eIn my octo tank I have only a couple of things to break the live rock look. A few green metallic mushrooms (3) and a sea matte. I was unware that octos like to eat sea mattes. After see him drag the sea matte (its mounted on a rock) down to the sand bed he jumped on top of the coral like he does all new "posessions" and parachuted it. He had never fooled with this coral previously, or dislodged it. I couldnt get anywhere near it without him changing colors to match the sand. etc. He did this for about 3-4 hrs. When I finally tried to take it away by hand we had a tug-of -war and he desprately tried to drag it into his den. I see why, he was using it for food. He ate half the matte!!! I have included a pic from before the incident. I have also included an "after pic". The coral has closed up, which would be normal for it during times of the day, but when he came off of it after 3-4 hrs, it was half gone and the perimeter of the missing part had long serated marks from the top to the bottom like it had been knawed or eaten, like teeth marks on a chocolate bar. The second pic shows this although not in great detail as my zoom on my camera stinks. Can anyone shed any light on this or other corals that might not be appropriate for an octo tank.

I think I read that you shouldn't have any corals and octos together because some coral can sting and need lots of lighting...

I know that alot are not practical due to the delicate nature of the octo skin, but mushrooms do not sting as far as I know and neither does the sea matte. Im sure if it was he wouldnt have spent 4 hrs eating it, fighting me for it and then trying to drag it into his den. As far as their health, in fact, they are THRIVING under the artinic and especially the moonlighting. Well...let me append that, the sea matter WAS thriving. I was more curious to know whether this eating was normal, esp since he had already eaten 2 crawfish earlier that day. I did not realize dessert was on the menu too.

I cant think of an octo eating coral...did you really see him bite it off or just take it to his den?

To be honest I think cephs will eat anything that is even vaguely food like, although they're usually triggered by movement. Maybe your sea matte is the equivalent of octopus candy or dessert! They are inquisitive and can "taste" with their suckers so if they trailed over the coral and it "tasted" safe and edible........well the rest is history!

Cheers

jean

Though I didnt see him bite in because it was underneath him, he kicked it off a rock "shelf", maybe inadvertanly, and that movement triggered him. It was him though, after 4 hrs he got up, and half was gone, then when I tried to get that half back, we had a quick tug-of-war, and I got it in the end as he was trying to drag it to his den for keeps I guess.

Kang was just being an octopus! I think we'll have to tell people that just about nothing is safe in an octo tank. Your sea mat is, after all, animal, not plant.

We've all had these experiences. By the time my bimac finished, not a rock was where I had put it, things were upside down, anything fragile would have been destroyed. And there is the tale (on this website) of the octo who snapped off a featherduster and put in in front of his den.

Kang is quite a character, if somewhat destructive.

Nancy

Could it be that he saw a food item near or ontop of the matte jumped on it, thought the sea matt was its prey, started chewing then realised it tastes kinda good?

I really can't imagine an octo doing sucha thing but odd stuff does happen.

I really can't imagine an octo doing sucha thing but odd stuff does happen.

You're not wrong there, Joel, after all we had one who chewed stainless steel (bit through it too! :shock: )

J

:yuck:

I have seen amphipods hiding out amongst corals and disc anemones, perhaps kang initially went after them...

I have been trying to say for quite a while that nothing is safe in an octo tank... 8)

Doesn't he know that metal tastes......yucky :yuck:

I have seen amphipods hiding out amongst corals and disc anemones, perhaps kang initially went after them...

I have been trying to say for quite a while that nothing is safe in an octo tank...

Pretty much what I've been trying to say.

octos are pretty darn greedy and will eat anything thats small /big enough

Doesn't he know that metal tastes......yucky :yuck:



Apparently not!...........And you know this ...how?

J

I would agree!! By the misfourtnate chance of ever biting into Tin Foil! :goofysca:

I was a dumb kid and stuck a coin or two up my mouth once, ok, twice at the most and i can tell you I stopped. Sigh......If only metal tasted like candy...............the world would be like heaven. :)

I would agree!! By the misfourtnate chance of ever biting into Tin Foil! :goofysca:

Ahh tinfoil. Musta been the probing. :)

Nope, just baked taters from the south. And grilled corn!!! Can't get enough or all the tinfoil removed everytime.

Probing, wait was that you!!!! :shock:

:lol:

Were you there when I shared my experiences with that? :heee:

No were is it? or on chat have missed all :(

Yeah it was on the chat. I guess you should get on next chat...

will try and plan on it!! 8)

p.s. - dont bite tinfoil!!! :P

What about aluminum? :twisted:




:lol:

potato, patatoe :P

I made a tinfoil squid!! :D

I'll post it once I find the digicam :heee:

Sweet. 8)

:shock: :lol: 8)

I made a tinfoil squid!! :D

I'll post it once I find the digicam :heee:

That reminds me, I should probably get my duct tape and Coke can squid posted here, and my Sharpie cap cuttlefish...

:shock:

Yall must have alot of free time.

In fact I do BOE!

Darn I was too lazy to upload :)