“Giant Florida Octopus?”

[dleo4590]

Has anyone ever heard of a “Giant Florida Octopus?” My LFS ship just unboxed one that was suppose to go to a zoo but I’ve only ever heard or know of one and that would be the Giant Pacific. This one is pretty big for a warm water octopus. I’ve never seen one like it and to scale it’s bigger than our male Caribbean Reef that passed, Turq. We are gonna try to get it since we don’t want anyone that hasn’t had one to buy it but they have a $500 price on it. It’s a rarity in and of itself being offered for sale in a shop but the size and possibly identity makes it more of a gem. Sorry for pics and video they have him in a Chinchilla ball in a coral display tank. We are waiting in the vehicle they are still unboxing but totally caught us off guard they don’t sell cephalopods here. This is the first we’ve seen in a shop and the first we’ve seen this big in person.

 

[tonmo]

hmm, our Search feature turns up empty for that... sounds like a misidentification!

 

[dleo4590]

hmm, our Search feature turns up empty for that... sounds like a misidentification!

Yeah we searched too but unfortunately we don’t have enough to buy it. The store is family run and come to find out they do sell octopus there but this is the first time we’ve seen one and he said it’s a “warm water giant octopus.” I did find a video on YouTube of one that looked like it but it is unfortunately killed in the video by a spear gun...

 

[tonmo]

I did find a video on YouTube of one that looked like it but it is unfortunately killed in the video by a spear gun...

...ugh! thanks for not linking that one, not interested!

 

[pkilian]

Any idea about a mantle length? Its a bit hard to tell in the photos

 

[dleo4590]

Any idea about a mantle length? Its a bit hard to tell in the photos

It was as big ,if not, bigger than my hand I tried to hold my hand up for reference in the video but it didn’t do much so 4 1/2” to 5” in length when fully inflated. I tried searching Octopus in Atlantic and all of which didn’t match the look and size of this one so either the guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about or the supplier made it up to sell but apparently this isn’t the first “Giant Florida” octopus they’ve sold. He said there was one before it but every time we go in there it seems less like they care about their animals and more about making money. It sucks because they have almost everything we need and they offer the most diverse selection of product and livestock.

 

[dleo4590]

Some more pics they moved it into a different tank with better lighting for pics and videos

 

[dleo4590]

 

[tonmo]

wow!
hmm, looks like a GPO, doesn't it?

 

[dleo4590]

wow!
hmm, looks like a GPO, doesn't it?

I want to say yes but there’s so many types for me as a hobbyist to know for sure. I don’t know what it is but it was like a rusty red and was flashing and pulsating at us or the fact it was in the middle of a shark/ray display tank...

 

[dleo4590]

Please if anyone has any ideas of what it might be but the fact that the day they got it in they told us it was suppose to have gone to a zoo might also be an indicator it's a GPO but need someone who has expertise in identifying species. Thought I would've received more feed back on this...

 

[tonmo]

I have to suspect lack of response is at least in part because no one has ever heard of such a species. I think GPO is a safe bet!

 

[dleo4590]

I have to suspect lack of response is at least in part because no one has ever heard of such a species. I think GPO is a safe bet!

That’s why I am asking because clearly that’s NOT what this animal is but I also don’t think it’s a GPO either the color seems wrong I would think it would be more of a red or uniform red this seemed to have some shade of red but was diluted with brown...

 

[tonmo]

Hmm, this article that octobot just spotted debates whether the featured ceph is a GPO or a Maori octopus (Macroctopus maorum) -

[Encounters] - Legging it! Octopus clambers out of a rock pool and WALKS across land in stunning close-up footage

From DailyMail.co.uk: Free diver Lawrence Scheele captured the rare instance at Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia whilst the sea critter was trying to hunt. The octopus caught ... Continue reading...

www.tonmo.com

 

[dleo4590]

Hmm, this article that octobot just spotted debates whether the featured ceph is a GPO or a Maori octopus (Macroctopus maorum) -

[Encounters] - Legging it! Octopus clambers out of a rock pool and WALKS across land in stunning close-up footage

From DailyMail.co.uk: Free diver Lawrence Scheele captured the rare instance at Manly Beach, Sydney, Australia whilst the sea critter was trying to hunt. The octopus caught ... Continue reading...

www.tonmo.com

Well out of frustration I reached out to someone at Monterey Bay Aquarium and they said it's most likely a common. Thanks for the help.

Spoiler: images