Can I Buy this Octo?

[Terri]

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Still no sign of him...... I'm beginning to fear that he crawled into a rock and died. I'm going to check the water parameters tonight to see if there's any sort of ammonia or nitrate spike indicating dead livestock, but the shore shrimp and the fiddlers in the tank are doing just great. I keep hoping to find empty, broken crab shells - at least I'd know my reculsive pet is taking nourishment.
Tomorrow afternoon will be one week since I put him in the tank.
Sue

 

[DWhatley]

I wish I could say your worries are unfounded but I am always on pins and needles for the first two weeks (what I call the "real" acclimation time). On the other hand, your experience (or lack of ) is not uncommon and has no "standard" outcome. Carol almost never saw the animal before "Squid" and eventually decided it died after several months. Just after putting Squid in the tank, babies hatched. Our newest (yet to be named but it will probably get tagged with something like Phantom, Specter or Casper) has been seen only once since leaving the breeder net so I am sharing your pain.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Well thank you because I actually find that very comforting. Part of me is sad because I'm afraid he died, part of me feels guilty because I think I may have killed him (improper acclimation, some water parameter is off, etc.) but part of me is still hopeful and still finds it exciting to keep checking the tank because I am going to be SO HAPPY if and when I see a sign of him! So thanks for keeping me encouraged and you'll all be the first to know if and when I see a sign. (Well, actually the neighbors may be first because I may let out a scream).
Sue

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Red Lighting? Not exactly, but close!

So in an effort to not spook the octo by checking for him with a flashlight so often I have taken the advice of others and tried to turn the tank a constant "red". This is hopefully bright enough for me to be able to spot him if he ever leaves his rock but not bright enough to bother him. What do you think?

 

[corw314]

Very cute little octopus! Give it time! What was it almost 6 weeks Squid was hiding? I had lots of tiny creatures in the tank for Squid to eat. I remember deciding to do a physical search and picked up the critter pen and there was a very mad tiny little octopus. He's probably observing you but you just can't see him!!! LOL...

 

[DWhatley]

Watch the heat with the index folders. Is the sand still white? I know it is hard to photograph light effects.

Sometimes I think we should rename Journals and Photos to octopus support group (not excluding myself from the theme!)

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Very cute little octopus! Give it time! What was it almost 6 weeks Squid was hiding? I had lots of tiny creatures in the tank for Squid to eat. I remember deciding to do a physical search and picked up the critter pen and there was a very mad tiny little octopus. He's probably observing you but you just can't see him!!! LOL...

6 weeks??????? Oh my word, I hope he doesn't make me wait that long - I don't have that kind of patience! (Like I have a choice?) I'm heading to the shore Sunday to go fetch him some more goodies, just in case he's alive and well and hungry.

Watch the heat with the index folders. Is the sand still white? I know it is hard to photograph light effects.

Sometimes I think we should rename Journals and Photos to octopus support group (not excluding myself from the theme!)

I have no idea why the sand looks white in the photo - I was shocked when I saw the way it posted and quickly looked over at the tank..... not white in real life! Strange the way some cameras react to lighting and colors. I am keeping an eye on the heat.... the plastic index folders have been on the light for almost 7 hours now and they're fine so far. Just hope the little eight-armed mystery man likes the mood lighting.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Just a boring, discouraged update: two weeks yesterday and not a single sign of him.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Three weeks today..... no octopus sighting. But from someone who is grasping at straws and desperate for a sign of hope, I think one of the crabs I put in there is missing and I think I see a piece of crab shell behind a rock. I'm going to throw a few more crabs in and see if the population goes down. If this guy is still alive, he sure is bashful!
Sue

 

[DWhatley]

I wish I had encouraging words ... Hopefully it is alive and still just a shy animal and not dead or brooding.

 

[iAlex]

This may seem silly, but what time are you looking for him? I'm lucky if I can see mine in the daytime at all, but once the lights turn off (red LEDs still on 24/7) and midnight to one a.m. rolls around he is out just hanging onto the glass.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Yesterday was 6 weeks..... not a single sign of him. I've been very good and very patient.... haven't disturbed a single rock in the tank or done any aggressive searching...... I just keep red light on 24/7 and look for him several times throughout the day and night. I'm a night owl so late night / middle of the night viewings are frequent but unproductive. I think today I'm going to move some rocks. If nothing else I'll be able to determine if the "missing" crabs I put in there have been eaten by an octopus or if they are hiding in the rocks. At this point I'm not holding out much hope for finding a live octo but ANY evidence, either way, would be helpful.
Sue

 

[DWhatley]

Look in holes in the rocks with a flashlight and be very careful with them. If it is still alive then it is likely brooding. Sad that this one did not work out and I hope you are not totally discourage with trying to keep octopuses.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Look in holes in the rocks with a flashlight and be very careful with them. If it is still alive then it is likely brooding. Sad that this one did not work out and I hope you are not totally discourage with trying to keep octopuses.

Managed to resist the urge to move rocks this weekend but probably will (carefully) one night this week. I'm disappointed but not discouraged. Actually the reason I really want to know one way or another is so that I can start hunting for another one if this one is no longer with me. If at first you do not succeed . . . .
Sue