H.P. Lovecraft - A. aculeatus... I think...

[SabrinaR]

She was a very dark black. She was trying to hunt the shrimp though I put a small crab in there for her and she ignored it completely. I was still able to see the spots on her mantle and there doesnt seem to be any more that I can see. I think its weird that she hunts the shrimp but not the crab. Just odd.

 

[kpage]

Spots? You mean like reg camo spots or patches where it looks like she just can't change color anymore? Curla wouldn't come out of her den at all, so maybe your octopus is just acting a little different than usual. Is she full grown?

 

[SabrinaR]

I do believe she is fully grown. As far as the spots go... D said that white spots on the mantle that dont change color is a sign that they are starting the end of life process. The spots are small and there are 3 of them. She is acting kind of very funny... shes hunting the shrimp but not eating the ready and not so willing but avalible crab.

 

[DWhatley]

When she hunts, is it deliberate or just random wandering?

 

[SabrinaR]

It looks to be a little of both. Sometimes shes stalking the shrimp. She has even had its antina in her suckers but it slipped away. Then she would just go back and forth and back and forth.

 

[SabrinaR]

I'm wondering if Capt isnt right. There is still the question of the white spots and change in her mantle. She has been coming out but only for a very short time. Its nothing like before when she was ALWAYS on the front glass. I went and picked up some more live shrimp in the hopes that she would be able to catch one... the last one that was left in the tank has become her more than worthy adversary lol. She still isnt eatting the crabs.

 

[DWhatley]

White spots (not to be confused with a matching pair that I still can't find out what they are but are common to many octos) can old scars that healed but lost their ability to change. CaptFish is right though, you need to enjoy your time with her.

 

[SabrinaR]

I have been enjoying her. Its amazing, my husband and I could be in the middle of something serious, some talk or something, and she will come out for a min. We stop and just watch her. We are always left with a wow.

She came out late last night around 12 a.m. to try and catch a shrimp... I think. She grabs a few litte rocks to make up her new den I believe... I moved some of the rocks before so I might have disrupted her spot. It was very cool to watch. She tried to pull a LARGE turbo snail off the wall that was SO FUNNY!!! She is so little and the snail really isnt... If it had been on the sand she would have been able to move it but it was stuck to the wall! lol

 

[Lmecher]

It was that way with Ollie, he usually didn't come out till very late, I'd be glued to the tank. With Diablo I (and the family) have to ignore her often or we'd never get anything else accomplished as she is out a lot.

 

[DWhatley]

Our main tank room is our eating room and that works our well for two way, consistent observation and exposure. The tanks have sprawled beyond there but the two primary octo tanks and the merc tank are our dining entertainment.

 

[SabrinaR]

WOW you must have one BIG eating area! We have so much furniture that I hardly know where I would put another tank, plus Xander is small so that limits things a bit. I hope I will be getting another octo tank set up soon. I love the set ups and planning of a new tank.

 

[DWhatley]

LOL, Longish story but the short of is was I wanted only one eating area when we built the house. It was going to be informal but I found I missed having a formal area and that small groups around a BIG table was not friendly enough. When we got around to adding a garage, it was easy to add a breakfast room rather than the planned walkway and gave us the chance to enlarge a couple of other areas that had not worked out quite as planned. The sq. ft is large but the actual usable space considerably less so.

 

[SabrinaR]

Ah lucky!

 

[SabrinaR]

I put some fiddlers in the tank for her so that she can hunt/eat as she wishes. She isnt really social. I think part of her hiding for those few days was because she might have been mad at me. I think what I thought was her interested was in fact her telling me to leave her alone, although I dont know why she wouldnt just go a hide. In any event she has been out yesterday and today. I spied her catching and eating a fiddler crab so I guess she is still eating. I have noticed at least one more spot. Should I maybe treat her for infection anyway? I have some frozen blood worms that I can soak in the tetracycline and then put some in the tank for the shrimp and crabs to eat? Would that work? Other wise how would I go about it cause she hasnt eaten anything I have given her by hand since I got her?

 

[DWhatley]

Puting antibiotics in the tank is not a good idea as it does not discriminate between bacterias. I would not attempt it unless you can get her to eat from a stick. Are you sure you are not just seeing a display pattern. Also, an old, healed injury can leave skin unable pattern and not be a concern.