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

[SabrinaR]

I am sure it isnt a display pattern. I believe they are new, but it is possible that they arent. I wont discount that(I dont want to discount that at all). I hope they are old and I just didnt notice. I didnt think of the meds affecting all of the bacteria, I think you are right about staying away from treatment in that case. I noticed some of the cork screwing of the arms last night. It wasnt a great deal like in the video you posted for me here. It could have been caused by stress as I was up close and watching her. But the truth is after all that I have read about this kind of octo I really dont know what to expect at this point.

 

[SabrinaR]

After looking over octos past 2009 and 2010 I have found that no one has kept an A. aculeatus for longer than 2 months... Did I see that right? In 2 years no one has had them longer? Thats very discouraging. I'm trying to keep the faith though.

 

[CaptFish]

She appears to be right. That is discouraging.
We can do it!

 

[DWhatley]

Octopuse Prime lived with MikeWise for almost 4 months but that is the only one I have ever kept (2 days). He may have lived longer if we had not tried to relocate him. My only attempt at buying one resulted in acquiring Puddles (Macropus complex, not Abdpus).

A lot of the end dates are missing (at one point I tried to email people to record them but the response for the effort did not encourage me to continue the practice). The ones with end dates are typically short lived and reported. However, the occurance of getting older animals is very high and I try to mention this in any discussions about obtaining one.

 

[SabrinaR]

I do remember you saying something to that effect before. I just didnt realize just how short a time they were kept. Its such a pitty. HP is a delight to watch. Though she hasnt been as interactive as I would have liked she has indeed been a blessing here in our home.

I have finally found a den she has made YAY lol. She found a small rock and dug a hole under it. At first all I saw was an arm wiggling like the tail of a lizard that had been lost. I thought actually that she had just lost an arm for some reason and that a hermit crab was trying to eat it. Turns out it was her trying to find tiny rocks (including a old snail shell) to block the opening. She had apparently found other locations which she tried to make into a den, but hasnt been comfortable there for one reason or another. I think the last den she was trying out was moved because I could see her and she could see me... this did not make her happy.

 

[SabrinaR]

Hp has found a new den. She is under different rock now. All I really see of her these days is every so often her arm comes out looking for something. I'm not really sure what shes trying to find, food maybe or more rocks I just dont know. She came out for maybe 5 or 10 min and then went right back.

 

[Jocephus]

I am two days short of two months with mine, I'll keep you posted. He has been a bit more reserved lately, I hope it's not the end. Good luck!

 

[Lmecher]

I am two days short of two months with mine, I'll keep you posted. He has been a bit more reserved lately, I hope it's not the end. Good luck!

I will keep my for both if you.

 

[SabrinaR]

I am two days short of two months with mine, I'll keep you posted. He has been a bit more reserved lately, I hope it's not the end. Good luck!

I'm crossing my fingers for you. Good luck!

 

[SabrinaR]

So I hadnt seen HP wiggle her arms for a few days so I went looking for her... Shes still alive but I saw quite a few eggs so it wont be to much longer. She is no longer with the eggs now so I dont know if they will hatch or not on their own. Plus with her leaving them the shrimp will probably eat them. Kind of sucky.

 

[Lmecher]

Oh, this is my big fear too. Sorry to hear your news. Is she eating?

 

[SabrinaR]

I honestly dont know if she is eating... I have food in the tank for her if she wants but so far I cant see that she is. She wont take anything from the stick so its really up to her if she wants to eat.

 

[DWhatley]

The fact that she quit tending them is a likely indicator that they are not fertile. Additionally, the A.aculeatus (and all Abdopus I think) is a small egged, pelagic at birth, species and there is not hope of raising them in an aquarium. They are pelagic for over a month. I think our record is 21 days but prior to that it was 11 and prior to that less than a week.

 

[SabrinaR]

I am guessing that what I saw was probably not eggs as HP is still with me. She is horribly antisocial. I never get to feed her. I have to hope she can catch whats in the tank. As she RARELY if ever comes out for more than a moment. I sometimes see dead shrimp floating around and I also put fiddlers in the tank, as I havent be able to actually feed her by had since I got her. IDK

 

[DWhatley]

Sometime, particularly if the eggs are not fertile they will live a few weeks after the eggs are gone.