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oh thats not good... I hate those little suckers.
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Looking to buy a cephalopod? Check out Tomh's Cephs Forum, and this post in particular shares important info about our policies as it relates to responsible ceph-keeping.
Kooah's Hatchlings - O.briareus
- Thread starter DWhatley
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- briareus hatchlings
Tank Statuses Day 9
I tried feeding a little earlier tonight (about 1:00 AM) and initially could not find any of the hatchlings but as I went from tank to tank and then returned, I was feeling much better. They seem to be associating the red flash light with feeding time but everytime I am sure this is the case, they do something that makes me doubt it.
2 Gallon Eggwhite Tank
Earlier in the evening I saw one of the little guys curled up and looking quite dead. I gently (fortunately) removed it and it made no attempt to move and was almost like jelly. As I went to put it into the alcohol for Gill, I noticed the mantle turing red and breathing. I don't believe this one will make it but at feeding time he looked better (assuming I saw the same one on the wall). Initially this was the only one I found in the tank that should have had atleast 2. On my second or third trip around the tanks, I spotted a much more lively one in the same tank and after a longer time the single octo came out in the other tank and still appears healthy. None of them would accept shrimp from the pipette tonight but the one by himself appeared to take a good sized piece that fell to the bottom. Susann found a red screw in lamp at Home Depot (Susann, if I failed to remember the correct store let me know soon) and if these guys live another week, I think I will look for one in our local store as it is very hard to see into these tanks.
MiniKressels
Not being used.
Footbath
Not being used.
Poision Tank
The small plankton pull that contains some very small fish and not sure what else is doing fine. I believe my issue with this tank was indeed that I did not fully remove the cleaner. I still won't put an octo in it but the little stuff seems to be surviving.
Yucky Water Tank
No sightings
Breeder Nets
First for sure sighting in a long time and the very first for this particular net (located in Puddles' sump). I may have seen one or two more but it is very hard to tell the difference between mysis eyes and baby octo eyes. If they don't choose to move out of the corner between the net and the supports, it is impossible. These are odd breeder nets and the octos can hide along several edges as well as within a white grid. I experienced this difficulty with the mercs as well.
Brood Tank
Saw and FED three tonight. Each took a good sized chunk of mysis and chowed down.
I tried feeding a little earlier tonight (about 1:00 AM) and initially could not find any of the hatchlings but as I went from tank to tank and then returned, I was feeling much better. They seem to be associating the red flash light with feeding time but everytime I am sure this is the case, they do something that makes me doubt it.
2 Gallon Eggwhite Tank
Earlier in the evening I saw one of the little guys curled up and looking quite dead. I gently (fortunately) removed it and it made no attempt to move and was almost like jelly. As I went to put it into the alcohol for Gill, I noticed the mantle turing red and breathing. I don't believe this one will make it but at feeding time he looked better (assuming I saw the same one on the wall). Initially this was the only one I found in the tank that should have had atleast 2. On my second or third trip around the tanks, I spotted a much more lively one in the same tank and after a longer time the single octo came out in the other tank and still appears healthy. None of them would accept shrimp from the pipette tonight but the one by himself appeared to take a good sized piece that fell to the bottom. Susann found a red screw in lamp at Home Depot (Susann, if I failed to remember the correct store let me know soon) and if these guys live another week, I think I will look for one in our local store as it is very hard to see into these tanks.
MiniKressels
Not being used.
Footbath
Not being used.
Poision Tank
The small plankton pull that contains some very small fish and not sure what else is doing fine. I believe my issue with this tank was indeed that I did not fully remove the cleaner. I still won't put an octo in it but the little stuff seems to be surviving.
Yucky Water Tank
No sightings
Breeder Nets
First for sure sighting in a long time and the very first for this particular net (located in Puddles' sump). I may have seen one or two more but it is very hard to tell the difference between mysis eyes and baby octo eyes. If they don't choose to move out of the corner between the net and the supports, it is impossible. These are odd breeder nets and the octos can hide along several edges as well as within a white grid. I experienced this difficulty with the mercs as well.
Brood Tank
Saw and FED three tonight. Each took a good sized chunk of mysis and chowed down.
Sounds like things are going well in the Brood tank 
I use a red Florescent bulb in Izzy's tank and it works great.
I think that is the one Susann found. Did you purchase it at Home Depot?
I got mine from Ace hardware but I'm sure Homedepot should have them. I keep meaning to look at their LED selection I was told it was pretty good.
Tank Statuses Day 10
Individually counted octos at feeding time: 8, one would not eat but 7 took pipette mysis.
I cleaned and changed water on the brood tank today. The exit water goes to either the skimmer or to a filtersock. The overflow box is not blocked (using a sponge begs for an overflow problem so we have chosen only to put a large grid on the exit bulkheads). Needless to say I half expected to find octos in the filter sock. I got a partial floor cleaning accessing it (normally I let it drain in the sump before the delicate manuver to get it over the tank - access is difficult) and trying to get a sock full of water to the bucket - hey, water cleans up pretty easily on a tile floor
. When we talked about housing the hatchlings in another hatching event, Thales noted that a filter sock might not be a bad idea and the two little guys I found looked healthy. I have two other filter socks to clean that may well contain hatchlings and I may not change them out for a month unless they clog. These two, however, were removed. One went into the plankton pico (that I was not going to put an octo into 
) and the other into one of the breeder nets in the brood tank.
2 Gallon Eggwhite Tank
These tanks were down to one octo per tank. I found one dead (likely the one I thought dead yesterday) and I lost one that was out and about during the day but was dead by feeding time. The one in the other tank refused food but I have put some of the critters from my plankton tow in that tank.
Poision Tank
Now contains one octo hatchling and a lot of very small crustateans. The octo transferred from the filter sock to this tank earlier in the day accepted a piece of shrimp dropped next to him but not from the pipette.
Yucky Water Tank
No sightings
Breeder Nets
I could not find one in the net of yesterday's spottings. However, I found one in the other net in the same sump and two loose in the sump. Both sump animals took pipette offered shrimp and one wanted the pipette. I transfered the fiesty one to a breeder net in the main part of this tank (Puddles tank) but the second one remains at large. These two look longer armed than the three in the brood tank.
Brood Tank
I was afraid the two I removed from the filter might the two of the three I fed last night but I found all three and fed them again tonight.
Individually counted octos at feeding time: 8, one would not eat but 7 took pipette mysis.
I cleaned and changed water on the brood tank today. The exit water goes to either the skimmer or to a filtersock. The overflow box is not blocked (using a sponge begs for an overflow problem so we have chosen only to put a large grid on the exit bulkheads). Needless to say I half expected to find octos in the filter sock. I got a partial floor cleaning accessing it (normally I let it drain in the sump before the delicate manuver to get it over the tank - access is difficult) and trying to get a sock full of water to the bucket - hey, water cleans up pretty easily on a tile floor
. When we talked about housing the hatchlings in another hatching event, Thales noted that a filter sock might not be a bad idea and the two little guys I found looked healthy. I have two other filter socks to clean that may well contain hatchlings and I may not change them out for a month unless they clog. These two, however, were removed. One went into the plankton pico (that I was not going to put an octo into ) and the other into one of the breeder nets in the brood tank.2 Gallon Eggwhite Tank
These tanks were down to one octo per tank. I found one dead (likely the one I thought dead yesterday) and I lost one that was out and about during the day but was dead by feeding time. The one in the other tank refused food but I have put some of the critters from my plankton tow in that tank.
Poision Tank
Now contains one octo hatchling and a lot of very small crustateans. The octo transferred from the filter sock to this tank earlier in the day accepted a piece of shrimp dropped next to him but not from the pipette.
Yucky Water Tank
No sightings
Breeder Nets
I could not find one in the net of yesterday's spottings. However, I found one in the other net in the same sump and two loose in the sump. Both sump animals took pipette offered shrimp and one wanted the pipette
. I transfered the fiesty one to a breeder net in the main part of this tank (Puddles tank) but the second one remains at large. These two look longer armed than the three in the brood tank.Brood Tank
I was afraid the two I removed from the filter might the two of the three I fed last night but I found all three and fed them again tonight.
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So exciting! To have them survive for almost 2 weeks is awesome!! Keeping Fingers crossed!
I am both discouraged and encouraged. The remaining count is so low that it depresses me. I had arbitrarily expected the dieoff/disappearance not to occur until after 2 full weeks but it happened at one. Seeing the monitored ones die and knowing they are eating is frustrating. Feeding the ones in the large tank and getting the feeling that they are expecting food with the red light is exciting. So far my only conclusion is that small water volume is not a good idea. I am going to make one (slap your head light bulb kind of thought) change to the water changes in the small tank (and will probably put one more in the empty one) and that is to use tank water for the water change and not fresh made water that can vary by too many parameters. I can't believe this did not occur to me from the start. I am also worried about hitting the upcoming possibility of predation. Fun stuff but difficult to keep emotions at bay and make good observations.
The hardest mental problem is forcing myself not to become attached to an individal.
One unexpected highlight was the participation of the three local people that came to collect and try a few of the fry. I would definitely do this again, inspite of the results.
The hardest mental problem is forcing myself not to become attached to an individal.
One unexpected highlight was the participation of the three local people that came to collect and try a few of the fry. I would definitely do this again, inspite of the results.
I've been following this thread and forgot to mention how much I like the red light video - haven't seen anything like that before.
Yes, bristle worms take a big bite to capture the little octopuses' food, and the little octopus I saw had its front two arms removed at the webbing.
My experience was that after about a week, I couldn't see them anymore. After a few weeks of watching I assumed all 6 were dead. There was plenty of food in the mature tank where I put them. After a couple of months, I noticed fewer amphipods. After three months, a few smails disappeared. At four months, an angry little octopus came out to protest Bill's cleaning off the algae from the tank walls - we couldn't have been more surprised.
So don't give up even if you can't any any little octopuses after a week or two.
Nancy
Yes, bristle worms take a big bite to capture the little octopuses' food, and the little octopus I saw had its front two arms removed at the webbing.
My experience was that after about a week, I couldn't see them anymore. After a few weeks of watching I assumed all 6 were dead. There was plenty of food in the mature tank where I put them. After a couple of months, I noticed fewer amphipods. After three months, a few smails disappeared. At four months, an angry little octopus came out to protest Bill's cleaning off the algae from the tank walls - we couldn't have been more surprised.
So don't give up even if you can't any any little octopuses after a week or two.
Nancy
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I agree... one of D's recipients was feeling very frustrated and I told her about your very happy suprise... Thats just awesome I have to say... Its got to be hard though... keep the faith, you are doing awesome!
- Joined
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And the video... Fantastic!
Tank Statuses Day 11
Individually counted octos at feeding time: 5, one would not eat but 4 took pipette mysis.
2 Gallon Eggwhite Tank
I lost the last of these today. This time I thought to more or less try a ruler next to the octo in water to have some kind of measurement ideas. Photos below.
Poision Tank
I can't find the hatchling, dead or alive in this tank. There are numerous tiny scavengers (shrimp and pods) but I wouldn't think they could have already consumed a dead animal. I will keep checking but I don't expect to find it alive (the rest of the stuff is doing well).
Yucky Water Tank
No sightings
Breeder Nets
No sightings 7 nets but I found and fed two in Puddles' sump. One or both may have been the ones I fed in the nets. And one wanted the whole pipette agiain. It is interesting that they were on opposite ends of the container. The sump is not the most octo friendly place but I am going to leave them there and not try to put them back in the nets. My skimmer intake is not covered and I will add a sponge to cover it in the AM (the main pump already has one) but that is all I plan to do at the moment. If they continue to grow, I will move them to the main tank.
Brood Tank
I found two quickly in the same place they have been coming each night and both took and ate a proportionately large mysis with a little coaxing but the third (who has been consistently late to the party) didn't show after numerous rounds of checking. I was determined to find him alive and sat for a long time playing the red light over the rock. I am not sure the one I found was the same late comer of before but found one climbing around on the live rock. He ran from the pipette so he didn't get fed but I put food into the crevice where he was last spotted.
Individually counted octos at feeding time: 5, one would not eat but 4 took pipette mysis.
2 Gallon Eggwhite Tank
I lost the last of these today. This time I thought to more or less try a ruler next to the octo in water to have some kind of measurement ideas. Photos below.
Poision Tank
I can't find the hatchling, dead or alive in this tank. There are numerous tiny scavengers (shrimp and pods) but I wouldn't think they could have already consumed a dead animal. I will keep checking but I don't expect to find it alive (the rest of the stuff is doing well).
Yucky Water Tank
No sightings
Breeder Nets
No sightings 7 nets but I found and fed two in Puddles' sump. One or both may have been the ones I fed in the nets. And one wanted the whole pipette agiain. It is interesting that they were on opposite ends of the container. The sump is not the most octo friendly place but I am going to leave them there and not try to put them back in the nets. My skimmer intake is not covered and I will add a sponge to cover it in the AM (the main pump already has one) but that is all I plan to do at the moment. If they continue to grow, I will move them to the main tank.
Brood Tank
I found two quickly in the same place they have been coming each night and both took and ate a proportionately large mysis with a little coaxing but the third (who has been consistently late to the party) didn't show after numerous rounds of checking. I was determined to find him alive
and sat for a long time playing the red light over the rock. I am not sure the one I found was the same late comer of before but found one climbing around on the live rock. He ran from the pipette so he didn't get fed but I put food into the crevice where he was last spotted.Attachments
LOL, I almost did not upload the red light video because the focus was so miserable but at least you could see the little interactions that went on when they first hatched. They don't swim and dart like that now. When I touch the shrimp to their arms most of time they move away (but not far). If they get a taste and I leave the pipette in place, they come back and extract the shrimp, otherwise I have to chase them a little. The one in the sump that already wants to take the feeding stick along with the food makes me laugh and I am trying not to get attached or my hopes up for any individual animal but it is hard to avoid. I have to be careful about having no suction on the bulb or it will try to suck them up when they remove the food. I lose a lot of mysis to the tank just trying to get it positioned.
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