I got a great birthday package from KP Aquatics yesterday with a lot of fun extras and my new little guy. I was very excited when I looked at this energizer bunny of an octo because I am 75-80% guessing it is the same unknown species I kept in 2011 (Monty - I don't know why the initial posts are marked 2006). The more I looked at pictures, the more I felt that they may be the same and then I noticed an absence of webbing. Fortunately, the little guy came out again tonight and I found the missing, very thin, spotted webbing that would keep my hopes alive.
After acclimation, it (thinking he because of what appear to be enlarged suckers in the acclimation photo but it may not be sexually mature) disappeared and I had not expected to see him again for awhile. However, after lights out, he was on the glass not once but twice and dancing madly. The dancing may have to do with not understanding the glass wall. It has an arm length of about 3 inches and mantle of about an inch (measured against my index finger while on the glass) it was a tiny whirlwind the two times it came out. Very rapid and extreme color changes and very curious. I have observed that the behavior seen in the first two weeks is usually different than after full acclimation so I am hoping, like Monty, he will be diurnal. I don't think the over activity was senescent but I have not seen one act quite like this. It is somewhat reminiscent of the aculeatus dance and you can see an unexpected resemblance in my initial acclimation photos.
Yeti was moved to her big girl tank (the tube tank) over the weekend. She is still small for O. briareus but her arms are quite long and I believe she may have needed the larger tank so the timing worked well to make room for this one. If it grows to Monty size, this tank (~ 40 gallons + 15 gallon sump) will be suitable for his/her life.
After acclimation, it (thinking he because of what appear to be enlarged suckers in the acclimation photo but it may not be sexually mature) disappeared and I had not expected to see him again for awhile. However, after lights out, he was on the glass not once but twice and dancing madly. The dancing may have to do with not understanding the glass wall. It has an arm length of about 3 inches and mantle of about an inch (measured against my index finger while on the glass) it was a tiny whirlwind the two times it came out. Very rapid and extreme color changes and very curious. I have observed that the behavior seen in the first two weeks is usually different than after full acclimation so I am hoping, like Monty, he will be diurnal. I don't think the over activity was senescent but I have not seen one act quite like this. It is somewhat reminiscent of the aculeatus dance and you can see an unexpected resemblance in my initial acclimation photos.
Yeti was moved to her big girl tank (the tube tank) over the weekend. She is still small for O. briareus but her arms are quite long and I believe she may have needed the larger tank so the timing worked well to make room for this one. If it grows to Monty size, this tank (~ 40 gallons + 15 gallon sump) will be suitable for his/her life.