Hi! yesterday was a very stressful day. After more than 1 year I just felt I was ready for keeping another octopus, it was very painful for me to loose my last one. So I just ordered a young one form the same person that sold the other. It was the same species I liked, because he was very day active. First time the seller sent me the octopus by bus, so I could pick him up 6 hours later. This time I told him I wanted to be shipped the same way but he send me the octopus by express mail but for the next day. The package came 23 hours later. I was very mad with the seller and told him that I was expecting it to arrive dead. When I opened the package the octo was missing several limbs, I think he ate them because of stress but I couldn’t really know for sure, the wounds looked fresh. I acclimated it with my tank water and it behaves normal. It was very active and even ate a thawed shrimp piece, he loved it’s new tank and hid in the rocks. I have it for a day now, I’ve been reading and I’m afraid it’s going to die soon. This is so frustrating, I hope he/she survives, what do you think? I know future looks very grim, I hope it recovers from this. Please help! His behavior is very normal and active. I leave some photos and videos. Thanks!
[Octopus]: Autophagy while transportation
- Thread starter DanGz
- Start date
I just gave him food and he seems strong and healthy, only missing the severed tentacles 
.It was hiding and when I introduced the shrimp into the water it go out for it, I think this is a good sign but let's see what happen in a couple of days...
.It was hiding and when I introduced the shrimp into the water it go out for it, I think this is a good sign but let's see what happen in a couple of days...
Hi @DanGz -- ugh, sorry for that experience! Such a challenging hobby; so many things can go wrong. It's great that he seems to like the tank; tells us that you've done a good job prepping for his arrival! Hopefully he'll regrow those limbs. A lot of times, autophagy is irreversible; i.e., once they start they continue until death. Encouraging that he's eating and seeming healthy; sure looks it from the video! Appreciate you keeping us posted. 
Thanks, yes it is very challenging hobby but the rewarding is huge! Everything seems fine right now, If he didn't have parts of his arms missing I wouldn't know something is wrong. He is more active today, exploring and more confortable with his sorroundings, he have a lot of hidding spots in the tank, now I'm seeing he chose an area to hide, he started cleaning his den, geting out a shrimp shell that was stuck in there. I read an article about the autophagy disease and the synthoms don't align with those described, that seems like have a neurological origin. I'm doubting now he ate his tentacles, in transportation how many tentacles could he eat? I think this is more a case of mistreatement from the seller, I made the mistake of not asking for a photo before sending me the octoHi @DanGz -- ugh, sorry for that experience! Such a challenging hobby; so many things can go wrong. It's great that he seems to like the tank; tells us that you've done a good job prepping for his arrival! Hopefully he'll regrow those limbs. A lot of times, autophagy is irreversible; i.e., once they start they continue until death. Encouraging that he's eating and seeming healthy; sure looks it from the video! Appreciate you keeping us posted.
. I found one of the tentacles has a little regenerated tip. I hope he thrive at my care, one day at a time. Right now he seems fine and happy. I'll keep posting his progress,maybe this would be usefull for somebody in the future.
for sure! That all makes sense.
That's a good sign!
5 day now, he seems fine! He already picked his favorites spots to hang out. He stays most of the day (at least when I'm looking) in one of them, but I think this is a normal behaviour for acclimatation window time. For the Autophagy deasease, the literature say 80% of the animals dies whithin 1- 2 days, the last 10% between 3 and 6 days, I think I almost can discard the posibility of that disease out. Haven't seen any new signs of autohpagy.for sure! That all makes sense.
That's a good sign!
You're doing great so far! It's super common for octopuses to loose arms in the wild while they are hunting- I would not assume it was autophagy due to shipping stress.
Congratulations, looks like everything is going great for you and your new friend!
Congratulations, looks like everything is going great for you and your new friend!
Thanks Sedna! The octo is doing really good, he’s very shy and stays in his usual spots, I have now 8 days with him, everyday he lets me to see him more. Can’t wait to see him fully adapted to the tank and my presence!
He’s small but I’m almost sure an O. Hummelincki
I decided to name my octopus Tulu, I didn't wanted to name it before knowing it's sex but I think this name can work for both male and female. It's doing really fine! It's very active and eats little but consistent, I guess it's because it's small (mantle like 3/4'', maybe a dwarf or junevile). Today it was sticking to the front glass of the aquarium but swim away to the LR when saw me, it came out to watch me from a crevice in the rock with very relaxed colors though. I hate calling Tulu an "it" but don't want to asume it's sex. Maybe when it is more active outside I can see for sure who we are dealling with . I hopeTulu is male, I've been reading about female Hummelincki brooding sooner when acclimated to a new tank . With my last octo I was thinking all the time he was going to live a couple of months and I didn't enjoy his 7 months with me, this time I'll be more relaxed and just enjoy the time I have with Tulu
. I hopeTulu is male, I've been reading about female Hummelincki brooding sooner when acclimated to a new tank . With my last octo I was thinking all the time he was going to live a couple of months and I didn't enjoy his 7 months with me, this time I'll be more relaxed and just enjoy the time I have with Tulu
Great name, beautiful animal! Hummelincki don't get very big, but hopefully it's a juvenile. Keep sharing your experience!
Today happened something really weird. I went as usual, to feed Tulu. Watched trough the LV and spot it right where it sits to watch, from inside the cave and I saw it he was very pale and inrresponsive, so I immediatly panicked, it was looking strange. I introduced the feeding stick into the tank with a piece of thawed shrimp, and it didn’t move nor react and thats when I feared the worst. Then I almost had a heart attack because Tulu came from the other corner in the tank and grabbed the shrimp. That shape wasn’t Tulu!! It was the snail shell it uses as a door. But it was just left there in a weird position and in the same spot it hangs out when only wants to pick through the cave. I know most probably this was a coincidence, but a really weird one. The first photo is Tulu in its spot, when I turn the tank light off, it rest in that place where the light of the room reaches the back of the tank. The other photos are Tulu’s prank 
I know Tulu knows that spot is where I can see it. When Tulu doesn’t want to be seen it hang out in other places out of sight, I have a los of LR and too many places for it to hide. it even positions on the light spot and knows when somebody is looking at it. This was just sooo weird haha
Now you're to the fun part, when your octopus is comfortable in its new home and enjoying exploring. So glad that you're having fun together!
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