help id Al

sedna

Architeuthis
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Hi! I am very excited to be a new member with a new octo! My usually very reputable LFS said he was labeled as a "common octo" by the supplier, but that the few they have gotten are always labeled as such. In the 20+ years I've been keeping marine tanks I've always wanted an octo, so I really want to do right by him. I have a 55gal, but if he is a vulgaris, then maybe it's time to start cycling a bigger tank? He is active in the day, very interested in all the action in the living room and never really hides at all. He spends most of his time walking the glass or balled up on the front corner of it, never much time on the substrate or in his midden. He displays a lot of texture, does have those small "appendages" above his eyes (not as prominent as other breeds I've seen on this site), and for sure NO rings or eye spots. Also, I refer to it as a 'he," my daughters want to know if there is a way to tell for sure... Thanks for any help you can give!
 
tentative id

:welcome: to TONMO!

There are plenty of people here who know better than I do, but it looks to me like A. aculeatus... definitely not O. vulgaris.

Very nice pics! You might consider starting a single thread under "Journals and Pictures" and keeping all related info there.
Greg
 
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I refer to it as a 'he," my daughters want to know if there is a way to tell for sure...

Mucktopus studied the aculeatus in situ over a long period of time (several years and a disortation - note her avitar) and AM has one currently in residence :wink: so you should be pretty confident with the id.

Watch for him to keep one arm curled at all times and not use it for walking about or collecting food. The hectocotylized arm becomes pretty obvious in most species when they are sexually mature. It seems that the male of this species is very out going and the female more recluse but that is only an impression and my be way off base, the curled arm is difinitive.
 
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Arm length = octo sex? (scroll down to post with images)

Here's a little thread that tells how to sex an octo. In A. aculeatus the tip of the hectocotylus is only a few mm, but the groove along the back edge is distinct. There's a picture of an A. acuelatus hectocotylus on
Octopodoidea click on the picture for a larger version of it.
Hope this helps!

And I agree with D that males are more active than females, particularly when the mantle length is approx 1.5 inches
 
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