[Octopus]: Briarus hotel

I've not had much luck with leaving dead food on a stick in the tank (no clue why this is but it has been true for several species) with the exception of an open clam placed near the den with Shiitake. This was not an intended experiment though. Shiitake had taken the live clam to the back of the tank and may have pulled at it enough to weaken but not kill it. I retrieved it and put it in the front and it died the next day. I placed the open clam near her den and it was fully consumed by the morning. Pesky (the serpent star) investigated it but could not have cleaned out the shell so I assume Shiitake ate it.
 
Anyone kno why twitch would ink when she came to me to eat she wasn't scared or stressed she just inked and grabed the food out of my hand then stayed right there I thought they only inked when frightened??
 
Inking and then staying in the same spot is not typical of a scare but we have not come very far in interpreting octopus behavior (if there even is a universality since the have no mentors). I don't recall O.briareus inking much at all but have wondered if O. hummelincki needs to occasionally dump excess/stale ink after seeing the same kind of action in several adults.
 
Glad she's finally eating. Try DWhatley's trick. Wash your hands and arms really good, and take a bamboo skewer (without food) and slowly drag it across the rock. I do it near Houdini's den. it takes about 5, 10, or even 15 min and watching closely and you will see her come out. I used to just splash my hand about the top of the water and they would come out and see what the commotion was about. Then give them the skewer with the food. Can't wait to try the zip tied plastic ice cube on Houdini when she goes back in her tank.

Houdini Inked for me today when I was spring cleaning her tank. (removing tons of hermit shells and fiddler remains) She doesn't do it often that I notice, but I think she was probably pretty ticked off that I had to move her to the other tank while I wait to get a new pump in.
 
Wow I just watched twitch change from a rocky colored shade to a blue when lights came on and then change to a reddish as she went closer to the red lights that was pretty cool lol
 
I also noticed that here eyes had a bright ring around them almost like she was squinting but without eyelids can they cover parts of there eyes with a dark color like that to block out light
 
There is an outer eyelid like component to their eyes that also contains chromatophores (the pigment spots that partially create color change). I believe this may be the Iris but have never been able to confirm the biologic equivalency. I know they have an iris I am just not sure this outer skin is given this name, it does serve the function to control light. They will often make this skin as well as surrounding skin very dark when they feel threatened. It is thought that this makes them appear larger and is used to intimidate.
 
Ok cuz I watched it change when my lights went from red to regular light they got blacker and the ring appeared and was like almost shaped like she was squinting it happened so fast it's hard to see lol almost have to memory recall it
 
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Been awhile lol briarus hotel build has been taking up alot of my time with twitch but she is watching her new home b built lol but she seems to be out alot in the light lately and I can shine lights on her in the dark without a problem I think she is just a weird nocturnal beast lol
 

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