Hey everyone, i just joined this site, i'm trying to find information on the mimic octopus if anyone has any information on the mimic octopus it would be very helpful to me. :notworth: i am in a science reasearch class, and my topic is "the behaviors of the mimic octopus." i am planning to go to a science fair and present this as my topic, you help would be great. :grad: [/b]

Email: laker_gurl14@yahoo.com

Info:

On Exotic Species, especially the Mimic Octopus

Through television specials and documentaries The Discovery Channel it's ilk have brought some absolutely incredible cephalopods into the living rooms of the everyday family. These wonderous creatures feature vibrant coloration and behaviors so astounding that even the top scientists of the world are continually amazed. All of this is packaged into unquestionably the coolest class in the animal kingdom: the cephalopods. The Mimic Octopus has gained fame from clips of video showing it performing convincing imitations of sea snakes, flounders, lionfish and other odd sea creatures. Metasepia cuttlefish are known as flamboyant cuttlefish due to their spectacular coloration. Naturally, excited aquarists eager to keep one of these creatures in their own tanks have begun putting pressure on suppliers to find them, and many are willing to pay dearly for one. Mimic Octopus and Metasepia are extremely cool. Trying to get one of your very own is not cool.

Folks, simply put, these species are quite rare. Scientists spend weeks trying to find a single specimen to photograph and study. Five minutes of video footage shown on the TV specials can easily represent months in the ocean trying to locate a single animal. The trouble is, the collection divers native to these exotic oceans are better at finding them- especially if collectors are paying top dollar for them. With the species in question already being scarce and the bounty-driven locals catching every one they can find to be boxed up and shipped to America, the road to extinction will be a very very short drive for these incredible cephalopods. Here's the other side of the coin. Gang, they're still cephalopods- the most delicate of hobbyist-keepable sea life. Imagine how you'd ache after a 20 hour flight home from Indonesia. Now imagine making the trip in a gallon of water in a sealed bag. Truth is, most cephalopods- Mimics, Flamboyants, or anything from the opposite side of the world, die in transit. By most, I mean almost 100%. They lack the constitution to make the trip. This is the reason you don't see many Indonesian and Australian cephalopods gracing pet stores or online catalogs. Every once in a while however, one makes it.

I know a couple people who obtained a mimic octopus or a close relative including TCP's Dad, Dr. Wood. Therein lies the flipside to these marvelous animals: in the home aquarium Mimic Octopuses are VERY difficult to care for, and they don't display any of their famous mimic behaviors. In capitivity, they lead a life of stress and fear, never acclimating to their owners like bimacs or vulgaris' do. They feed only reluctantly and one must wait until the wee hours of the night to ever see their pet. Cuttlefish are the kings of skittish sealife, and many species are just NOT right for an aquarium. Contained in glass, they are doomed to slam into aquarium sides at cuttlefish warp speed every time a light comes on, a person looks into the tank, the cat walks by, etc. Their death will be slow and agonizing, as the wounds from slamming the glass (we call it Butt Burn) eventually infect and takes the life of the cuttlefish. It isn't fair to the animal when there are so many better cephalopod pets.

In response to this trend, The Cephalopod Page urges hobbyists to be responsible to the environment: please resist the temptation to seek out Mimic Octopuses and their exotic bretheren and leave these incredible animals to nature, and nature specials.



From: http://www.dal.ca/~ceph/TCP/sources.html

how about the angle that they dont mimic things and people are just seeing what they want????

sceptic me :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

My thoughts also...

You have to have a GOOD imagination. :lol:

how about the angle that they dont mimic things and people are just seeing what they want????

sceptic me :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I was just thinking that myself. Like the belief that they'll splay out their tentacles to mimic lionfish. That one seems a bit far-fetched. I certainly wouldnt have thought of it if i had seen one doing that.

I saw one that looked like a ray.

They will also mimc flounders which are found in their natural habitat. Theres one video where it shows a person filming what he thinks is a pretty odd fish swimming but it turns out to be an octopus! The video was filmed in Indonesia, pretty close to where the mimic lives.

The Mimic Octopus has gained fame from clips of video showing it performing convincing imitations of sea snakes, flounders, lionfish and other odd sea creatures.

... in addition to what Colin wrote (and I tend to agree with him), it is also possible that the snake, flounder, lionfish and 'other odd sea creatures' are mimicing the octopus (flip side).

it is also possible that the snake, flounder, lionfish and 'other odd sea creatures' are mimicing the octopus (flip side).

:confused:

... I mean, do we know for sure that the octopus is mimicing the others; which came first, chicken/egg, octopus/flounder .... who's copying who? Actually, there's an interesting thought; anyone know how 'old' flounder are (in the old fossil record)?

I don't believe that the octopus mimics flounder etc., nor do I believe that the flounder etc mimics the octopus .... It's just telly talk. Whatever eats the flounder would surely eat the octopus ...

...Actually, there's an interesting thought; anyone know how 'old' flounder are (in the old fossil record)?



Er, just run a search. The flounder group (Pleuronectiformes) are a quite recent group, the earliest examples date from the middle Miocene in the late Tertiary. Octos have been knocking around since the late Jurassic, and possibly earlier. Flatfish rays are known from the earlier Eocene period at least 36 mya, though ray finned fish can be traced as far back as 200mya. I've no idea how closely these Miocene rays were related to the modern flounder.

Pleuronectiformes (http://66.102.11.104/search?q=cache:O6qMcuzHBTcJ:www.odu.edu/sci/cqfe/age%26growth/World%2520of%2520Fishes/Relationships/Pleuronectiformes.htm+Pleuronectiformes+ fossil&hl=en&ie=UTF-8)

... I mean, do we know for sure that the octopus is mimicing the others; which came first, chicken/egg, octopus/flounder .... who's copying who? Actually, there's an interesting thought; anyone know how 'old' flounder are (in the old fossil record)?

I don't believe that the octopus mimics flounder etc., nor do I believe that the flounder etc mimics the octopus .... It's just telly talk. Whatever eats the flounder would surely eat the octopus ...

I do wonder what stuff in the mimic's habitat eats flounders? the whole place looks really empty.

... I mean, do we know for sure that the octopus is mimicing the others; which came first, chicken/egg, octopus/flounder .... who's copying who?

or to take it one step further. if they are such great mimics: is the octopus really an octopus? maybe it's a new flounder species who's great at imitating an octopus?

ok apparently it's time for my medicine again, I'm starting to talk crazy
:jester:

Heh, heh. Maybe it's really a bizarre type of marine badger. Now who's crazy?

probably me,

my last theory is that chers last nose job went wrong and she's able to breathe under water now.

on the other hand, that wouldn't explain the extra limbs. unless... does anyone know the latest progress in plastic surgery?

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Heh, heh. Maybe it's really a bizarre type of marine badger. Now who's crazy?

actually!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


NOW who's crazy!

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=1743

actually!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


NOW who's crazy!


:roflmao:

well, there's sealions and seahorses

why wouldn't there be a seabadger

allthough it's not what I pictured it to be
8)

:lol: That's great Colin! :jester:

I really do wonder what a real seabadger would look like. I would imagine it to be some burrowing animal.

... with big claws that digs up sea wasp's nests and eats their larvae?

I'd certainly like to see that happen :heee: What else would a seabadger do? I wonder...

:lol:
Would they ever snack on sea cucumbers?
:nofeet:

I also imagine that they would fight with seafoxes

Do they ever get trodden on by seahorses or irritated by "whats up doc" asking sea hares?

:roflmao:

Man I'd like to live in the sea. just hope the cephs don't get me though. :)

Under the sea
Under the sea
There'll be no accusations
Just friendly crustaceans
Under the sea!

:lol:

I do believe it was a crab singing that song.

rather dangerous on an OCTOPUS forum don't you think?

Nope. (http://www.tonmo.com/images/vids/wasabe.mpg)

:lol:

Crustaceans aren't to friendly either. A mantis shrimp hitting you ain't gonna be pretty.

Nope.

dear burstovenergy24, clearly this crab was using steroids.

I even assume the cuttlefish was still having a headache from his party the previous night

:bugout: :jester:

Just found proof of the existence of seabadgers.

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/files/seabadger.JPG

Oh my gosh it IS true :shock:

Just out of shot due to the way it is swimming, the sea badger has a tube that projects out of its arse to the surface allowing it to not have to go to the surface for air like lesser evolved animals like cetaceans.

Don't turtles suck water in through their foofoo valves and extract oxygen? .... is the seabadger mimicing the seaturtle?

Of course!

:read:

BOE, Neil, Steve, Carol

or is it the other way around?

We should take advantage of :oshea:'s connections at Discovery, and see if we can get some funding for an expedition to reveal the secrets of the sea badger.

I'm voluntary diver!!!!

never swum with seabadgers before, only stingrays and napoleonfish

We should take advantage of :oshea:'s connections at Discovery, and see if we can get some funding for an expedition to reveal the secrets of the sea badger.

:roflmao:

... Col's pic was brilliant; I don't think I've seen a more valid poopoo of the mimic concept; must use that in a lecture one of these days!

What's the thing on the right though? :?

BOE, Neil, Carol, and Steve

I'm not sure either, it does look pretty foxy though :)

What's the thing on the right though? :?

BOE, Neil, Carol, and Steve

do you mean my pic?

the thing on the right is mimic octopus

Huh.

It's odd looking. :bonk:
BOE, Steve, Carol, and Neil.

it may be trying to imitate the seabadger! or is it the seabadger who's trying to imitate the octopus? or are they imitating eachother?

OH NO!!! I've been thinking too hard! my head hurts
:bugout: :bugout: :bugout:

Thats one heck of a big mimic if you ask me. Do cephs ever eat seabadgers? Or vice versa?

The idea was that the mimic on the right was trying to look like a seabadger but never mind!!!!!

that's what they look like when they are peeking out of their dens

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=1767

Yeah, that was kinda spooky.

Thats one heck of a big mimic if you ask me. Do cephs ever eat seabadgers? Or vice versa?


seabadgers are actually a bit like cleaning shrimp in the way that they carefully clean all the suckers of the mimic, they have a symbiotic relationship and neither preys on each other...

don't forget to mention that they also eat any left over pieces of shell the octo missed.

they are great tank cleaners.

If I'm not mistaking, they can also be kept in small groups. never heard of any breedingresults though. btw, are they egglayers or livebearers?

:D

How big are these seabadgers? They sound very helpful. Maybe I should get one! :)



:lol:

Man the cleaner wrasse is gonna be jealous once I get hold of one. Do they also have relationships between cuttles? Then again what if its endangered? :o

sea badgers actually live in small colonies with a queen and workers. They have all different cast sizes fromteh small 3" maximum workers and cleaners to the large queen whcih can be up to three feet long ( a pic of a queen was already posted)

please note they are not endangered and can be kept in an aquarium but the aquarium needs to be big enough to house the queen, any workers kept without the queen wont act normally and soon die. :(

Oh crap, that means I gotta buy more. Any Ideas on minimum tank requirements?

A friend of mine kept a group of 5 animals. 1 queen en 4 workers. he had a tank of 7 ft by 3ft. this may sound a bit small for a queen seabadger, but like in bees and ants, the queen doesn't seem to move around a lot.

after a few years his queen died and this also ment the end for the workers, they died shortly after.

if you do get some, make sure there aren't any soldier seabadgers in the group. if that is the case, you best don't put your arms in the tank, you'll have them back in 5 or 6 pieces. :twisted:

Should we exploit them for their seemingly beautiful coverings? :twisted:

"Seemingly" beautiful. They are, in fact, permeated by a huge quantity of slightly toxic mucous.

Look what I found. Even though these syringes don't look too extraordinary. The Blue one contains the agent for neutralizing the toxins, The Red one is an antivenin and the Green one is the vaccine.

Apparently the toxins cause severe pain and respiratory problems, though this is unlikely to be fatal since no one has been bitten, scientists warn swimmers to keep an eye out as they are expecting the population to increase.

i think you are getting mixed up with the indonesian species...

the eurasian species which i was refering to (Meles aquatica) is only just a wee bit bitter to taste rather than toxic :)

So they're good eatin?

Found some for sale, do they ship well, and what do I feed it?

So they're good eatin?

Ever wonder what's in hot dogs?

:nofeet: :nofeet: :nofeet:

do they ship well?

living or dead?

Hope they have better survivabilitly rates than bandensis :D After finding out that these sea-badgers were quite common two restaurants owned by brothers have been opened with their speciality: Fillet C-Badger. Unfortunately this is the indonesian species.

This means that like pufferfish or fugu in Japan, you could Get sick if not properly prepared. Scientists are now trying to find the organ in which these toxins are created, but for now, the cheefs say its the gall bladder.

I thought it was created in the appendix?

the fur can cause digestive problems too!!!!
:grad:

Yeah I heard about that.
Also make sure the bones dont get suck in your teeth.

of course we could also call Discovery and enlist some Mimics to get close to Archi or Messie.....

You know, it just might work. :)

Ah ha! I just found what that thing was one the right side of Colin's Pic.

Big pic of mimic: http://www.divetrip.com/kungkungan/mimic1.jpg

Brilliant of Colin, eh?

:lol: (at your avatar)


Colin brilliant? Nah.



J/k :heee:

Steady on there BOE.... I've got my trained seabadgers, sea foxes and King seamonkeys all ready to launch at you!!!! :x :x :x







:P

:shock:

Youve TRAINED them!?!?!!?



:goofysca: Ill behave.






:lol:

didn't you know? seabadgers are more intelligent than dolphins.

they are excellent to train. in fact, some keepers put a few rings and balls in their seabadger tank for enrichment.

I wonder why seaworld never thought of an act with seabadgers.

They probably dont keep them because many a man want their fur.

King sea monkeys? don't sea badgers feed on them. I'll just stay here watching your army crumble :lol:

No. The seafoxes eat the king seamoneys and the seabadgers eat the seafoxes.

And....us.... :shock:

Then what feeds on it? The indonesian species must have toxins for a reason.

Whatever eats the Mimic Octo that's mimicing it. :)

after some research, i've found out that the only natural predator of the indonesian seabadger is the greater saltwaterparrot!!! these birds are unable to fly but are great swimmers. they only come to land to lay eggs.

for some reason they seem resistant to the seabadgers toxins

however saltwaterparrots are on the endangered specieslist and on the virge of extinction.

if this is the case, seabadgers may reproduce quickly enough to turn into a plague

I hereby wish to start up the STSWPF (Save The SaltWaterParrots Fund). Any donations to try and save this beautiful animal can be made to my bankaccount. :mrgreen:

:lol:

You people are SILLY!

We know, but you got to admit, sillyness on this site = fun :heee:

I wouldn't know anything about that. :roll:

well, it doesn't hurt to be crazy!!!!!

lucky me :jester: :jester: :jester:

I wouldn't know anything about that. :roll:

Sure....


:lol:

Damn those sea-parrots :x