need help removing an octo

[sneeyatch]

my boss set-up an aquapod with tampa bay rock. there's a mother octo in there that has layed her eggs and they are all starting to hatch. we're trying to catch them as we see them, but the babies are small - maybe 3/8" - 1/2" and free-swimming juvies.

we know where the mother is and she's good sized. she's still alive, but my boss is in fear of her dying so we need to get her out.

what's the best way to remove her?

what's her survival chances right now? the only other things in the tank are basically a clean up / food for her, so there is no competition on food.

we have a local aquarium right down the road where we can probably bring her once we get her out. any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[justinl]

I can't say i can help you with removal, but you'll want to remove her asap. after laying eggs, octos don't usually survive long. I think it was said a while back that the octo will come out itself before giving up the ghost which would make removal easy.

 

[sneeyatch]

thanks

i heard that they will die off quickly and now that there are babies present, i know it's gonna be soon. we baited a trap and placed it near her hole, then i tried to feed her a small piece of shrimp on a wire hanger. she took it, ripped a couple of pieces off it, and blew the rest of it out of her hole...

sucks - she's awesome looking...

 

[Gonodactylus]

It sounds like you have Octopus mercatoris. The female will die a week or two after the last baby hatches. The hatching usually lasts a week to 10 days.

I would not be too concerned with getting her out. When they are about to die, they usually become restless and come out of their cavity. I've had half a dozen lay in the past month and all came out of their tubes or cavities.

Roy

 

[nib420247]

Well, wish I could help you out but I can't, but best of luck to you and congradulations on the hatch.....now what are you doing with the babies? shipping them to fellow RC members for a decient price I hope.....I'll take 2 shipped to 14094 please.

 

[Opcn]

I would recomend that you get herout of there before she dies,you wouldn't want a pound of dead octo to rot in an aquapod. if you get her out and she is in good condition perhaps you should steam her and eat her, no sense in wasting good octopus.