DWhatley;179812 said:
Does this mean Cassy will extend her life in print (that I might, eventually, get to read
)?
*chuckle*
I've just directed a friend (and client!) to this particular thread, and it would be terrible to have her think that I spend all my time writing fictional stories about intelligent future octopuses.
Until she finishes
Age of Octans, at least (she's reading it now, and was just interacting with a large male GPO at the Monterrey Bay Aquarium), and then might be joining the chorus for the sequel.
DWhatley;179812 said:
If we take guestimates of a 1 year life span then both Tank and Cassy (as well a Legs and several others where we have a good guess on age when they are introduced to an aquarium) show we seem to getting a handle on the proper environment for aquarium keeping. Not many of the animals we keep in aquariums can boast that success.
You, in particular, are doing an excellent job, and have many successful experiences to your credit. Your animals have been fortunate, I think, and they have rewarded you in their interactions. And, vicariously, us as well. Particularly for my own case; I no longer have
my reef tank, and it would not have been good for an octopus anyway — 240 gallons, but it would have been nearly impossible to seal the in-wall top of the unit. So I have been able to enjoy your octopus friends through your good offices as a caretaker ... and as a journalist.
DWhatley;179812 said:
The failure of their hatchlings to survive (Tank and Cassy's as well as many others), however, suggests we have a ways to go.
That is sadly true, I think. Your own succession of generations has been quite impressive! It is probably true (and unfortunate) that none of Mama Cass's offspring survived, though you might get a surprise there. But that lineage under your care is a testament to your patience and ability.
DWhatley;179812 said:
Everytime I lose one, I can't help but reflect on the oddity of the animal. Not so much that their biology is so different but more on why an almost perfect food animal with a short lifespan would have evolved to be curious and interactive with another species. Other aquatic, non-mammals, will train to come for food but most of my interaction with octopuses has nothing obvious to do with feeding. I can't help but wonder what they would be like if they lived longer.
I am convinced — as you know from my writing — that the octopus has the seeds of greatness in its genetic potential. Given time for the intelligence to continue to evolve, especially with the human aspect entirely changed, these fascinating creatures can become their own sort of "people." One other change that would be needed is the current tendency to be loners; a social octopus would evolve rather rapidly, I think. (And there's more to the story ... but that's a sequel to the sequel.)
It may well be that you might encounter a Cassi in print, and find her familiar.