Amphioctopus marginatus - Ned and Anna Deloach

[DWhatley]

Please see my note on the Wunderpus photogenicus thread introducing Ned and Anna DeLoach.

In addition to the Wunderpus video and article, Anna exhumed this 2008 encounter from their archives and forwarded the link so that I could share.

 

[octo..]

Do Octopus Marginatus usually pair like they did in the video?

 

[DWhatley]

I don't know but I do know that Mote found a pair of very young O. vulgaris living similarly and kept them together in the aquarium there where they lived out a full life. In the case of the vulgaris, I believe they were the same, not opposite sex. Just guessing from my limited experience with O. mercatoris, I would put a very small wager on the pairs in both cases being siblings.

 

[octo..]

Has anyone ever kept a Marginatus in an aquarium before? if so how many gallons

 

[DWhatley]

The only known attempt was at Steinhart (California Academy of Sciences). Thales et al brought back a couple from the Philippines and was on display through its natural life. The one thing Richard noted is that they don't ship well but, if they survive shipping shock they do well in an aquarium environment. They hope to keep more in the future.

 

[mucktopus]

Very interesting. This calls for some fieldwork! Oh to have the time!

 

[Thales]

Hopefully in November, I'll have some more info for you.