new guy

Roy just posted an even better shot of coloration on the sucker tips :biggrin2:. If you click on this image, it will display as full size and the details are very clear.
octopus-nicaragua-3-9-2015-shrimp-rlc-med-jpg.59296
 
Yeah figured it out. Ok so the pictures not that great but any thoughts on the little guy. Suckers are so small cant really til the color.
 

Attachments

  • 0309150019-1.jpg
    0309150019-1.jpg
    517.4 KB · Views: 224
Pretty sure that is and adult O. mercatoris (Caribbean nocturnal dwarf). I wonder what you are calling eyespots though as they don't have them. Go to http://www.octopusid.com/octoIdSlideShow/octoidnook.html, click on the splash page and then on the link at the BOTTOM that says species. You will see a collection of the animals we most commonly keep. Note the Use the scroll bar that separates the text from the images and scroll down to O. mercatoris. Scroll down a little more until you see the camera on the left. Click the camera and you will see a collection of photos of mercs. You can do the same for O. hummelilncki and O. bimaculoides and note that their ocelli (eyespots) are concentric rings of bright yellow and blue. I suspect you don't see these on your little one.

If it is female (as I suspect from the open arm photo), it is quite likely she will brood shortly. It is possible to raise a few of the hatchlings of this species and they can live together in one tank. To try to determine sex, identify and observe the third right arm (clockwise with your eyes oriented with its). If it is usually held curled, it will be a male, otherwise most likely female. Also observe the suckers, normally you can detect a set two or three enlarged suckers on the front arms of a male. Look at the images in this link for examples.
 
Last edited:
Well Friday the 13 still works. Darn it Leonard passed last night. Totally agree with the adult merc. Funny when I read the post I was bummed because I knew his days where numbered. Just not so soon. Well thanks again for all your help. No more buying from LFS because all's the sell is a brown octopus whatever that is haha. The hunt goes on.
 

Shop Amazon

Shop Amazon
Shop Amazon; support TONMO!
Shop Amazon
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Back
Top