Axis - O. briareus

[sedna]

Ahh, well, I'm afraid I hold out no hope of actually seeing the eggs. The den is deep in a large piece of rock that I bought because it had so many den possibilities. Some of my octos cleaned the substrate from the bottom of the tank and I could actually see into the dens from under the tank, but not this time.

 

[DWhatley]

Both Cassy and Kooah rearranged the dens at different phases, changing the light that reached the eggs (and my viewing possibilities). I did not record easily found dating but if you notice something similar, it may be important so watch for rocks being moved about.

 

[sedna]

I will. It's always fun to do anyway, and I did notice that one large shell had been moved out last week some time, but it made no difference for viewing. I've actually been taking pics of the den now and then so I could go back to see if things have been rearranged, so I'll keep that up!

 

[sedna]

The girls are home this week for Spring break, which means IF I find a moment to myself, I'm going to be interrupted... This morning I noticed that Axis made a slight but noticeable difference in the shell arrangement in the opening of her den. It makes no difference in my ability to see anything (eggs), but the large shells are still there but very obviously rearranged from how they have been for the last 2 weeks.

Last night I went through all of my old tank equipment (had to let the girls have friends over so they'd be too busy to fight or "help") and I think I have a plan. I am going to put out a little more $$ than usual for another filter for the old 35 gal acrylic. I'm thinking it's worth it to always have that back up anyway- my only means for a holding tank is a 7 gal with a waterfall filter and "bio- wheel," and I've been meaning to have a better system for isolation and acclimation.

 

[DWhatley]

Sedna, can you determine any purpose in the rock rearrangement? I am thinking light exposure from what I have seen of the O.briareus but this is stricktly conjecture.

 

[sedna]

She did it again last night. Small but obvious (to me) changes in the way she has the shells at the 'top' of the den. Mostly just turned around facing different ways. I really can't tell why she's doing it, the position of the tank in relation to the window, and the den in relation to the way the light enters, it's hard to believe that rearranging those shells would make much difference in the available light. Then again, I'm too big to fit in there, so for all I know those small changes make a huge difference...

 

[CaptFish]

Maybe, she is coming out for an evening stroll, and upon returning to her den, she just doesn't put the shells back exactly the same way.

 

[sedna]

Who knows? I don't leave the red light on at night since she's been brooding, so it's nice and dark at night. Maybe she's communing with the cats during their 4am frolic in the living room...

 

[DWhatley]

Cassy definitely came out when no one was around for the first couple of weeks. We noticed changes on the other side of the tubes in addition to the rock she would move across.

 

[sedna]

Egg Pics! Apr 28 2011

I was checking Axis's den for any signs of change last night and didn't notice any. Just for fun I decided to look under the tank up into the den and sure enough I could see eggs! I wasn't holding out any hope for that!

It was all but impossible to get some photos, though. I waited until this morning to try for photos, hoping that with lights on and sun out I might have some luck. By the time I looked, she had pushed some hermit shells into the cleared out space on the floor of her den. I actually had to get under the tank on my back, holding a flashlight in one hand and the camera in the other. These shots are looking directly up into the den. She let me get off 4-5 shots before scooping her arm under them and blocking my view.

These shots have been cropped and edited to make the eggs as big as I can get them while still being clear. I can't really tell if there are eyes yet, and they were moving but probably due to Axis.

 

[sedna]

D, I should have dated the title of that last entry just for ease, Could you fix that?

 

[DWhatley]

Where is John when we need him? I would love to have had you include a picture of you taking the photos

The Opaque white is yolk sack. Cassy's eggs that disintegrated first were clear. You can expect that the growing mantle is near the pointed side now (assuming they are fertile and I think that is a good assumption). They should flip twice according to my reading but I am not sure at what points they flip. I believe the final flip is just before hatching and I think it is mantle to the fat end of the egg like Cassy's are now oriented. The eggs were too uniform for me to detect any kind of rearrangement before now but I think these have only flipped once so they should reorient the way yours are now and then back to their current position just before hatching. When I looked tonight, it appears the yolks have moved back down toward the center on a few so the next flip may be soon.

 

[sedna]

Axis has officially closed up the viewing window. I feel like she's wagging a finger (arm tip) at me!

 

[DWhatley]

Both Cassy and Kooah opened and closed viewing windows (albeit they were not under the tank ) over the course of the brooding period so check back daily

 

[sedna]

Nothing to report, just brooding as usual. This is the boring part, crossing fingers that everything is o.k., and at this point nothing happening is o.k.!