[Video]: Cuttlefish eating a fish

**tonmo** · May 22, '03, 1:44pm

TONMO.com member joel_ang has submitted this great video of his cuttlefish stalking and easily conquering a not-too-alert little fish. True to being a cephalopod, notice how the cuttle flashes a pattern as it snatches its meal (see snapshot below).

Click image to play video (1 megabyte):

We have a pretty good example of an octopus doing the same thing (flashing color as it snatches its food) in the TONMO.com Video Gallery.

**Clem** · May 22, '03, 2:14pm

Yikes. It's fun to go frame-by-frame through the cuttlefish video; the little beast flashes spots only when the fish is secured within the arms. Despite the cuttle's decisive advantages in size, speed and "firepower," it doesn't attack the fish until it's back is turned. The cuttle seems to "know" that when a fish presents a profile view, the cuttle is in the fish's field of vision.

Great video, Joel.

Clem

**mikeconstable** · May 23, '03, 12:46am

Very interesting video, and can see changes in skin profile (texture) with the slider, thanks.
Noticed a large texture 'horn' on underside of cuttlefish, does this have a function? (digging into sand?).
Any idea of species of cuttlefish?

**Colin** · May 23, '03, 3:10am

nice vid!

Have you not had any bother with the size of the aquarium and the cuttlefish jetting off backwards into the glass?

C

**Colin** · May 24, '03, 5:18am

hi again :)

was it collected locally or was it shipped from abroad to you?

Cheers

**L S** · Jun 11, '03, 12:08am

Hey u know wat? I got exactly the same cuttlefish as you! I can't be sure but i think it is a sp. Latimanus.

So which LFS did u get yours from? Reborn or Sealife?

Cheers,
LS