Well, that's cool to hear that someone else has one of these babies! I just got my copy of Mark Norman's book "Cephalopods, a World Guide," today, and I'd say my octo doesn't have as much webbing as the pictures of O. luteus. It looks more like some of the macropus complex, the photo of O. macropus on p. 249 (the LFS was sure it isn't from the Caribbean), and most especially like the "Octopus sp. 11" on p.255. The mantle of the one I have isn't very pointy or oblong, more round.
The spots are always visible, it seems like the skin around them changes from red to white. The spots always look iridescent blue (filtered through red light, that is), but the intensity of them changes. I don't think the whole animal ever gets blue, though. The spots may be smooth or bumpy, but that is the extent of the texture. It does get a skunk stripe down the center of the head, but it's not always there, more of an aggression display. As a Motor City girl, I whole- heartedly agree that Jack is a great name for yours, Rich!
Elise measured it yesterday morning, and got 6 1/2 inches for mantle to arm tip. I completely trust her results, diabetic from 3 yrs, she's been dealing with numbers and measurements since she could count. But when I asked her WHICH ARM she measured... that was a different story. It's mantle is no longer than 2 in. The tank it's in is 55 gal., so if it gets too big I'll be looking for an aquarium to donate it to...
I'm not sure what time it wakes up, after 11:30 pm for sure. It is up in the morning and so far you can set your watch by it's bedtime, 8:30 am. It does hang out in the morning sunlight in the tank a bit.
Time to start a journal soon!
