Hello all. can anyone id ollie octopus for us

**ukdirtyboy** · Feb 06, '09, 12:44pm

hello
i am steve from the uk in nottingham
can anyone id ollie octopus for us

we got him from our local marine shop about two weeks ago

i have some picture and some video
would be very greatfull if someone could id him
thanks steve
Youtube video here

**monty** · Feb 06, '09, 1:00pm

at first I thought rubescens, but the patterning seems funny. Maybe aculeatus? Do you know where it came from?

**Animal Mother** · Feb 06, '09, 1:48pm

Some still shots would be helpful. Can't really make out much detail while it's squirming around.

**DWhatley** · Feb 06, '09, 2:32pm

I can tell you that Ollie is a sexually mature male, note the tightly curled arm (third arm clockwise - while the others are unfurled). Some of the things you can look for and/try to photograph that are helpful in iding an octo:

Location of capture

Arm length from the head (where it joins the animal, just below the eye) in proportion to the mantle length (just above the eye to the tip of the body) as well as a measured length of each.

Colors (browns, red - including shade brownish or very red, yellow/orange markings, exclude white in the list)

Color around tips of suckers

Colors seen on underside

Distinct patterning on mantle and false eye spots

"Eye lid" color

Time(s) of day most active

Amount of displayed cripsis (ability to raise bumps on the skin) when "hiding" in the rockwork. Some octos will show a slight pigtail or top knot when smooth if it is capable of changing its skin texturing.

**ukdirtyboy** · Feb 06, '09, 4:09pm

sorry for the delay ollie was playing hide and seek in the sump

hope this helps

**DWhatley** · Feb 06, '09, 4:28pm

The arm length in proportion to the body (mantle), thin long arms, lack of an eye spot and suggestion crypsis abilities as well as the know availability suggest aculeatus - anyone have a different diagnosis?

**ukdirtyboy** · Feb 06, '09, 4:48pm

my filckr page with more pictures
hope this helps
hes darting about like a nutcase at the moment

**DWhatley** · Feb 06, '09, 5:07pm

I hope Ollie is not in with the carpet and clowns as those two critters don't mesh well with little octos.

**ukdirtyboy** · Feb 06, '09, 5:51pm

no he has a nice sump with a diplay part just for him ...
untill his new home comes in two weeks and is setup

**DWhatley** · Feb 06, '09, 6:07pm

Ah, I did notice the partioned off carbon filter in one of the shots but did not put the observation into the mix. Do be aware that a well aged tank is especially important for an octo so even using aged LR and substrate in a tank upgrade needs adjustment time.

If this will be a new tank, cycling is a major factor. The standard TONMO cycle recommendation for a brand new tank is a minimum of 3 months but I would push for a minium of 6 months cycle time before adding an octopus.

Hopefully, you are aware that our wc friends rarely live more than a year in captivity as their natural life span is not much more than that. If you are lucky enough to get a very young one, you might have 18 months but typically, they are older when captured.

**ukdirtyboy** · Feb 06, '09, 6:29pm

thankyou very much for your help
so possible aculeatus then

taken from another site it is a very good likeness

video of my setup

**DWhatley** · Feb 06, '09, 8:42pm

Please tell me there is a full cover on Ollie's section of the sump! He will likely not be there or alive in the AM if there is not.

Your trigger is much more social than Winchester. We hardly seem him except at supper time.