Finally, an octopus in Holland

[nightlife31]

Yes, saterday I finally found an octopus. Don't know the specie. I heard someone in the shop saying it was indopacfic, but I'm not sure. Most obvious feature are funny horns on it's eyes!
Anyone recognizes this specie?


Unfortunatly it lost 4 legs during it's life, but it doesn't seem to care that much. Do they fully regrow?

Ciao, Rutger

 

[Nancy]

Hi Rutger,

I know I've seen pictures of this species, but I can't place it right off. Did you buy the octopus and is it in your aquarium now?

He's had a hard life, losing 4 arms. They are supposed to grow back. Even with only 4 arms, he's a handsome octopus.

Nice tank decor, too.

Nancy

 

[nightlife31]

Yes, I bought it last saterday and it's getting used to my tank. I have got some soft coral, sponges and discanemones in it and a red seastar I just bought. To make it look nice even if the octopus is hiding.

Also got some mussels and oysters in the tank (alife from the supermarket) but it hasn't touched them yet. Maybe a bit to big for a small octopus with 4 arms.

Tonight I placed a peeled shrimp, attached to a rock by a fishing line. It hasn't touched it eather, but I hope it will it later on tonight.

Anyone who regonizes this specy, please let me know.

 

[um...]

How big is it?

 

[nightlife31]

It's head is about 4 cm, it longest arms are about 20cm

 

[Nancy]

Hi Rutger,

Let me take a guess at the species - I thinnk it might belong to the Octopus horridus species complex, because of its small mantle size and very long arms. Also, horridous's arms are capable of being severed near the base and serve as decoys for preditors. The arms do regenerate.

These octopuses are day active, and eat fish and small crabs. They come from the tropical waters of the Indian and central and western Pacific ocean.

So does anyone else have a different idea for the species? Also, maybe a second photo would help.

Nancy

 

[um...]

A second opinion:

I agree with Nancy. I was looking at the O. horridus complex in Mark Norman's nifty little book, and thought that might be a good start. I've been trying to find some better pictures of the things, since the photos of the species in Cephalopods were all taken from above with the subjects resting on the bottom. The dorsal aspect alone isn't enough for a stupe like me to make more than a trepid guess. Thinking O. aculeatus, maybe?

 

[Colin]

This species is part of the horridus complex and is closest to being aculeatus! (well done Um..)... at present this group of cf. aculeatus are being studied in detail and classified by a student of Dr Roy Caldwell. So there should be proper ID keys available at some point and no doubt the entire group revised.

it is the most commonly imported species that i have seen in the UK, unfortunetly it is pretty much full grown

They would be an ideal aquarium species as they dont get very large and tend to be diurnal, also will feed from hands very quickly.

Drawbacks are that they are imported as adults (short aquarium lifespan) and are a small egg species (hard to rear paralarvae)

I have only had good feeding results by using live crabs like shore crabs.

There have been several accounts of this species on TONMO.com and its worth a SEARCH for aculeatus... I think a member had one called shaggy? and Jscott had some good info on them too...

have fun with octo

Colin

 

[Colin]

PS the arms will regrow to an extent.. depend son how long it lives but it wont hold your quadopus back!

 

[joel_ang]

Wow i like the pic, good find and nice work identifying it everyone!!! Well i looked a bit mimickish but when I looked up on it, sure enough you guys were right!

The legs probably won't grow back fully considering it doesn't have too much time left, but just for the record, it would grow back fully if it had more time.

 

[nightlife31]

Many Many more pictures.

See this link: http://www.zeewaterforum.net/forums/index.php?board=25;action=display;threadid=7345

It looks like I got a daylight animal, so I can get some great pictures. It is amazing in color changes, as you can see on the pictures. A stripe, spots, star eyes.

It didn't eat the shrimp I placed in the water last night (see attachement).
Just bought a black molly, hope it will eat this one

 

[nightlife31]

I become more positive that I got this Octopus aculeatus. It surely is awake during the day, it's just sitting in the left front corner while lights are on. Unfortunatly it isn't eating the molly that is swimming around in the tank. It's should eat something soon.

Anyone an idea to get it eating (the LFS caught it in the tank by placing a trap with a dead calamari as bait). And now it is refusing dead shrimp and life molly.

 

[Colin]

I had similar problems!!! got to be live crabs im afraid!

 

[joel_ang]

Wow, what excellent photos nightlife, I liked the fourth one best. As for the eating part, Maybe you might want to let it settle down and get used to its new environment. Try putting a few hermit crabs in for the time being and he should eat pretty soon. Good Luck

 

[corw314]

Hi and welcome!!

What an excellent octo you have! Enjoy every moment he's with you! What kind of camera? The shots are excellent!

Carol