[Octopus]: Gideon- O'Hummelinki

corw314

Colossal Squid
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Well....Jess and I took another trip out to Pa on Saturday, Nov. 10th. Stopped at that Pet Place. Bought what they said was a vulgaris. Upon returning home while dripping I saw eyespots, so I'm guessing what Gideon is from others thoughts as well is an adult O'Hummelinki. He's missing a leg but it is regrowing.The first 3 days he was pacing constantly, which worried me. Refused a piece of shrimp, but my hope was because he was carrying snails around with him that he was eating them. Yesterday he finally started to calm down and found a spot to sleep in the back of the tank. This afternoon he was out by the waterline, trying to flatten himself as flat as the glass. I offered him the tail of a shrimp and I'm happy to say he ate it!!! Keeping fingers crossed. Not sure how much time I will have with him, but so far so good!
 
Not sure how much time I will have with him, but so far so good
I remember thinking the same with Octane and he was with me for 7 months and would likely have lived close to 8 had I not left the top open :sad: after doing an extra water change.
 
I can't believe it's been more than a month since I reported in. Gideon is doing just fine. A day active octopus. His arm is growing back nicely! He eats snails, frozen shrimp and rock crab claws. We find him watching us constantly. When I feed him, he lets me pet him between his eyes. So far, doing very well. He sleeps in the back bottom corner of the tank holding snail shells and a suction cup that got away. I have not noticed much growth at all, so I'm thinking he is an adult. Unfortunately at this time, I have no new pictures as most that I have been taking is of my daughter as she has been so active between football, band competitions and band concerts! Hopefully I will have some new ones to post soon!!!
 
As an encouragement on age, Octavia is still with us (8 months) and active even after her decline and my expectations that she would not be here when we returned from our trip. During our absence she developed a white spot on one arm and swelling. I treated with oral antibiotic and may have overdosed her as she inked the tank (and I mean INKED the tank to the point where you could not see into it). Fortunately, I had a suitable empty tank since Yeti has not outgrown her smaller one and moved her once she stopped the inking. The arm is completely swollen now and I have again treated with tetracycline but it does not seem to have an impact and have now stopped the meds. Other than the arm, she seems to be healthier than when we left. Her color is now quite strong (very grey when we left) and she eats very well.
 
Gideon is still with us. He comes out on a daily basis and has learned he can swim the width and the length of the tank. It's really quite funny to watch as he pushes off the the highest part of the tank and swims the whole length of the 70 gallon. I put 2 green crabs into the tank and so far, I think they have become food!!! He seems to be doing very well. Observes us at times but is not very interactive.

I have some news but sad news. I had a delivery about a week ago from saltwaterfish.com. He arrived alive, I think ate a snail and a hermit, but on Friday morning I was concerned as he had the curlycue look to his arms. Last night when I returned home from work he was gone. Not sure what he was, I'm thinking some type of adult dwarf. Saltwaterfish did honor their guarantee policy, so I do have a credit with them but even though he was with me such a short amount of time I'm sad he did not survive. I attached a photo with a quarter in it so you can see the size.
 
If this one had been from anyone but Saltwater.com I would suspect a the small Indonesian macropus we see a lot but I don't think they import from there. What colors did it show when alive?

Can't tell similarities from the photo but my new girl (?) looks like a dwarf. I am thinking (hoping and biased) that it is another "O. monty" but can't tell. It is currently night active and Monty was diurnal and I have not seen it in tank lighting to look for the identifying eye spot. So far the colors are white and almost black (not reddish in anyway). It can change colors/patterns faster than any other species I have noted (not just fast but instantaneously across the body). I am wondering about an invasive species from further south. Some of the comments we heard (all layperson second guessing) in AU were that they were seeing more northern animals that they attributed to warming waters (and AU is having an excessively hot summer right now).
 
Sadly Gideon passed away sometime towards the beginning of March. I know he was old when i bought him so was pleased i had a few months with him. He never warmed up to us and was very antisocial. We never found his remains as i think the worm population devoured him.
 

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