Morpheus

Joined
Oct 1, 2009
Messages
1,375
I decided to purchase the little octopus. I used "D's" guidelines to acclimate. SG was 1.022 and my tank is 1.026, took the full 3 hours to bring it up. PH was close to begin with so I just checked it once more before releasing. It is much smaller than I remember or maybe it just looked tiny in the container. I got some photos, still looking for an id, what ever it's species, it sure is cute :biggrin2:

acclimation.jpg


acclimation2.jpg


acclimation3.jpg


acclimation4.jpg


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Could someone tell me how you measure the mantle?
 
Mantle is measured from behind the eyes (where the actual head is located) to the back of the mantle.

Of the ones we commonly see :cyclops: looking at the arm to mantle proportions and picture #3 I would venture abdopus complex with highest chance of aculeatus or abaculus. However, we are starting to see more species and without knowing where it came from, the guess is not even a SWAG. The other pictures are less abdopus like but there are so many looks and colors that you will need to feed more pictures as it settles in to see if I am close. Neogonodactylus and Mucktopus have spent years in the water with abdopus (I believe Mucktopus' doctorate theses was researching aculeatus) and will hopefully suggests a yes, no or maybe :biggrin2:

Look for a star pattern around the eye. A propencity to pose with its eyes high above the mantle with little horns sticking up from the eyes and a purple lining to the edges of the suckers. He/she should also be day active and sleep at night but normal behavior may take two weeks or so.
 
Thank you for the replys.
If the mantle is measured from the eyes back, my best guess is about 1 inch.
It's funny, the little octopus evicted the serpent star, the star has never been out in the open since I have had it over a year, it is on the front glass. I have a peppermint shrimp?? I haven't seen it in ages, thought it died. Must sense the newcommer.

I just noticed I have been added to the list, thank you. I purchased my little guy from The Living Sea Aquarium. Working on a name, should have one soon : )
 
Serpents and octos seem to have an interesting relationship. I call them the octo "maids". Sometimes you will see them both in the den and if the serpent gets too touchy feely, the octo will evict it.

Miss Broody, my tank raised female mercatoris (dwarf) went directly to her the brooding den of her mother when she was released from the breeder net (at about 5 months old). I only saw her leave the den once. She move to a lower barnacle, allowed the serpent to come in and clean and then returned when the star left. Her male suitor would come visiting and station himself in one of several adjoining barnacles. Eventually he mated with her while she was still in that same her den.

We have red brittle stars named Pesky and PeskyToo in the current occupied octo tanks. We rarely saw PeskyToo before putting an octo in the tank, now he is frequently visible during the day. Pesky is featured in several SueNami videos and photos but so far has remained living in the overflow since Kaysoh arrived. I expect we will see more of him when Kaysoh is better adjusted though. It also seems that the red brittles are a brighter color orange when there is an octo present. With no octo, PeskyToo was almost brown and now is vibrant.

Peps also seem to have a third sense about Octos. There were two in Beldar's tank when she arrived. One was too curious and became snack, the other, still keeping aptasia watch in the tank, would dart to the opposite side of the tank at the first sign of Beldar approaching.

If aculeatus, there is a good chance of it being young (unusual) but abaculus does not get much larger (7" ish arms at adult and just over an inch mantle) Unfortunately, size is not a particularly good indicator of age though.
 
:welcome: little guy!

Also if that is a aculeatus then you got lucky because it is not full grown yet. Do you know the sex yet and got a name? Do you have a full shot of the tank yet with the octo in it?
 
Lmecher;144132 said:
I am assuming this exploration of it's new home is a good sign.

1:00 AM is, however, not. Not a bad sign mind you but the current guesses are for diurnal animals so we may be back to the drawing board if it only shows at night. Some nocturnals and crepseculars will adapt to early evening and feeding at the same time with the same lighting conditions usually encourages this behavior if it is going to happen.

IME it is not normal for a diural to be exploring at night even in an environment acclimation time frame unless something is disturbing it. Octane would pace after going to bed if I ran the washer or dryer (in the next room, sharing the wall with the tank and causing vibration) or if the night light was not reset to red after a power outage (when the power is interupted it would revert to white light and shine down into his den).
 
The container in the photo is the size you'd get 2 lbs of salad in from the deli.
He was out exploring again last night, noticed him 1/2 hour after lights out. I have a red light fixture I turned on when I noticed him out. If this little guy turns out to be nocturnal, will be :sad: but I'll live. I tried to feed him a little peice of shrimp. he grabbed the stick and wrapped around it. I stood there holding it for nearly 5 minutes. It never pulled the shrimp off and I didn't want to move and frighten him. When he finally let go, there was still part of the shrimp left. Afterwards he continued to move along the front glass, to the top and back to the bottom several times. I tried to get a photo without a flash but they were aweful so I did take one with a soft flash. I was pretty shocked the flash didn't send him back into hiding. You can clearly see his little horns above his eyes.


octopusday2.jpg
 
If you can regularly turn the lights out in the room early, you may get him to start coming out when the family can see him. Steal the feeding stick is a game every octo has in its genetic patterning.:tongue:
 
I am reseting my lights to go on at 6:00 am and off at 6:00 pm. 12 hours of day light should be fine. Just FYI, my son got home at 6:00 am, our little frined was out on the front glass, he took a pictures with his camera phone, I'd post them but they are aweful. We'll see, now with earlier lights out if he comes out earlier. Still working on a name :smile:
 
The BEST part about your post is your son's interest :biggrin2: Bad photos or not, I would post at least one!

I have found with of my nocturnal octos that leaving the red light on 24/7 (even with other lighting but it is likely you could use an alternating timer) that they acclimate to the red light and will accept it for darkness. My newest briareus, however, is quite aware of my new red flashlight and reacts negatively so not all reds are equal or briareus has a different sensitivity. My successful lights have been both red LEDs and a red vellum covered outdoor florescent.
 

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