Monty - Unknown (brown eyespot Caribbean)

[DWhatley]

Level_Head - Great Observation! I have read that the eyes stay horizontal and felt this it is not quite right about octopuses. For awhile I would try to remember to watch for countering proof but have since forgotten to review photos for that point. As you mentioned, it is quite clear in the above photos that the pupil is NOT horizontal!

Monty continues to come and play squish but is picky about how I am supposed to participate. He does not like the end of his mantle tickled and will flash his eyespot but does not leave. If I handle him in some way that he does not like, he does not hesitate to use his, leave my tank sign (going to the live rock). Sometimes he will reach over and touch the rock, waiting for me to take my hand out. If I don't then he puts another arm on the rock. If that still does not work he crosses over to it completely (not hiding or in any kind of panic). At this point, I always remove my hand. If he still wants to play he will immediately return to the glass (just testing) but will stay on the live rock if he has had enough. Since this is quite repeatable, I am certain it is an understood set of actions and responses.

Once he threatened to climb over the overflow box. I am not sure what it meant but it left no doubt he was putting his arm through the holes and over the edge for my benefit and that he was taunting me.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

I can't seem to get enough of this reading. Thank you all for being here and for taking the time to journal!
Sue

 

[DWhatley]

Sue&Zoo,
Hopefully, you will journal which ever ceph you choose and include your reasons for choosing (many people go through the, "which ceph to try first" syndrome) the animal that starts your adventure.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Sue&Zoo,
Hopefully, you will journal which ever ceph you choose and include your reasons for choosing (many people go through the, "which ceph to try first" syndrome) the animal that starts your adventure.

I will absolutely journal (by starting a new thread) as soon as the decision is made and preparation begins. Promise!

(and I will be much more punctual and timely with responses since I just found the "subscribe" button so I won't keep losing my posts. LOL)

Sue

 

[Lmecher]

That is one smart little octopus. I love how he plays with and tests you. He must get a kick out of being able to control the giant in on the other side of the glass. Bring me food...pet me here, no not there...go away...come back the whole time Monty is

 

[DWhatley]

... uh, Linda I believe you are peeking in my windows , that certainly describes Monty.

 

[Lmecher]

If ever there was a window I'd love to peek into, it would be yours.

 

[DWhatley]

Monty continues to play squish most days. He has days where he will go to bed quite early (sometimes missing supper) but most of the time he is out until about 7:00 PM. He is always up early and swimming on the play side of the tank and I see him but don't play every morning at 8:30.

 

[DWhatley]

Monty continues to play most every day but some days he does not want to quit. This is the best interaction video I have been able to take with him and had the camera been angled slightly lower, you would see him the whole time

I finally got a photo of his eye spot in full color. His eating has slowed and now he only eats once every other day but I see no other warning signs of his aging.

 

[kpage]

Wow he has grown a lot since last time I was on! Still exhibiting crazy colors?

 

[DWhatley]

When he is on the glass (most of the time that he is awake) he is usually a dull variation of the yellow but when he goes to the LR you would swear it was a different animal (no sign of the yellow) IF you can see him. His camo skills are quite remarkable.

 

[Lmecher]

Loved the way he crawled into your hand and let you hold him. Awwww.....he sure is a little sweetie

Would love to see a photo of him on the rocks, maybe someday.

 

[DWhatley]

The tank is terrible for photos between the lighting, the reflective problems with fairly new glass and the position of the tank, and his inability to sit still on the rock long, I cannot get a decent picture of him on the rocks (I do keep trying though).

I don't remember a healthy octopus doing that before. I have had two mercs that would have stayed in my hand all day but both were deep into senescence (Wiley tried to bite me when I insisted he had to go back the rock) and I think the soft surface felt good.

 

[DWhatley]

Monty Begins Senescence

At 8.5 months in the aquarium, Monty is showing rapid decline. This week he has been very white (vs his normal gold or rock camo colors but not dull greyish white) and has only reached for his food from the LR vs his normal feeding time on the glass. Yesterday and again today, I got a good look at his eyes and they are closed which makes me think he is now blind.

Today I moved him into the dwarf tank to provide more space for the new baby octopus since he is no longer using the extended space in the 37 gallon (Monty is only slightly bigger than the O. mercatoris dwarfs that I have housed there in the past). This is the tank where he spent his first three months. He had no difficulty finding a suitable den but did not immediately take his live supper crab tonight. The crab was left in the tank so we will check for shell remains tomorrow.

 

[Mike Bauer]

Sorry to hear the bad news. I hope he hold out a while longer for you. Good luck I know it is hard to watch them go.