Octos dissappearance into den

[Octavarium]

My octopus hasnt been out at all for over a week, totally unlike him. Not zipping around, bothering my maintanence scraper, or being curious as he usually is. He has a nice den in the LR with a couple of rocks he pulls over like a door and hes been in there night and day. My questions is is he really comfortable or is this the beggining of senescene? He will actually grab food from a stick when I put it right outside of his den, or when a fiddler passes directly by...so it seems his appetite hasn't changed. Ive had him for 5 months now, I saw him grow for a good amount, so I assumed when I bought him (hummelincki) he was around a year old or less... I guess it could be that time, but I just wanted to hear from the experienced people on here.

 

[gholland]

My octopus hasnt been out at all for over a week, totally unlike him.

Or her? Varys did the exact same thing when she laid her eggs. I think dwhatley's Trapper laid eggs after 5 months in captivity, so you may still have a chance of fertile eggs and eventually babies if that's what is really going on.
Greg

 

[Octavarium]

Did she eat during the initial phase? Thats what confused me, i thought during this time they dont touch food at all.

 

[Redoc]

Did she eat during the initial phase? Thats what confused me, i thought during this time they dont touch food at all.

I think it depends on the individual octopus. My first female stopped eating a couple of days before she laid eggs. My current female has laid her eggs and is still nibbling a little. Both were and are aculeatus.

 

[gholland]

Did she eat during the initial phase? Thats what confused me, i thought during this time they dont touch food at all.

Yes, Varys ate throughout her brooding, but she was a mercatoris and it may be more common for them than your hummelincki. Even if most hummelinckis don't, one thing I've learned here on TONMO is that every octopus is different, and it's very hard to make "always" and "never" apply to them all.

 

[DWhatley]

'Tane has never shown this behavior (4 months in his aquarium environment) NOR does he ever use a "door" for his den so I am thinking the Greg has the correct answer. Unfortunately I believe 3 months is pretty close to the max time on holding sperm without laying eggs so the chances of fertile eggs are pretty low if nonexistent. Additionally, Hummelincki is a small egg species (if it were otherwise I would be actively hunting a female!) so the outcome is not likely to be a happy ending in any case. These are such terrific pets and I have often lamented that they cannot be tank bred.

 

[gholland]

These are such terrific pets and I have often lamented that they cannot be tank bred.

Yet.