Monday I got this little guy from my favorite haunt, the Pet Connection. I brought him home and put him in a critter keeper in the 20 gal so I could get the chemistry spot on in the 55 gal. Yesterday I moved the critter keeper into the big tank (finally got the pH in range and holding!) and he looks so small (well, compared to Aku and the Once-ler)!
I'm estimating his mantle at about 1/2 inch. However, as I have no credibility when reporting sizes, he is in a box that is 12 in long and about 8 in tall. He seems tiny compared to the rest of the tank and for some reason I feel hesitant to let him out just yet. He has eaten a hermit crab (I'm going with Roy's suggestion to not overfeed- only every other day for my octos) and is very sociable. I'm sure he'd love to climb on the glass closer to us, and he has even tried to touch us during acclimation!
I think I'm hesitant because a few weeks ago I got a different aculeatus and it didn't last 24 hrs. I'm sure I'm just being over protective, but this one is my "dream come true," octo- a young, (hopefully) male aculeatus!
I'm estimating his mantle at about 1/2 inch. However, as I have no credibility when reporting sizes, he is in a box that is 12 in long and about 8 in tall. He seems tiny compared to the rest of the tank and for some reason I feel hesitant to let him out just yet. He has eaten a hermit crab (I'm going with Roy's suggestion to not overfeed- only every other day for my octos) and is very sociable. I'm sure he'd love to climb on the glass closer to us, and he has even tried to touch us during acclimation!
I think I'm hesitant because a few weeks ago I got a different aculeatus and it didn't last 24 hrs. I'm sure I'm just being over protective, but this one is my "dream come true," octo- a young, (hopefully) male aculeatus!