[Octopus]: Maurice, A. aculeatus

sedna

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Today marks three week that I've had Maurice. The guys from my favorite LFS got him for me, and I feel so lucky to finally have a young aculeatus! I am finding that his behaviors are a lot like Ollie's, in that he is the most reclusive, almost nocturnal aculeatus I've ever had. I'm not even really sure what hours he keeps… One evening out of 4 I might seem him out. Other than that, I catch him out in the morning after everyone is off to school and work, about 8 am or so. If he notices me he holds still until I look away, then skulks off. He has taken shrimp from me every time I've had the chance. However, he doesn't need to rely on me to feed him yet, as there were 6 peppermint shrimp in the tank when he came home, and lots of hermit crabs. Today he came out and I fed him for the 3rd time, but I only count 2 shrimp left, so I'm not worried.

The only photos I've been able to get are with blue lights only- SO different from an adult!!! In these photos, I had just fed him so he has a piece of shrimp under his mantle. One of the peppermint shrimp decided to come and "clean" him, so occasionally I'd see an arm tip flick it away, but it always came back for another try.

Aside from the difference in active hours, I'm noticing different camouflage preferences in this younger animal. If he is caught out in the open, he tends to go right to the "weedy" appearance and floats or "walks" very daintily. Once it gets to a rock, it darkens like you'd see in an adult, but it's mantle looks prickly- like a spiny puffer.

Hoping to get more photos soon!
 

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The behavior you describe does sound just like Ollie. However I've come to believe he is an adult of some unnamed dwarf var. because he has not grown at all in 2 months.
 
Maurice continues to be shy, but is spending more time out each day. He likes shrimp on a stick, and I think he's finally figured out that if he comes out where I can see him, the stick comes back with shrimp on it. He does the classic skunk stripe display when first approached, but does not pounce on it, dark with white spots like I'm used to the adults doing. He grabs the stick and does the "leafy seaweed" look, then floats away with it. More like he's sneaking than attacking.

He's been coming out earlier on school days, it's still dark outside and in the tank, and we are all too busy too notice him. I think that's fine with him, he's very interested in watching the action outside the tank, but doesn't like it if we notice him in turn! He sneaks around the bottom of the glass at night when we're watching tv, trying to watch us without being seen. When we do see him, he plays "statue." I've tried to see how long he can hold still, but I always give first.
 
Maurice is fine but shy and reclusive. I never know when he will be out or not. There is only one more live shrimp left and a couple of hermit crabs, so soon he'll have to be more interactive if he wants to eat!
 
Sedna, have you tried using red lights? My previous octo was very active, but only under red lights. Video recording was not very good, but he was active and not shy when I watched him.
 
So Maurice is gone, not sure when or how. It's been 2 weeks since I've seen any sign of him. Everything in the tank is fine, water quality is great, he had enough to eat… He just up and disappeared! I feel bad, but as I never got a chance to see much of him, I wasn't attached to him.
 
I was excited to think I had a "baby" aculeatus, they are the COOLEST diurnal octos ever. This guy was NOT diurnal… I'm not sure why I think I'd feel better if I just know what happened, I'm sure the water Q is fine and all. Oh well, off to try again...
 

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