Ink - O. Briareus

[DWhatley]

Was there any kind of background motion? Sometimes my dogs will wonder in and the octos (until they are used to the dogs) will color or scoot to their dens. I see the odd inking fairly often in the little ones as they are getting bolder but very rarely in adults with the odd exception of O. hummelincki. It could be something as simple as the tongs being an odd temperature too.

 

[MimicryJP]

Its very possible about the tongs, she didn't ink until she touched them, my gf was in the background about 6 ft away watching so maybe too much at once.
I can see a significant difference in INKs behavior just in the past week, she is constantly out before 10pm now, sometimes around 6, and will take food as early as noon if offered. I've been keeping the lights off all day everyday for just under a week now, and Just turning the red lights on after work (5-6pm), maybe this is why the earlier viewings?

Jake

 

[DWhatley]

She may just be adapting to your routine as well as coming of age (becoming predator vs food - or becoming sexually mature, not sure but this seems to happen between 4 and 5 months). I would not change what is working right now though. Once she is consistently coming out at a regular time and starts warning you that you are messing with her den during cleaning (anything from arms coming out to out right grabbing - usually with no intent to do anything but warn but it can freak you out, even when you expect it. Octavia now wraps around my arm - a technique that I have not encountered before - when I clean, so far no bites but the only times I have been nipped have been during senescence and she is showing definite signs). Then you might think about changing lighting so you can see her better (always preface my suggestions with IMO/IME , I have kept a lot of octopuses BUT there is a lot to learn and I tend to stick with what works, other things might be just as effective).

 

[MimicryJP]

Thanks for the recommendations "D" I enjoy your input or should I say value your input. I've raised sharks, rays and reefs but the octopus is very different from anything I've ever had. They have a lot of personality and each species seems to be a lot different then the other. The o. briareus INK IMO has even more personality than Ursula the wunderpus photogenicus I recently had, even though Ursula spent a lot more time out of her den then INk, I believe INk is Definitly a little more fun. Here's a pick of INK stretching out of her den to take a peek at me. ( hour before inking lastnight)

Jake

 

[DWhatley]

Octopuses become addictive with little resistance, especially for people that have already been stricken with MTS Losing them to the miserably short lifespan is not enough to turn keepers away because the only thing worse than losing them is not having one join you for dinner (and as part of the fare ). I think part of the attraction is that they change over a their lives where fish are fairly consistent.

 

[MimicryJP]

I agree! they have such big personalities, just reading some journals and every specimen is different than the other even when they're part of the same species or family. This is definitely a great hobby, I'm addicted!

In the next week or so I'm going to start a 75g build for INk and I think once that's done I will be getting another octo for the 40 tall. In thinking a smaller species, any ideas?

Jake

 

[MimicryJP]

I posted the wrong pic of when ink was stretching out of her den, here is the right one.

Jake

 

[MimicryJP]

Does anybody know how to post a video directly from the iPhone?

 

[CaptFish]

Does anybody know how to post a video directly from the iPhone?

TONMO does not currently support video uploads. The best way to share is to use youtube or a similar site.

 

[MimicryJP]

Ok thanks, I just can't seem to adjust the videos to where they are not as blurry when posting them on YouTube. They're very clear when they're on my devices (iPhone, iPad) but turn blurry when on the website. I'll post another video I shot a couple nights ago before feeding INk. I was wiggling my finger in the water and he/she came right out after taking a peek around.

Jake

 

[CaptFish]

The blurry might come from the way youtube is compressing the file. maybe you could try vimeo.

 

[MimicryJP]

Ok thanks. I just got a video of ink coming out of her den for the first time under T5's. It was at 8am I walked into the room and INk was peering out at me from her den, so I decided to turn the lights on (I haven't turned the T5's on In almost two weeks). She began slowly coming out so I just took a seat next the aquarium and she swam right over to me.

I tried using vimeo but it came out blurry to, this one doesn't seem as blurry as the others on YouTube but I think it's because I uploaded it in HD instead.

Jake

 

[MimicryJP]

Ink is finally accepting frozen foods, or at least I think she is. I gave her a raw shrimp tail (just the tail, the whole thing was too big) lastnight. She grabbed it and took it to her den, I'm hoping she ate it but I have yet to find the remains of it.

Jake

 

[MimicryJP]

Speaking of frozen foods, has a anybody tried silversides?

 

[CaptFish]

I had an octo that ate them but only as a treat everyo now and then, from my understanding they do not provide a complete diet, like shrimp and crabs do.