the algea because i don't want to scare him so i can't really get a pic... he is alway near the front and so I will just have to clean it sometime when i can't find him... 30 lbs of porus rock and one LITTLE octo sometimes he is a bit hard to find... lol

what kind of octo is on the cephalopod care "keeping cephalopods in captivity" the first pic

That's Ollie, the same bimac who's ring you were looking at in the Bimac Care Sheet - she is an adult in this photo and is displaying a slightly different color.

Nancy

yea octos are a bit hard to find, i have the same problem except instead of 30 lbs of rock i have 100 lbs.

how big is a 3 month old bimac.... i just don't want to underfeed him... his mantle is about 1 inch...

I doubt if he's three months yet. Hard to tell exactly.

Nancy

should i be feeding him more than once a day... I tried to feed him twice yesterday but he had no interest because I didn't notice the half eaten crab on the other side of the tank... so should I let him hunt for his other meals and then feed him once a day? or should I try to feed him twice a day... or more?

how old do you think he is at an inch... almost 3 months.. 1 month?????

Once a day should be fine.

update: Rigby is doing great... he still has no interest in us but he doesn't mind us looking at him as long as we don't move really quickly or look like we are going to take his food... lol... he doesn't like scallops but that is ok... he eats frozen shrimp, medium hermits (whenever he gets hungery), and freshly killed clams... but they are much bigger than him and he wants to take it with him until he realizes he has no place to take it then he just sits and eats... and protects it... I have a live oyster that I am going to give him probably tonight (I will open it for him first). Does anyone feed live clams? I just dont want him to get hurt but I would like for him to kill it himself if it is safe... the same with oysters... how big should he be?

Is there a difference in nutrients of krill and frozen shrimp? Is one better than the other?

Update: Rigby is doing good... he has grown since we got him.... he doesn't show himself as much as he was but I think it is because he has discovered a shell that I put in the front of the tank that I hoped he would reside in... well.. I think he has but he can get all the way inside and I can't see him at all... or he has moved to another rock and I can't see him.. but he usually shows himself once a day at least...

Question: He can't kill fiddler crabs... Is he just not old enough or because he was tank raised he just doesn't know how or why???? What should I do?? He sits on it and I think he is eating it.. I come back later and it is running around... He does kill and eat medium hermit tho...

If he kills and eats hermits, then he knows how to do it! They may be just the right size for him now. Keep feeding him what he likes - you can save the hermits for later.

Nancy

He likes frozen shrimp, he will eat but doesn't really like scallops, he will eat freshly killed clams and oysters (the oyster was messy), I have tried squid but i don't know if he liked it because i left it at his thought to be den but I don't think he was home... but it was gone a little later but it could have been taken by the damels or hermits or his fiddler... and I find some dead hermit pieces but not many... maybe 10 and I have had him for almost a month... and there is still one that he REALLY wants to eat that he has been trying to eat since day 1... and still no luck... I just wonder if he is a little slow...lol... but I guess it is ok I love him anyway... but I think I have to teach him how to eat live food.... OH NO...

Last night I was giving Rigby his frozen shrimp and he usually is afraid for our hands... However, last night he was playing tug-o-war with my finger...it was cool but nerve wracking because i didn't want him to bite me... i am not sure that he knew it was me and not the shrimp i kept touching his tentiles with so he would take it and let me go and not bite me... but he wouldn't take it it just kept dropping and he would go for my finger...

Last night I was giving Rigby his frozen shrimp and he usually is afraid for our hands... However, last night he was playing tug-o-war with my finger...it was cool but nerve wracking because i didn't want him to bite me... i am not sure that he knew it was me and not the shrimp i kept touching his tentiles with so he would take it and let me go and not bite me... but he wouldn't take it it just kept dropping and he would go for my finger...

Heheheh :grin: Pretty surprisingly strong huh?

yeah... I didn't want to hurt him... he is so small... but I didn't want him to hurt me... to bite me...

I had the same issue with Tuvalu.

did she ever bite you?

Nope, never let her climb onto my hand.

I would laugh at you two EXCEPT the THIRD time my dwarf lion attacked me was the "charm" and after weeks my knuckle is still very sore and swells up on occassion. At least octo bites are not venemous (blue rings excluded, of course).

yeah, he wasnt attacking me... he just thought I was food I guess.... or he just wanted to see what I was all about...

yeah, he want attacking me... he just thought I was food I guess.... or he just wanted to see what I was all about...

...and what you taste like.

SandV,
When very small, some of my Mercs would grab and "suck" my fingers with all their might. Now, the ones that reach out to touch (almost 9 months and full adults) do so only as experiementation and do not grab. Sisturus is the most "touchey" and he occassionally use my fingers as a spring board to hop up out of the water. It scares him so much he darts away but will do it again in a week or so (I put three of 4 fingers near the surface and wiggle them but do no try to follow with my hand). On the other hand, we started a sticky thread for people to report octo bite stories and you will find it entertaining if you have not read it: http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10712

I have read it and it was very intertaining but I could not remember if Nancy was on that list.

Yeah.. I don't really know his intentions... I think he wanted to just see what I was because he did not try to suck on me like with food... but I think he wanted me to think that he was looking for food and not know that he was interested in me... because he is the boss... he is our master... "no, not shrimp, I want a crab"... lol

Update: Rigby is missing a leg... and it has been an eventful night... get out the damsels and doing a water change.. Until yesterday he was doing really well and eating like a pig... yesterday i don't know if he ate at all or gave it to the bristle worms... he did not eat tonight but i will try again in the morning...

he is afraid of shane's hand but will touch mine...lol... shane doens't think it is near as funny as I do... he is actually afraid of his hand...

I hope Rigby is going to be ok... I checked everything...

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/100_0996.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/100_0994.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/100_0992.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/100_0991.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/100_0990.jpg

SandV,
I think you can discount the bristles too. My pygmy tank is loaded with them (they thrive on Cyclop-eeze and sometimes it is hard to determine if I am looking at an octo arm or a worm) and several larger ones live under Miss Broody's den and actually try to take her shrimp when I feed. This is almost a good thing as she will make me stand uncomfortably for a few minutes before deciding her gormet dinner is properly served UNLESS a bristle trys for the shrimp. She does not like the competition and will push the worm away and eat.

Hopefully, Jean will stop celebrating (not for long of course) and check-in. I think I remember her saying that octos with the arm eating disease (am I lazy tonight or what) start at the tips and not at the body. If my memory is correct, then the arm damage is most likely something in the tank rather than self-inflicted but nothing you have mentioned is even remotely likely to be responsible. Unfortunately that makes me very concerned that your live rock is housing one of Roy's (Neogonodactylus) mantis shrimp buddies or another form of nocturnal preditor.

What kind of powerheads are you using?

no power heads just an octopus 150 reserc skimmer and a magnum canister filter... but the pump to the skimmer is in an acrylic box..... it is remotely possible that he got his arm threw the holes of the box and into the pump... but he has never even showed interest in it... and i don't think it would take that much of his arm... i will post picks tonight but it will be like 11 pm mst...

I don't think there is anything in the tank... it didn't have any fish or anything in it when i got it... they had it set up with only mushrooms.. and last night i pulled all the rock out and looked it over and took out some of the huge bristle worms....

he must have gotten into it with a hermit.... they are not too big for him.... but he is special so i guess we just need to give him miniture food...lol.. i ask him if his mom dropped him on his head...lol... he still doesn't kill fiddlers.. although i haven't given him any live ones in a while... but he doesn't know what to do with it if i don't cut it in half for him... and he don't do ANYTHING with the meat in the claw.. i don't know if he can't get into it or if he doesn't know there is is meat inside of it too...

Sounds like he's one of the however many babies that wouldn't have made it far in the wild, more than likely.

Rigby is doing good.. he comes out to see me :) .... but he is still shy toward Shane... He fed him last night and it took him a long time to come and get it... but when i put my hand in the tank he just runs out for me... even if i don't have food... I think he can "smell" me and trusts me more... He is just so cute....

I haven't updated this in forever... Rigby is doing great ... he is growing like a weed... but does NOT like Shane being in his tank or watching him eat his dinner... he wants to protect his food from him... he will bob up and down motioning for him to fight... and Shane just shakes his head and says no, no I am not going to fight you... he is very careful when in his tank not to make him too mad or go near him... when he is cleaning the glass or doing water changes Rigby just sits up on his shell and gives him the eagle eye....

Question/Observation: when we do a water change and add the new water to the tank Rigby will take his arms and rub his mantle and body all over like new water makes him itch... does anyone else have theirs do that? He gets everything rubbed down and then he is fine..

last night Rigby decided he was going to take his clam on to the side of a rock and eat it there... he was holding this clam up in the tank eating... it is about it size of him... he is so crazy some times...

I don't think I ever got an answer: do all octos try to take things into places that they wont fit? like trying to get a square peg in a round hole...

The other night Olorin took the feeding stick from me and tried to pull it into his den sideways.The next morning it was about halfway in just about bent in half.Now I have a feeding stick that looks like a boomarang(sp?).

lol... that is funny... at least I know that he is not the only one... because if you read back Rigby is "special" ... he wouldn't have made it in the ocean...

aawwhhh.

SandV,
I have wondered about water changes (slight shift in PH and salinity) and skin sensitivity but not observed a reaction. I have a small sump and change the water there in hopes that it mixes before getting to Octane. He seems to get a little more active (I change about a gallon a day) but I don't notice any itching. The smaller tank for two of my Mercs has no sump but I don't notice anything with them.

For info, can you do a strip PH test and salinity check on your tank and the new water to see if there is a detectable difference?

I always have to grin when you call him "special". Is he killing his own crabs yet?

Only the ones that come off the short bus.Just kidding.

He is killing his own crabs now... it takes him a LONG time but he does it... but I have to GIVE it to him... last night I just left it in front of his shell and I don't think he ever ate it... but that is ok... I love him anyway..

Next time we do a water change I will try to get a video of him doing it.. it is the funniest cutest thing... sometimes he will even scratch the INSIDE of his mantle.... but that is just weird...

I know my octo comes off the short bus... but at least he goes to school I guess.... lol

Jean has also mentioned seeing the "scratching" inside the mantle behavior with some of her NZ octos.

with the water changes tho i think he usually just scratches all over his body...

I have Rigby down as a bimac in the List of Our Octopuses. Do you still think he's a bimac?

Nancy

yes... I have no reason to think otherwise

Well Rigby passed on thursday... I knew it was coming because he had refused food about a week.... He was great... but he didn't get to his full size... i think it is just part of being "special" he never ate as much as everyone said he should... We are breaking down his tank as I cant handle another one right now... maybe someday...

:sad: RIP Rigby :angelpus:

RIP Rigby :angelpus:

Sorry for your loss.

Nancy

Sorry.

:cry: :angelpus:

J

RIP little guy... :sad:

SandV,
I hope you will continue to check in while you are octopusless. We will miss hearing about the antics of your "special" little guy. The term has now become part of our vocabulary in the house. Good Night Rigby.:angel:

I have not had time to check in lately... finals in school, working full time, and just finnishing moving... all that is left is putting my entire house back together....lol.... but i will catch up on my reading soon i hope....

Very sorry :angelpus: