Can anyone help with an ID

Zach S.

Cuttlefish
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Oct 15, 2018
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Location
New York
Purchased this "Pacific brown" assorted octopus. This is my second day of owning. I have included pictures in the bag. He hid in the den with the light off all yesterday and last night (read if I left the room dark for a day he would relax more.) He readily took a thawed silver side (ate half and mangled the rest) he has been roaming and showing me his adaptive camo for the past hour, and then returned to his den. I do not know if he was just curious about me, he seemed to follow me around the tank, as we observed each other. As well as an ID could anyone put a rough ballpark age on how old he may be. There are about 18-20 hermits and maybe 10 snails in his tank to snack on, but I am very happy to have seen him eat half of a 1.5" silver side.
 

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Pretty sure you have the correct ID with Abdopus aculeatus (AKA algae octopus).

Anything you eat from the ocean is fine to offer but don't buy in quantity until you are sure it will eat the offering. Regular table shrimp offered on a feeding stick are often a good choice. Another favorite are blue crab claws. The claws can be frozen (but not the whole crab). Be sure you make it clear that you are collecting claws that have already been severed (ie not claws you removed) from any live bins you scavenge.
 
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Pretty sure you have the correct ID with Abdopus aculeatus (AKA algae octopus).

Anything you eat from the ocean is fine to offer but don't buy in quantity until you are sure it will eat the offering. Regular table shrimp offered on a feeding stick are often a good choice. Another favorite are blue crab claws. The claws can be frozen (but not the whole crab). Be sure you make it clear that you are collecting claws that have already been severed (ie not claws you removed) from any live bins you scavenge.
Thanks. I picked up 3 smaller live clams from the local store. He has not touched them at all but I'm hopeful he may figure out what they are in the next day.
 
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I picked up 3 smaller live clams from the local store. He has not touched them at all but I'm hopeful he may figure out what they are in the next day.
If he/she does not attempt to eat one, you can offer it on the half shell. I don't suggest this with muscles or oysters but clams don't cause a clean up problem.
 
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Clams are a no go, even on half shell, or alive. I have good luck with silver sides, he takes his time munching a good couple chunks out of them, the hermits used to clean up the rest... but there numbers are slowly declining. I will have to go to my lfs and get some more hermits. I may try small scallops, what do you guys think.
 

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None of mine have ever eaten hermits but they have been mostly Caribbean animals and I offer easier food. With that in mind, I can usually get an octopus to eat exactly one seafood counter scallop and no more (I have never put a live scallop in the tank - too expensive to be used as food). Do try a small shrimp (or just the tail if you can't find them in a small size - never have found "popcorn" sized raw shrimp. If something is rejected, try offering a smaller quantity and feel free to offer on several different occasions.
 
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I am amazed by the "feeding" camo vs the color displayed after feeding. I will try small scallops, silversides will be his main diet it seems, as my angler fish loves them as well! Pic attached for your amusement, it's great that they love the same food.
 

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Do try to feed some kind of crustacean a few times a week we believe fish do not provide all of the nutrients they need (possibly fats, based on attempts to raise cephs for food).
 
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Do try to feed some kind of crustacean a few times a week we believe fish do not provide all of the nutrients they need (possibly fats, based on attempts to raise cephs for food).
Crustations besides hermits? I can see what my grocery store has in terms of crab. Shrimp will be easy though. Thanks for all the help.
 
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Shrimp counts but most groceries won't have raw crab. Even the frozen is cooked so it has to be live. I get the crab claws from the live bins (be sure your fish monger knows this if you get them) at my local Asian market. Hermit crabs are good too though, just small.
 
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