Poe Poe - O. hummelincki

[DWhatley]

I have several photos labled Colors of Octane (a play on the Colors of benetton ). His journal may be a half decent reference on what to expect over time since he was my first of this species and my notes are likely better than later animals. I don't remeber the yellow tips showing like that though but the rest is quite typical until they get totally comfortable/older then they rarely show off their spikes or colors (I don't know if this is only true in an aquarium or if this happens in the wild as well). Unfortunately, I don't have many good photos of OhToo due to not realizing my camera was no longer set up for the aquarium and the ones of Octane were pre-Canon. There is a nice video of Maya that shows a lot of color change that I did manage to get though and looking back on it, I do see the yellow on the arm tips.

On of the blogs that annually has a Chrismas raffle for an octopus ornament. Raffel entry requires a posting of your favorite species and it prompted me to try to think about which one I liked best. I came to the conclusion it is whatever I am keeping at the moment but hummelincki is always at the top of my list.

 

[Lmecher]

I just checked the camera, reviewed her behavior from last night and again, second night in a row she spent on the glass. This is not good. Her behavior in other ways active, eating, color changing and texturing seems to be normal. She is partial to the upper front right corrner of the tank. She cruses all around occasionally but returns there. When the lights came on this morning she moved to the front as I fussed with the tank then when I walked around to the side she followed me, watching me. Now she is back in her corrner. I am thawing another scallop, she took some yesterday so I will try again today. She has me puzzled and I fear not all is well.

I dropped into Aquarium adventure looking to maybe pick up a crab to tie her over till tuesday but the only thing I found were emeralds and they were rather expensive so I decided to pass. (would rather not sacrfice such a nice crab anyway) I did find these enormous snails with interesting red flesh, picked up 2.
Scallop is ready so I will try to feed her now.

 

[Lmecher]

She took the scallop immediately, she must remember the feeding stick=food.

 

[Lmecher]

The seafood counter had some very nice looking tiny mussels so I picked one up for her. Diablo never had a problem opening these but I thought this little one would appreciate a little help, I cracked the hinge. She took it without hesitation. It took her a long time but she ate the entire thing and dropped the empty shells. Little octopus, huge appetite. And still on the glass tonight.

 

[DWhatley]

I went through much of Octane's journal trying to remember if he stayed on the glass before he settled on a den. I did not see a direct reference though so I may be thinking of someone elses hummelincki or just did not record it (it seems like Bubbles did this as some point though).

 

[Lmecher]

Thank you D, now I feel a little better. I assume she is sleeping though, all balled up in the same corrner. It is so nice to have my security camera. Every morning I can review her activity.
It is so nice to have a resident octopus under my roof again, I felt incomplete for a while there.
I just ordered a couple books that I am ashamed to say I never got around to purchasing. I did visit several book stores that didn't stock them, I am excited.

 

[corw314]

Just a thought...Have you check your parameters, just to be sure everything is ok waterwise? In the past when one of my octos was hanging near the top, usually meant there was a water quality issue. I bought mussels too but they are very large so I offered pieces of the meat, which he rejected. Will have to try your way!

 

[Lmecher]

Are you reading my mind? I just ran a battery of tests yesterday. Nothing is askew. I am due for my weekly water change, we'll see how she reacts.
I just checked my security camera, she was pretty active all night. When does Poe sleep? I am going to see if i can copy some of this video to post. Due to the night vision camera it looks black and white but suprisingly clear for filming in pitch dark.
I am hoping my order from Paul Sachs shipps out today. She loves to hunt and I cannot find the other shrimp from Tom, I think she got that one too.

 

[Lmecher]

My crab/shrimp arrived this morning. I fed Poe one of the crabs that died since it was in such cold water, I figured it would be fine. She took it with gusto. She spent yet another night on the glass. What a strange little octopus!

 

[SabrinaR]

Well hurm... She is a strange one isnt she. Well maybe she sleeps on the glass in nap sessions. I know that when Isis was hiding she wasnt always sleeping cause I could see her peeking at me from the rocks.

 

[Lmecher]

I am working on the skimmer on my 50. Once it is running better, I may put Poe in there and order one from Tom for the 120. Poe is a little lost in such an enormous tank, maybe she'll settle better in a smaller environment.

 

[Joe-Ceph]

I'm not sure what it is about the glass sitting behavior that has you worried; is she doing it too long, and even when there's nothing to look at in the room? I only have experience with bimacs, three of them, and they have all liked to keep an eye on what is happening in the room. For two of them it meant spending a lot of time on the glass when we were in the room, watching us (and I think watching TV). That was normal for them.

 

[SabrinaR]

I am working on the skimmer on my 50. Once it is running better, I may put Poe in there and order one from Tom for the 120. Poe is a little lost in such an enormous tank, maybe she'll settle better in a smaller environment.

I dont blame you... I am sooooo tempted to order one from him.

 

[Lmecher]

I'm not sure what it is about the glass sitting behavior that has you worried; is she doing it too long, and even when there's nothing to look at in the room? I only have experience with bimacs, three of them, and they have all liked to keep an eye on what is happening in the room. For two of them it meant spending a lot of time on the glass when we were in the room, watching us (and I think watching TV). That was normal for them.

She NEVER goes into a den. I have a camera on the tank 24/7 so I can check what she is doing when I am not watching.

Well now that I typed that...I looked at the tank and she is gone. I suppose she just did that to make a lier out of me. Could she have found a den?? My my, I hope so.
Nope, false alarm, she is back in her corrner on the glass

 

[Lmecher]

I dont blame you... I am sooooo tempted to order one from him.

I just fixed the skimmer on the 50, I just might pull that trigger soon