Is this the end?

[Hayek]

Caligula, my Caribbean reef octopus, has not been eating well this week. He seems to have lost interest in shrimp, and he has been timid near the feeding stick and the feeding claw. He investigates the food, but he won't eat it. He is active and playful - just not eating. His skin also looks a bit more ragged than in months past.


I think he might be nearing the end of his life.

What sort of behaviors did you notice towards the end? Any ideas?

As always, thanks guys!

 

[DWhatley]

If you are not feeding any live food, you may try that. Ours will get grumpy about eating if they don't get a little variation in their diet. Unfortunately, both of mine have become very recluse. Creepy never became very interactive but KaySoh was out at dinner every evening and ate well even though she interacted like Legs and my male hummelinckis. With the colder weather both are recluse and now KaySoh is not eating (much, she did poop tonight so she is at least eating Cyclop-eze). This is likely that time of year (Tom has mentioned that the spring is when most of the babies are available and the last briareus brooded for 10 weeks). Also, both of mine (one for sure female and the other not known) have been redecorating their tanks and moving large objects considerable distances. This behavior has been noted just before brooding by several other briareus keepers so I am expecting the worst. There is no chance that KaySoh will have viable eggs but a slim chance that Creepy mated. Given her almost armless condition on arrival I kind of doubt it though.

You do have sort of an advantage with a male in that they don't seem to get moody like the females and are likely to stay interactive through the end.

 

[Hayek]

D, thank you very much for the supply. I believe Caligula was not eating because the shrimp was about 2 weeks old. I buy it by the quarter pound, and I was at the end of the batch. New shrimp solved the problem. My octo just doesn't like stale food. He also may have figured out that if he doesn't eat for a couple of days, he gets to eat live fish and snails.

 

[DWhatley]

We only buy a few at a time as it does seem to matter on how long they have been in the freezer. Two weeks seems about right but I would still consider a live meal every week. It turned cold here at a bad time and mine are out of live crabs. I am hoping next week will be better and will order some today but pay for heat packs.