Shane went to a local pet store yesterday that has a little salt water to just check it out. Well, they know VERY little about salt water and were ACCIDENTALLY shipped an octopus.

I have no place to keep he so I need to find him a home, someone with a prepared tank and a food source.

I don't know ANYTHING about him... if someone doesn't take him he will either die, go to the wrong home, or be immproperly shipped back to the supplier. Shane said the first time he saw him he was the same colors as Rigby, a bimac, but he couldn't tell if it had eyespots, and today when he went (to take pics but camera battery died) he was just mad a pacing and was black... that is ALL I know...

I have been out of town (back today but the store is closed) and have not even seen him. Shane tells me that he has a mantle about 3 inches and legs between 10 and 12 inches.... and VERY mad... (we hope he doesn't figure out how to get out tonight).... they put him in a 2 1/2 gal tank with a top and he is VERY upset... tomorrow AM we are going to go to take pics they open at 10 and we have to be at work at 11 so I am not going to have time to post until we get home tomorrow night....

I would like to have someone ready to recieve him on tuesday (me shipping on monday)

I would need
$22 for octo (includes my tax)
$12 for tank (includes my tax) he is in this now and will have to buy him in it to get him from the store.... but glass and can't ship him in it
+ actual shipping

I will pack with pure O2 in a large bag in a styrofoam cooler in box and heat pack if necessary.... (I will take care of all this to get him a good home)

I have paypal... please help out a lost octo...

he is with a few pieces of live rock and I will buy them if I have to...but it isn't safe to ship them with him so no worry to you...

I know it's 3 hours but you could bring him down here if you have the time. I would not be able to keep him because with my cuttles I would not be able to secure a top, but you could trade him in at my work (The Aquarium) for livestock credit though you will probably take a hit on some of your money. He would not have an ideal home there either, but we at least know how to care for him.

it is 5 1/2 or 6 hours there.... but if you find or know someone that would want him in SLC I would be willing to meet them half way if they would like....

If you could get a proper ID on it, i might be interested.

there is no way... no paper work... no ocean... no nothing....

just a really mad octo in a 2 1/2 gallon tank eating feeder guppies..... (I am taking him a clam tomorrow)

i can purchase him if you ship to guelph, ontario, canada?

Mark,

it is 5 1/2 or 6 hours there.... but if you find or know someone that would want him in SLC I would be willing to meet them half way if they would like....

For some reason I always thought it was only 3. I guess 6 makes more sense if I think about it more. I'll let you know if I find anyone soon.

do you at least know if it needs water colder than mid 70's? i have a tank ready for one but i cant afford a chiller..

do you at least know if it needs water colder than mid 70's? i have a tank ready for one but i cant afford a chiller..

Even Bimacs will live OK in warmer water. This species is most likely tropical.

When I shipped cuttle eggs (all 225 of them...), I went to Target and bought a leak-proof plastic container. It was in the food container aisle (with those Ziplock and Glad containers). I can't remember the brand, but it had a lid that locked down on four sides (it folded down and snapped into place). They come in several sizes. I had a few cases of leaking bags before I figured out the rigid plastic container. I would also include a heat pack, since you don't know how long the box is going to sit in the back of the truck. I shipped everything FedEx...

I would be willing to pay for the octo and take him as well, but Walla Walla is about 4 hours I think from Boise....

Sorry simple I have NO idea... today he was spiky... will post pics in a little while.... I don't know about shipping to canada.... but i have an interested person but i will continue to update...

QUESTION: should i put him in my 40 gal hospital to let him rest before i ship him ... he got to the store on wednesday I believe... but he is SO VERY VERY MAD...

OK that is a great idea on the box... I know what you are talking about I will try to find one.... but actually then i cant pack him with O2 which would be better???

I am not sure how far walla walla is.... but if it falls threw i will let you know...

OK that is a great idea on the box... I know what you are talking about I will try to find one.... but actually then i cant pack him with O2 which would be better???

I am not sure how far walla walla is.... but if it falls threw i will let you know...

Maybe do the bag with O2 and put that in the box? Then the box will protect the bag from punctures, but you get the benefits of the oxygen?

Just a thought...

Best would be trippled bagged 50% water 50% o2 closed with rubberbands. Then put that bag in a styro cooler that fits the bag, tape it shut. Put that whole thing in a cardboard box (one that fits it tight) and ship via fed ex. The box the cuttlegirl shipped the eggs in is great for eggs and hatchlings, but for an adult octo, I would much rather have the o2 then the leakproofness. FWIW, millions of fish and inverts and corals are shipped yearly across the world in plastic bags, in styros in cardboard. :grin: Perhaps the LFS could help you out (I assume that is where you get the o2 from) - they may even have some shipping boxes on hand. Also, fed ex or other shipping store may have styros and 'outers' for sale.
Oh - don't forget to add a heat pack. You can get them at sporting good stores, try to get the one that lasts the longest.

Are you sending this octopus to Canada?What kind of paperwork is involved?

I dont think i can send him to canada.....

I have shipped corals before and I have an O2 bottle... bags... and such... and a good cooler... but i had never thought of the plastic box before but I really want the O2... for the octo and for the pH..

O2 IS more important than a plastic container. Octos need a lot of oxygen to survive. Follow Thales advice for shipping; that is the best way. I usually use a Coleman cooler from walmart to ship anything I need to, instead of a styro, but that is because I don't have styros available to me. I still haven't found a box that fits the cooler well. That is my goal though, because a tight fitting box will keep the octo (or whatever) from excessive unnecessary shaking.

You can get insulated shipping boxes from Staples Office Stores. Sometimes you have to order them online and have them shipped to the nearest Staples.

I have to agree with Thales about the shipping method, my guys were little compared to the water volume and they weren't using much oxygen.

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0006.jpg

I am going to pick him up... i can't get the other pics to work.. will try it later

ok... he is here... i just didn't want him staying at the store... I deffinately don't see any eyespots... i watched him at the store.. he was pacing and now he is in a 40... he was pacing the side glass and now he is just sitting...

Try to get some more pics so it will be easier to ID.

i got lots...here it goes

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0007.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0008.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0009.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0010.jpg

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0011.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0012.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0013.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0014.jpg

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0017.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0018.jpg

those are from the store yesterday...

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0033.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0034.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0035.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0036.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0037-1.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0038-1.jpg

today... at my house

is it out during the day? and is it eating well?
he looks really cool, and im loving the texture changes. In a few days i would be able to take him, but it is not a sure thing, since im deciding between this guy or a briareus.

he does not seem to have eyespots.... i have watched him for a long time looking...

he is the color of the last pics when he is resting and the first pics when upset or startled.... he gets really textured... but not so much at rest

what size bag would you ship an octo of this size in?..... i want to send the poor guy with like 25 gal...lol but that isn't going to work

he looks really good.... he has one leg shorter than the rest but you can tell it is old and where it is growing from... and he has the tip of one missing and you can see that in the pic...

He ate when i took him a clam at the store but i has to give him a piece of it... i had to touch him with it... but they were giving him feeder guppies and he ate those but not the TINY hermits in with him...

He is sleeping now and has been for a few hours but I don't know really what to make of that... his is just in the corner of the tank.. he hasn't even touched the rocks.. but he has had a ROUGH few days so i don't know if he is just really tired... he hasn't eaten since yesterday morning (but hasn't been offered any) so we will see what happens when he wakes up

If you plan to transport him in O2 filled plastic bag, double bag him with newspaper lining between the two bags (about half way up should do it). This will cut down on the stress. Kind of like covering a bird if you know what I mean.

that is a good idea.... i never thought of using newspaper... i like to use the bags with the half black bottom but i don't have any right now and i don't have really big ones....

thanks for the pics... very nice camo and texture, and he sure looks happier than the way you described him in the store... It looks like there might be oversized suckers on some arms, so I'm guessing he's a he, but that might be my imagination. The texture looks like some aculeatus pictures to me, but I'm not at all sure.

Yea i was thinking A. Aculeatus as well, though in a few pics he resembled Biddle (whom was never ID'ed)

Some suckers look enlarged to me but i don't know for sure... should all of his arms have enlarged suckers?

He looks very much like Biddle to me... that is the 1st thing that i thought when i saw him.... they think he is a Vulgaris

do aculeatus have eyespots?

he seems to have a pointed mantle if that helps at all...

is there anything else on him that i can take a pic of to help id him?

Get a few full shots of his whole body; arms and everything. Only certain arms should have enlarged suckers. Did they know what ocean he came from? Looks very much like A. Aculeatus to me, seeing the mantle/arm length ratio should help with a positive ID.

I agree with aculeatus, seems to be typical colors and eyes.. but we all know how that works with octos. I see the enlarged suckers too. Good luck finding it a good home. I'm sure you've stated your reasons... but why not keep it?

I would love to keep him but I don't have a tank for him.... even better i don't have a place in my house for a tank for him... I think you are right with the ID i was looking at the pics but how big do they get??? and i don't have a skimmer that i can run out of sump... k will get a pic... i will post it in a few...

I think someone told me aculeatus only get about a foot long, mantle tip to arm tip. I'm tired and about to hit the sack or I'd look it up for you.

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0047.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0048.jpg

the first one is him sleeping and the second is him eating

It looks like an aculeatus to me, or at least a near relative - if mucktopus or Dr. Roy see this post, we can get an expert opinion.

Adult arm length for an aculeatus is about 12 inches, and the mantle length is less than 1 1/2 inches. I looked at some other members of the horridus complex, and the longest arms are about 12 inches, so this one shouldn't grow much larger, I would think. It looks happy there in its new home.

Nancy

his mantle is definatly longer than 1 1/2 tho....

now i feel really bad for him.... i forgot I have a 55 in storage... but i don't have a place to put it...really... i live in a tiny condo with too much stuff... I guess i will talk to Taollan and see if he is still interested... he is probably nearing his end....

He ate frozen shrimp tonight but I don't know if it is just because he was sleeping but it took a few for him to take it... he just didn't want to wake up... and he is a slow eater... i don't know if it is just because of us being around or what...

He looks a little too big and fat to be Aculeatus. He could just be a plump guy though... there seems to be quite the consensus that it is Aculeatus. Don't feel bad for him, you are doing the best you can, and I'm sure he is happier than he was at the LFS.

oh yeah he is happier than at the LFS... if you can call it that.. they have one coral tank (with montiapora eating nudis) and like 8 20 gal of fish...

oh... i measured his mantle and it is 3 inches and his legs are 12 inches (not streched)

what are the temp and habits of a aculteaus and what size tank would he need... all i can find is that they can walk on 2 legs....

what would be any other type of octo that he could be... vulgaris? do they change texture like him...

he is sleeping again so i still don't know day or night

Vulgaris is from the Atlantic/Caribbean.

oh... i measured his mantle and it is 3 inches and his legs are 12 inches (not streched)

what are the temp and habits of a aculteaus and what size tank would he need... all i can find is that they can walk on 2 legs....

what would be any other type of octo that he could be... vulgaris? do they change texture like him...

Sounds like it's going to be too large to be an aculeatus, but on the chance it is, typical reef temperatures should be fine, mid to high 70's. According to a picture Dr. Caldwell has in the gallery, aculeatus would be fine in a tank as small as 20 gallons, but we know we all prefer they have a larger tank. I assume they are diurnal... notice all the videos are shot in daylight. I wouldn't think an instinctually nocturnal creature would require having such diverse camoflauge for activity in darkness.

I do believe vulgaris are quite capable of texture/color changes. If filosus was synonymous with vulgaris that should hold true, because filosus/hummellincki are quite capable of a variety of appearances. That's just my guess though, I have no data from any of the professionals to back that up.

Vulgaris is from the Atlantic/Caribbean.

There are also vulgaris in the Mediterranean, although there's some debate as to whether they're the same species. In fact, Norman lists several things called Octopus vulgaris and suggest they're all different species, although I know not everyone is always in agreement with Norman on such matters.

I think it is a very large A. aculeatus. Norman reports them having ML up to 6cm (about 2.5 inches) and arm length of about 30 cm (a little less than 12 inches). O. fulosus has eye spots. O. vulgaris, just from looking at those pictures, has stouter, more robust arms. The to affirming or rejecting A. aculeatus likely will be looking at the #1 arm pair (front/dorsal most) and seeing if they are the shortest. This recent thread had a good picture of it:
http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12051

i don't know where he came from... not a clue... he is sleeping but i will wake him and feed him and see about the 1st arms being shorter... they suckers are smaller but i don't know about shorter....

well he must be tropical... he doesn't like his water cool (70) ... he just wants to sleep... he doesn't want to eat his dinner and he doesn't want me bothering his slumber... so i am warming him up

oh... his front legs MIGHT be a little shorter than the rest but definately not much...

oh i just looked at that pic again.. no.. not like that

Since we know it's not a bimac, the best assumption is tropical temperatures. Most of the octopuses imported are from tropical areas.

We're all greatful that you're taking such good care of an octopus that needs a rescue.

Nancy

thank you... i just couldn't let him sit there... and i would keep him but i know that i can't give him the best home right now...

I work at Petco and they call me MOM because I take care of all of the animals and the people too... right now my project is a guinea pig that have to have surgery to remove an absess and I have to clean and flush her wound twice a day... I even do it when i take shane dinner at night when he is working and i am not...

legs... and in some of the pics you can see a short one but that is not a front one.... it is the second... just one growing back from some time ago...


http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0049.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0051.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0053.jpg
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x135/sdietz2469/DSC_0065.jpg

the air stone is about 11 1/2 inches long...

and in the last pic if you can see the seems in the floor it is 7 5/8 inches...

I have started calling him Lucky...

It looks like Lucky is going to go to school... to do a little learning and a little teaching.... he is going to go to Walla Walla on saturday... I am sure he will be very happy...

Thanks for going to such extraordinary measures for an octopus! This has been quite a rescue effort.

Nice full-grown male aculeatus! He looks really healthy. I say male because of the enlarged suckers, though occasionally very large females have them. Though at this size if it were a female the ovary would probably be more distended. When it rests on the glass do you see a groove along the back edge of one of the arms (the third back from the eyes, on his right side- your left side as you're looking at his suckers on the glass)

how far down should i be looking...

I wish Lucky was a girl... I want lucky babies...but I just assumed because of the suckers he was a he...

Thank you everyone for helping me with Lucky... I will keep you posted on how he is doing.. he isn't leaving until saturday...

How is Lucky going to travel?

Nancy

he is going by car... in a bag with O2 in a styro cooler... it is a total of 260 miles... taking about 4 hours...

I'm glad he's been spared being shipped again. Four hours and he'll be home!

Nancy

yes... i am very glad he doesn't have to go in the mail again... 4 hours and then he will have a 100 gal tank to himself to live out his days...

I'm in Ohio and will take him!

Ken

he already has a new home...

Thanks ....hope he's happy!