Fecha's Journal

simple

Vampyroteuthis
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Oct 10, 2007
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I just received my octopus from Live Aquaria. I decided to name it Fecha (yes, theres a story behind it but ill save you guys the boredom..) Fecha was very active when i took her out of the bag. She was changing colors, and i especially liked one of the color changes which involved her becoming white then flashing brown stripes on her legs. After drip acclimating her for 2 hours i put her in a "critter cage" and place that inside her new 110 gal. aquarium.
She has been very active inside her critter cage as well. She even followed my hand when i placed it on the tank, and did some cool "bouncing-like" motions. I will feed her some live crabs in about half an hour. Once i get my cameras software uploaded onto the pc ill take pics and post them.
I believe she is A. Aculeatus, but i'm not sure
 
oh thats good news then, i was hoping she'd be aculeatus
PS: I just got Flecha to eat a piece of shimp that i bought from the supermarket. It took some enticing but she eventually grabbed it, tucked it under herself and started flashing these dark red colors, sometimes with white spots. It was very cool.
 
Simple,
Maybe Roy will also suggest on the "bouncing" motion but I think it is sort of a "challenge". Initially I would bounce back with Sistrurus but after thinking about it, I make a different movement (side to side rather than up and down) to acknowledge his attention but to attempt a non-aggressive signal. Remember, I am totally non-scientific in my observations and conclusions (as well as having very limited experience) but hope others will share similar observations and reactions when I post.

Please DO share her naming story, that's half the fun of the names!
 
oh i didnt respond to the bouncing i just sat in a chair and admired her. Ok well here goes the name story: i live in miami, so i, along with about 80% of the people here speak spanish. In an attempt to interest my friend in octopuses and help her spanish (shes taking classes for it in school) i taught her how to say octopus in spanish (pulpo). The next day when i quizzed her and asked her how to say it she immediately responded "Fecha!" which is spanish for the date (like what day it is), im guessing this was a new word she learned in her beginners spanish class, but i found it funny how confident she was in her knowledge, so i decided to play along. I eventually told her the truth after she gave me the whole explanation on how quickly she learns new languages, and how it was a skill shes always had. She was pretty embarrassed but we had a good laugh. Hence, my octopus' name
 
Congratulations and welcome to Fecha! Live aquaria seems to have healthy young octopuses for sale right now. I've already added her to the List of Our Octopuses

This bouncing you mention - could it be head bobbing?

Nancy
 
yes it might. At first she moved most her body up and down. her arms were holding on to the bottom but what ever wasnt holding on was moved up and down. Later she did the same thing but just with her head. Shes quite interesting and seems to respond whenever she sees me by changing colors. She also attempted to imitate what i think might be sea grass or something similar. She stretched out into a thin long figure and just hung around like that for a bit, but eventually gave up and went back to her normal shape.
 
Congrats on your octo! I might have to get one from LA as well... I seem to be a follower as to where I get my octos :biggrin2:. I just don't know if I want to wait more for a cuttle or hope there are some available after my probverbial octopus passes. Decisions, decisions.

Can't wait for pics.
 
I notice that you titled this thread Fecha's Journal and I hope that you will continue to post as she grows and for as long as you have her. Same for the rest of you with cephs - these accounts are both interesting and useful for the infomation they give us. You will have a big audience, I guarantee!

Nancy
 
well amazingly Fecha figured out how to open her "critter cage" (by sliding the door back and then pushing up) and she is now free in my main tank. I saw her hiding behind a rock but she hasnt come out since then. There are two live shrimp in the tank with her and several snails in there too in case she gets hungry.
 
simple;104059 said:
well amazingly Fecha figured out how to open her "critter cage" (by sliding the door back and then pushing up) and she is now free in my main tank. I saw her hiding behind a rock but she hasnt come out since then. There are two live shrimp in the tank with her and several snails in there too in case she gets hungry.

Hee! I love it when pets turn out to be cleverer than planned! I'm glad she didn't get into any trouble, of course...
 
yea shes pretty smart. I was going to post pics of her today but im not sure if i will still be able to. It depends on whether shell come out today or not since i cant see her anymore. I'm hoping Tropical Strom Noel won't hit us... i have a back up battery air pump and extra saltwater, but its still a pain to have the power go out.
 
ok, well still no sign of Fecha but i decided to show you guys a pic of her home, a 110 gal. tank.
 

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Simple,
Unless you have that one rock glued in (the one highest in the tank and against the overflow), you might consider relocating it to where it won't present a potential toppling hazzard.

If you can find a conch shell or some of the large purple and white barnacles (or a clay pot) without any form of treatment, you might try placing it near the front to see if she likes it as a den. Several of the octos have chosen a smooth surfaced "container" over just hiding in the rock. In her final days, Trapper would only stay on smooth surfaces as if the rough rock was uncomfortable but she preferred the barnacles over the rock even before she was at the end of her life. My captive raised (wild conceived) Mercs all chose different kinds of homes but at 7.5 months they are starting to seek out the smoother surfaces.

You may want to add a little more live food while she is adjusting. Your tank is so large that the density is extremely sparse and may prove problematic for her to hunt. Once she is accustom to you and your feeding schedule there should not be a problem. With the pygmies, I have found that squirting a little zoo plankton (I like Cyclop-eeze but even some Zooplex or other food you may have around might work) around the rockwork will bring out a arm to feed.

Keep recording! I hope to get an aculeatus once my three in the 45 live out their lives so your adventures help keep my impatience at bay.
 
ok ill move that rock. Currently she has some live shrimp, but i couldnt get live crabs. Yesterday, she ate a frozen shrimp that i thawed but since she got out of her little acclimation tank i havent seen her. I have a shell i can place in there. I am worried since yesterday she only ate a bit and i doubt shes eaten today, but i know i should just be patient.
 

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