[Octopus]: Briareus and bristle worms

[RCLasley]

Hey guys!

I was able to get a new baby briareus back in March who has been doing great!

She is much different than the previous two Bimacs I had! I have to say, I think I prefer the Bimacs to be honest.

None the less we adore her!!

I just went to drop a crab in her tank as she was out and moving around hunting for food and I noticed she had a bristle/fire worm stuck under her. Has anyone seen this before? I wouldn’t imagine they eat these things?

 

[Tomh]

Hi, how are you? Be very careful they can be harmful to your octopus! Check tank after lights are out for awhile to see how many and how big they are? Take a pic of one if you can? There are other worms that look like them. If you k ow where your octopus is move a rock or two to see if you can locate one. Wear gloves! Thanks Tom

 

[RCLasley]

Hi, how are you? Be very careful they can be harmful to your octopus! Check tank after lights are out for awhile to see how many and how big they are? Take a pic of one if you can? There are other worms that look like them. If you k ow where your octopus is move a rock or two to see if you can locate one. Wear gloves! Thanks Tom

Hi, Tom! Doing good in my neck of the woods! Hope you are doing good as well!

I have looked in the past and seen only one or two thankfully there isnt an infestation I have seen! Maybe I will look into those 3D printed traps and see if I can catch any!

She tends to hang out under a base rock of the arch we have. That structure is cemented together so I would not be able to move. It is probably 50+ lbs!

I have not seen her since I snapped the picture but that is normal for her. We usually see her for a few minuets maybe 2-3 times a week if we are lucky. She is very very shy! I will update the thread once I see her again and hopefully can get a visual under her

 

[Rosco]

I’m pretty sure I lost an octopus to bristle worms. Come to find out I was infested. I have sense exterminated the tank of all worms.

 

[RCLasley]

I’m pretty sure I lost an octopus to bristle worms. Come to find out I was infested. I have sense exterminated the tank of all worms.

Good to know! I made a trap for them yesterday but did not catch any. Will keep trying though!

 

[RCLasley]

I have an idea on what was going on but still no concrete evidence. I saw her briefly yesterday but as soon as the tank light came on she was gone and has not been seen since. She is the most shy and timid of all my octopus'

My theory is the crab I put in the tank for her (bigger than a fiddler I harvested them at the local beach) attracted the worms and in the process of her eating it the worm must have gotten entangled/she grabbed it. That is the only thing I can think of. After her being the size of a finger digit when I got her and now being what I assume is full grown and this having never happened for I am inclined to think the bigger crabs and longer time it would take for her dispatch and eat brought the worms out.

My last order of Fiddlers came almost all DOA. Out of 5 dozen I had 12 or so live after the 1 week mark. The heat is brutal in TX. She is not a huge fan of shrimp or clams either.

Will continue to update as I know more. I would assume she will be out sometime in the next day or two to hunt so I will see what I can find out find then!

 

[RCLasley]

Still no sightings as of this morning. I added another crab two days ago and the remainder of the shell was found yesterday morning. I really wish she would come out!

 

[Tomh]

How old is she? Big?

 

[RCLasley]

How old is she? Big?

I received her March 8th and she was about the size of a finger digit then. Now she is quite large but I do not see her often enough to give an accurate size description. Maybe from tip to tip 12-13 inches across?

 

[RCLasley]

This morning when I got up for work she was on the glass eating a snail. There was no signs of a bristle worm thank goodness!

I dropped another crab in the tank and started getting ready for work. When I was done I checked on her and she had located and was eating the crab!

 

[Tomh]

Awesome!