ID please, or educated guess at least (Australian)

[Ash]

Hi Guys & Gals,

picked up this little guy from a local store the other day in Townsville, QLD Australia. I believe the collection point for the live rock he was found with was Cairns, QLD Aust.


LFS believes he is a "dwarf reef octopus", nice & vague.

Firstly, in the bag

In the tank - for reference the live rock behind him is about tennis ball sized

He has changed colour when he went into the tank to more match his surroundings.

I can't really tell you much more, will try to get more photos but he appears to be nocturnal which makes getting the shots a little hard - what is a good colour light to view him without disturbing him at night, red?

Cheers
Ash

 

[marinebio_guy]

It will be hard to ID without a full body picture.

 

[Animal Mother]

Yes, red light should do for night viewing. Good luck with it!

 

[Ash]

Got some better shots...

 

[Ash]

Um, I read in the "blue ring on a finger" thread that the rings only appear when they are stressed - if it was one it would have shown the rings in the bag being a quite stressful situation, right?

Cause if it is a blue ring I'm definately taking it back, I hope it isn't, but reading that they rings can disappear I'm a little worried cause my guy is about that ballpark size.

 

[Animal Mother]

You should search for blue ring images and see if you find a good match... but there are a lot of lookalike's when it comes to octo's. I thought they were usually a pale yellow, brightening up when they flash their rings. I could be wrong.

 

[Tintenfisch]

Here is one photo of TONMO member tjw13's BRO.
I believe the rings are always visible, but are normally (in the relaxed state) much duller and greyer, on a dull yellow or tan mantle, like this; when aggravated, the rings flash vivid, brilliant blue on a bright yellow mantle, like this.
But I am far from the most experienced person here in terms of octopus ID and keeping!

 

[Animal Mother]

I found it could be a baby Cyanea from doing a search for "Australian reef octopus". That would be crazy. You'd basically need a swimming pool for it if it is. There are just so dang many species. Then again, it's eyes appear somewhat over-sized. Could very well be a dwarf.

 

[shipposhack]

Here is one photo of TONMO member tjw13's BRO.
I believe the rings are always visible, but are normally (in the relaxed state) much duller and greyer, on a dull yellow or tan mantle, like this; when aggravated, the rings flash vivid, brilliant blue on a bright yellow mantle, like this.
But I am far from the most experienced person here in terms of octopus ID and keeping!

Note that those pictures aren't all of the same species. I doubt yours is a blue ring though, looks like a dwarf to me.

 

[Andy Lister]

Blue ring's arms wouldn't be as long as that I don't think, and they don't seem to hold themselves in that position when they sit, they are squatter.

The Indo species are a more drab brown colour and the spots are pretty hard to see, Australian ones are much brighter and as a result reflect the fact that they are much mroe dangerous (if there are degrees in the levals of "Fatal!)

Generally not good pets though BROs and as a result i'd steer clear.

Either way it's a cracking little octo!

 

[Ash]

OK, more info...

he definately has clear webbing between his arms, he has darker brown patterning that comes & goes and he appears to like playing with the feeding stick I've been giving him krill with, wrestling with it, kind of trying to pull it into the tank.

Also, he kind of plays "fetch" with empty hermit shells - I take one away, he'll snatch it back or shuffle them around - he even kept playing once whilst I had the tank light on so I might be able to get a vid.

A lot more interactive than I first thought.

What is the odds of him inking if I "play" with him like this, am I just giving him stimulation or stressing him out?

Also, foods. Other than krill or little crabs from the beach what should I be feeding him?

 

[Ash]

..

 

[mucktopus]

Looks like something in Abdopus (eye bar/star, lateral neck dark spots, mottling on arms and web, crescent line on the mantle). Juv cyanea also have these skin features but also have an ocellus (eyespot) between each eye and the side arms. Sometimes it's not so obvious, but they show it when startled. But juv cyanea also tend to express reds and purples, which this animal doesn't seem to do.

Abdopus aculeatus lives off Cape Trib, so probably Cairns as well. Not sure if the smaller A. abaculus lives that far south, and who knows what other species Mark Norman has found in the area. This group is pretty diverse.

Check out this paper to read more on the body patterns and behavior of aculeatus- maybe it will help with the ID.
Ethogram of Abdopus aculeatus (d'Orbigny, 1834) (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae): Can behavioural characters inform octopodid taxomony and systematics?
or google Ethogram Abdopus aculeatus and it should show up- let me know if you can't download it. Should be open access. If not, email me for a pdf.

 

[shipposhack]

I always thought of Abdopus Aculeatus as one of the spikier octos, which this one doesn't seem to display.

 

[mucktopus]

Their papillae aren't usually very prominent when they're resting, or otherwise don't really have a strong need for camouflage.