H.P. Lovecraft - A. aculeatus... I think...

[skywindsurfer]

No lights probably work best with a nocturnal animal, but I think dim lighting would be better for a diurnal animal. It would be light enough for it to still see it's surroundings clearly, but still dark enough for it to hide. Then you could go fully dark when it's time for the lights to regularly go off.

 

[SabrinaR]

Shes eatting! YAY! I put some shore shrimp and a crawfish in the tank. After a while of chasing the shrimp and not catching them she saw the crawfish and jumped on it.

 

[DWhatley]

Waldo took some time to adjust but I believe he is now active during the day.

I have only had success with live shrimp if they were either very large (eating sized and slow) or the octo was in a small environment (breeding net) and very young. Other than that, live shrimp are typically too fast and learn quickly to avoid the octopus MOST of the time. Freshly killed or damaged ones work well though and are easy to stick feed if you put it tail first into a drinking straw.

 

[CaptFish]

In waldos case he is a little small to east a whole shrimp. So i dont feed him live shrimps, he just gets stick fed. He snacked on some snails, and he ate the legs and claws off the two left over decorator crabs I got from Tom for Izzy, but the bodies where too big for waldo. I feed him half a frozen shrimp tail everyday in the morning and sometimes i give him a small piece for diner, but that one is more just to have some interaction.

Waldo is active 100% of the day, He only goes to his Den late at night. about 11pm. Then he is awake by 9am.

 

[SabrinaR]

Good to know. She has been hidden most of the day except when she was hunting. I wont worry then. In truth I was worried until I saw her hunting. Now I feel much better.

When I got home with my shrimp, in the bucket was 2 small squid (alive) and a wierd fish... it swims and walks... I dont have a clue what it is.


I have no idea what to do with the squid.

 

[skywindsurfer]

I'll take the squid. I'll pay for them if you can ship them.

 

[DWhatley]

TAKE PHOTOS! Unfortunately they won't likely live very long if they are squid but keep the water moving, preferably in a round bucket with circular current with an air stone (old salt bucket would be good). Unfortunately Steve's last squid project was cancelled. You might PM him so that he will see the situation later today (NZ time).

 

[skywindsurfer]

Where and how did you collect the squid? I've been trying to get my hands on some sepioteuthis sepioidea.

 

[SabrinaR]

I went to the bait shop. I bought shore shrimp and when I got home, in the bucket was 2 squid and a funky fish along with a bunch of shrimp. They are alive for now. But I dont know anything about squid.

I dont think they would survive shipping skywind.... But like I said, I know nothing about them.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Yea they are extremely hard to ship as far as I know, and they are pretty hard to keep. It's almost the same principal as keeping cuttlefish if you are planning the keep them. Can you post some pictures of them. The best thing you can do is put them in a large circular holding bucket/tank with a nice rotating flow and a sandy bottom. They need a large open tank to survive.

 

[skywindsurfer]

If you put them in a medium to large bag with sand for them to lay in and fill it about 1/2 - 2/3 with water and the rest with pure oxygen, ship them over night, that might do the trick. I'm just curious to know what kind you have. Sepioteuthis Sepioidea was the original ceph I was going to put in my 250 but I cant find anyone around here to supply them. Are you planning on keeping them? If so I wouldn't put them with your octopus.

 

[SabrinaR]

Large round aquarium... like the kind for a jelly fish or cuttlefish...that I dont have... I do have a bucket so thats good. I will be posting pics of them tonight. I also shot a short video. I have to wait for my husband to come home before I can get them off the camera.

 

[DWhatley]

Unfortunately only the bobtail squid typically from Hawaii) have proven suitable for the home aquarium but it will be fun to give it a try. Steve has had some success raising a pelagic (look for squid cams in past posts) species but it is rare. Round containers seem to be part of the key as well as feeding a changing diet. Here is a link to the aborted squid cam Steve started early this year and there may be some thoughts to consider if you want to try to keep them alive.

 

[SabrinaR]

LOL no I dont plan to keep them. I planned on them dying as I had no way to take care of them... but I am willing to give them to you skywind if you want them. I cant evem say they will survive the night. How much flow is the right amount? I tried putting a nano powerhead in with them... and it pushed them ALL over the place is that right?

 

[DWhatley]

I wish we had videos of the squid cam. The flow Steve kept was gentle but constant and circular. These will not likely be bottom dwelling animals so skip any kind of sand if you ship them. Your octo would likely eat them if you want to try them as food. Are you sure they are squid?