#2 (Tuvalu)

Well, after a week in the tank Tuvalu has taken to eating the clean up crew. Doh! Found some turbo snail shells in her den. I don't see any hermits lingering about either.

She generally avoids the large urchin, but sometimes she seems to embrace the large Bahama Star... I don't know if she's tasting it, or trying to mate with it, or trying to get eaten by it... or what. She has some fascination with it though.
 
Animal Mother,
Both Carol and I have noticed that some serpent stars and octopuses hang out together and form some kind of bond. I had several serpents in the tank with Trapper but one in particular was always close to her den (even when she moved). I took out this star when she started brooding though for fear that it would try to eat the eggs (something I read but can't vouch for). This same star now stays in the den with my cuttlefish at all times (different tank).
 
Some video of Tuvalu I shot today.


I found her out running aroud at 11 this morning. Actually she was on the glass, eating yet another snail. I took it as a surprise because this is the first time I've seen her out before 4PM.
 
Serpent stars (and brittle stars) don't exactly form a bond with an octopus - octopuses are messy eaters, so there's food available by hanging around an octopus. We've had at least one case of the octopus getting quite annoyed at the star.

Nancy
 
Well, 21 days and I just found Tuvalu underneath my Bahama Star. Dead. I was afraid of that... I am considering using it as a frisbee. Stupid of me.

She was doing fine yesterday, no signs of any issues. Water is fine.
 
That is sad! You think the bahama star ate him or is just cleaning up? Tuvalu was a really cool octopus and you got some good footage of her. Saltwaterfish still has their octopuses on sale so at least that's a plus if you want another Filosus.
 
I'm pretty sure it ate her. Every single time I fed her there was Mr. Bahama Star trying to climb on top of her. She usually climbed into a crevice somewhere to eat so I imagine she did the same routine, and got trapped. The star is twice as big as she was. I had been looking for her since I got home this afternoon, and I kept noticing the star near her den, in the same place for a couple of hours. I finally decided something wasn't right and picked up the star, and there she was, halfway underneath the rock with a dead crab. There wasn't anywhere for her to go, so again, I'm pretty sure it trapped her and inverted its stomache... *explicit language goes here* I failed her. I remember reading someone elses post about the same thing and thought, "surely there was something wrong with that octopus" but at the same time, I knew the nature of this type of starfish. Geez... taking Mr. Bahama Star to trade in at a LFS sometime this week or maybe put it in the sump at work.

I am going to order another one, probably tonight. But it won't be Tuvalu :frown: *sigh*
 
:sad: :angelpus:

I guess there's no obvious way to tell if the star caused the death, or was just being opportunistic.

RIP Tuvalu
 
Very sorry about Tuvalu. I know you were very fond of her. RIP Tuvalu:angelpus:

No, you'll never really know, but it's much better to be cautious in the future - not only you, but all our octo keepers.

Nancy
 

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