? - O. briareus

[DWhatley]

K&P Aquatics had no takers for the last little octopus they caught several weeks ago (posted June 24) and I had an empty tank soooo...



This little guy arrived on Tuesday. Along with our new unnamed critter, there was a second octopus in the package, this one coming home with them from their trip to Germany so I acclimated them together :




Once I got him out of the bag (more in second post), he found the LR and disappeared. No sitings today

 

[DWhatley]

This one is very young and still has bright blue eyes. I am expecting him to be O. briareus but after Yeti, I am only 75% comfortable with the guess . Because he is so small, I opted to scoot him out of the bag, expecting he would immediately swim to the live rock and disappear. That was not exactly how it went

 

[iAlex]

What a stubborn little guy!

 

[DWhatley]

Once in a Blue Moon

OK, so the phrase is over-used today but I could not waste the opportunity. I finally spotted the new guy tonight after many hours of searching since he entered the tank. I suspected he would be in an area that seems to be favored by the little ones but the usually used denning rock is reoriented with its openings closer to the new sand bed and I could find no little arms looking into the holes. However, Pesky (one of several red serpent stars that inhabit each our octopus tanks - all with the name Pesky - who have the habit of living close to a resident octopus and are usually not easy to locate unless there is an octopus in residence) has returned to the general area so I was pretty sure he was alive and close by. Just as I was about to give up my umpteenth search I spotted an octo eye He would not eat at the end of his acclimation (I have little luck with the young ones but usually am successful feeding the larger ones just before putting them into the tank). I tried small a piece of table shrimp but even with the shell on he just pushed it away. There are lots of large pods in the tank so I am hoping he is hunting successfully. Yeti took awhile to accept food from a stick in the same tank so I am optimistic. Mostly, I am relieved to find him in the rock and alive. I know I am the one who preaches patience but that does not relieve the worry .

 

[DWhatley]

I have not been able to find this little guy for two days and am worried. My son collected fiddlers at the in-laws new home in Savannah this weekend and they are a great small size for this one (and Yeti) but both that I released to the tank are unconsumed this AM. There are lots of larger pods in the tank but I would have expected him to find the crabs last night so am concerned about his health.

 

[DWhatley]

Still no sign of this little guy and I fear the worst. I put several small live fiddlers in the tank and for 3 days they remained alive. I have since added several others and they are disappearing so I am hoping they are not just dying in the LR but are being found and eaten. I have never had one (other than hatchlings) just disappear like this but the octo is small and the tank is large with lots of places to hide.

 

[corw314]

Somehow....I missed this new arrival...How many is this now??? And I though Squid was missing as I did not see him for a week and he was under the critter pen...

 

[DWhatley]

How many total or how many current . ATM, I have 3 (if this one is still alive and, sadly, I have serious doubts) and am getting an O. hummelincki this week. The new one is likely to be older judging from her picture and I fear she will not be with me long but she has had a rough life in the wild (very short arms) and I have a tank for her. If she turns out to be younger than I think and this one does not show up in a month, I will put her in this tank but have another she can use permanently if need be. I opted to take her because Octavia is getting very close to brooding but this one may be about the same age.