My Octo...:) update w/Pic's

[Seehag]

When I got my second shipment of TBS rock I posted about an Octo that we had found in the rock but lost in the tank. At the time I had no pictures and Richard said the Octo. would probably die, I confirmed that prognosis at the l.f.s. . I felt for sure we would never see him again.

That was 3-4 week's ago, fro the last several day's I have noticed that the shell's were getting moved around and rearranged almost daily. This was a large pile that I thought was mantis shrimp games. Today with the light's out while I was talking on the phone I saw movement when I looked closer there he was the Octo. He is the size of a golfball at the center with arms that stretch at least a couple of inches from there. Here are Pic's lest you don't believe my fish story. By the way how can I get rid of something so cute....

Art

 

[thisisme]

that is amazing

 

[Seehag]

Sittin here playing Ringo on my Itunes....." I liked to be under the see in an Octopus's garden in teh shade...."


Art

 

[drumachine09]

Thats an amazing find. When i purchased the one coral i have (purple mushroom), it was attatched to a peice of LR the size of a golfball. Just in that, i had 7 bristle worms, a dozen or so REALLY small shrimp, and a little tiny crab looking thing. Its kinda fun to see what you can get when you purchase some live rock, huh?

 

[CMcNeil]

you dont get rid of it,you dedicate THAT tank too it and setup ANOTHER tank really cool hitcher you got there.

 

[Seehag]

It took 2 years to get this tank set up. I understand they are hard to keep. So I will see if anyone need's him or maybe keep him for awhile. If he leaves the fish alone he can stay awhile.

Art

 

[CMcNeil]

maybe you could setup a nano and link it to your main tanks sump?wouldnt be too costly.i imagine he will eat your fish if he lives for any lenght of time.also all crabs,snails,and shrimp will be wiped out.

 

[Seehag]

Well maybe he need's to go sooner rather than later. I will see if anyone want's him.


Ar

 

[voodude]

My first shipment of LR 1 1/2 weeks ago, had something whitish sticking out of one rock and have also confirmed (along with my friend and marine biologist) that it is a reef octo .. she is about the same size ... I believe it is a female as I have 2 nocturnal spidey looking creatures, one of which is now getting bigger, that are babies (kind of blueish). I am going to try and bait it out of the cave it's in by using forcepts to rub live kreil on its legs so it can smell the food and then try the old bottle routine and hopefully snare it. My pal Peter said he will take it for now if we get it. But it has got to go (in addition to a Mantis and a very strong looking gun-metal blue crab (although he does do a good job "mowing the lawn!) :lol: If you have any luck, pls post your trick!

 

[Seehag]

Well my octo is not shy now for some reason. After being hidden for 3 week's he stayed out all last night to the family's delight. When I got home today he was hanging on the front of the tank and the light's had been on for an hour. Now he is just looking at me. His eye's do follow you around. I call him he but no idea how to tell the sex. Does your's change colors? He goes from brownish red to white/grey color. He isn't bothering any of the sanils that he is around..


Art

 

[voodude]

It still hasn't come out of it's cave while I'm around. The only thing I can see is something "breathing: in a hole and once in a while a tentacle sticking out. Always very white with blue markings (not circles/rings!). One of the babies was out when I just got home ... in the bright light! Will try my trick tomorrow. (p.s. --- who's your driver?)

 

[voodude]

another question ... how do you get the pics cut in to your post?

 

[Seehag]

My driver is Jr. been a fan for along time and had several other's but have settled on him. I used to listen to the races on the radio with my Dad when I was a kid and I was at Daytona listening on the scanner to Sr. when he died so that was real bad.

As for the pictures I upload them to photobucket then cut and paste the img tag into my post.


Art

 

[voodude]

Sr. was mine from the day he started, and it just kind of carried to Jr. Thanx for the pic tip ... Good luck with the Octo ...

 

[Seehag]

After further observing the octo, he does not appear to be doing so good. He has only one eye open and his tentacles appear to be eaten off or rotted off on the end's. Also he has some sort of gunk on his one eye that is open. He seem's to be confused and wandering around, any time he get's close to the hermit's, man they go after him. Wonder if he came out of hidding to die? I would feel bad if he did but the fact that I can't keep him mean's it would be ok.


Art

 

[voodude]

Just spoke with my pal Peter (marine biologist) and he said it sounds like the Octo is on its way out. If it is getting attacked by hermits (one of its favorite foods), it is not a good sign. He said possibly due to water changes and an ammonia spike or two, it got to him. .... and I believe (from my readings) that normally being nocturnal, out in the daylight is not a good sign either.

 

[Seehag]

Oh man I gotta call it bad news for the octo. As I was watching the octo deal with the hermits the brittle star came racing across the tank and grabbed him, then the smaller brittle star came from the other direction and it was a tug of war. Ugly most amazing thing I have ever seen. I will post pictures can't stop watching now. The star is just holding a tentacle in his mouth and the small one ripped an arm off and scurried under a rock..... Unbelievable, I would have figured he would have inked them but nothing.

the hermit's attack...

Then out of nowhere comes the Brittle star....

They tussle for who is bigger....

Terrible sight

This has been going on for an hour or so, the Octo is still breathing.... But he isn't gonna make it...


Art

 

[voodude]

UNBELIEVEABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing catch ... I probably would have been at work when that happend and then wondered where it went! Pls let me know the final outcome .... Thanx .... Bruce

 

[liverock]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9924842#post9924842 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Seehag
Oh man I gotta call it bad news for the octo. As I was watching the octo deal with the hermits the brittle star came racing across the tank and grabbed him, then the smaller brittle star came from the other direction and it was a tug of war. Ugly most amazing thing I have ever seen. I will post pictures can't stop watching now. The star is just holding a tentacle in his mouth and the small one ripped an arm off and scurried under a rock..... Unbelievable, I would have figured he would have inked them but nothing.

the hermit's attack...

Then out of nowhere comes the Brittle star....

They tussle for who is bigger....

Terrible sight

This has been going on for an hour or so, the Octo is still breathing.... But he isn't gonna make it...


Art

Remember, this is the ocean, everything eats everything else.....you are watching nature at its best.....the octo only lives 2 years, has babies, and dies, then the clean up guys do their job, and everybody is fat and happy and well!

I will be here until until monday 5/14, then will not be back until the following monday.....FYI...

Richard TBS

 

[voodude]

I wish mine would come out ... I HAVE EGGS ALL OVER!! and some more hatched swimming around ... have been sucking them off glass for an hour and am vacuuming tank .. when I change the water later, I think the rock is coming out ... if she lives .. ok .. if not ... oh well ..