My O. Chierchia just had babies and I need some help

[Jon Crossan]

OK so last night I was about to leave the house and I went upstairs to turn the light off in my tank when I saw this tiny little thing on the glass. I thought it was just some new little thing growing in my tank but when I got closer it flashed red. Then I realized it was a baby octopus and that my Octopus that I have been calling charley this whole time really is a Charlotte who was pregnant. So far I have only found 3 of the little babies and I'm not sure if there are any more on the way. I went to work and raided the coral tank filters for some amphipods and put them in a plastic bowl. Then i took one of the little guys and put him in with the amphipods but they just seem to scare him. I hope they're just not hungry right now. The 3 inklets are about the size of a tick. I ordered some live mysid shrimp last night and hopefully they will be here soon but I'm not sure when exactly. I'm planning on taking a ten gallon that i had sitting around and putting needle point plastic screen dividers in and making 4 sections. One for each of the inklets and the last one for the intake of the filter which I am also going to cover with mesh screening. If anyone on here has any experience or information on taking care of inklets it would be very very helpful. O. Chierchia is a very rare species of octopus I'm told and I don't want to lose these little guys because I don't have enough experience in taking care of them. If anyone can help please let me know.

 

[jamest0o0]

From what I've read raising octopus babies is extremely difficult and is usually unsuccessful. Also since your octopus laid eggs it is probably going to die soon . GL, hope someone else can chime in!

 

[Thales]

Your questions have been addressed on TONMO.

 

[gholland]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12685499#post12685499 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jamest0o0
From what I've read raising octopus babies is extremely difficult and is usually unsuccessful. Also since your octopus laid eggs it is probably going to die soon . GL, hope someone else can chime in!

Fortunately for Jon and his babies, O. chierchiae is a large-egg species which will make things somewhat easier (than a small-egg species). Another good thing is that O. chierchiae are iteroparous and don't die after laying their first batch of eggs the way most octopuses do. Jon's female may still have a good deal of time left.

 

[jamest0o0]

Oh okay my mistake, I don't know too much about ceph breeding other than the basics. Are there any pics, I have never seen this type of octo?

 

[gholland]

There are some pics in Jons original thread on TONMO:
http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12678

Thales also has pics of his in this thread:
http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13038

 

[Jon Crossan]

thats an O. Chierchia

shes the mom :rollface:

 

[Thales]

O. chierchiae

 

[jamest0o0]

Oh wow, very sweet octo. GL with her and the babies!

 

[Animal Mother]

It's a "convict" octopus... heh.