Lennon- Macropus complex

Some new updates- Lennon's doing really well as of late. He (even though I think he's a she) has been starting to come out a lot more often to play and eat. I'm starting to feed him a fiddler crab every 2 or 3 days of the feeding stick around 7 PM. Every time I do I place about 4 or 5 inches or so away from his den and wait for him to come get it. We've been starting to play tug-of-war with the stick, and any guests that come over are amazed. He's not as shy as he used to be. After tug-of-war, he usually goes back to his den for five minutes or so and eats his food, then he'll come back out for a little while. When he comes back out, he seems pretty cautious, but he also has been playing follow the hand (very cautiously). His color changing remains amazing, however I never really see too much texture change with this species (I'm just about positive he's O. luteus) His mantle changes shape from round to a football type shape.

Here's a newly developed problem- I've discovered some bristle worms in his tank. At first glance, I thought they were just his tentacles coming out under a piece of live rock because they're the same color. Then I fed him and he was in a different spot. I've had bristle worms before in a tank, and to get them out I just put some frozen mysid shrimp in pantyhose and the worms try to eat it and the bristles get stuck, it works pretty well. My question is, how harmful are bristle worms to octos? I'm assuming they can sting the octos, but how worried should I be?
 
Just after that post, I looked over at the tank and Lennon was out in the front of the glass. With the room moderately bright, we played for a good 30 minutes. Easily the longest consecutive interaction time we've had. After a good 5 minutes of follow the hand, I tried putting my hand in the tank to see if he was comfortable enough to play inside the tank. He was. He played with my fingers for a pretty nice amount of time, even bringing his mantle pretty close to my hand. His longest arms are probably a good 10 inches now. For a brief moment, I saw somewhat of a formation of a stick type thing that D observed in Beldar's journal (Beldar - Callistoctopus aspilosomatis ?). I'm not real sure if it was the same thing, but it looked like what D described. I tried to get the camera, but by the time I got it Lennon was near the top of the tank kind of observing me. I did get some better pictures of him, which I'll post tomorrow (roommate borrowed my USP cable). I'm really excited about the new interaction with Lennon. I've had him for 2 months and like 5ish days, so I was starting to get "bored" (for lack of a better term) with him because he'd never been out. I'm also kind of scared that when I move him into a bigger tank that I'll have to start all over in terms of interactions and getting him used to coming out during the day. Any thoughts on this?
 
new pics

So, I tried the pantyhose trick to get rid of bristle worms with no success. Any suggestions on what I can do to get rid of them?

Anyway, new pics..these are a little better.






 

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Don't worry 'bout the worms. They make a great clean-up crew and keep you from having to pick up all of the left-overs. I used to worry about them around my hatchlings, but the baby octos just smack 'em around until the worms leave. :lol:
 
Thanks, yeah Lennon seems to ignore them. I was worried but not so much anymore. Next time I do a water change I'll probably try to syphon as many as I can out though.
 
Yep, I think you've got it. I found this diver's forum photo reference (he did not know the species) and the readers concurred on O. luteus. The current pictures look exactly like Beldar where the initial ones had me doubting.

I am glad you have been successful with interaction because it gives me hope that Beldar will be more human friendly by the time BigSister and LittleSister:wink: (New member looking for a weekend journey to see an octopus with little sister being the reason for the trip) come in April. I am so not a morning person so I end up staying up until Beldar decides to awaken. Going to bed at 7:30 AM has got to change!
 
The past week has been a good one in regards to me and Lennon's relationship. He is beginning to come out at around 6 everyday. If he's not out by then, he's out by 7 waiting to play or eat. He won't come out with his tank lights on most of the time, but if there's a crab on a skewer, then he'll come out for sure to chase it around and play tug-o-war. Lennon's new favorite thing to do is come to the top of the tank when he sees me in the room with food. When I lift the lid, he puts two of his arms out of the tank and waits for me to place some food on them. It's really entertaining to me and any guests that come over! He's becoming very social if the lighting isn't too bright. I'm definitely happy to have received an octo from the macropus complex!
 
New Updates

Well, good news and bad news with Lennon. The bad news is pretty much taken care of, so it's not terrible news.

Lennon's nitate levels had gotten up 40 ppm this week, that'd be the bad news. This is most likely due to the fact that he's in a pretty small tank. When I move next week, he's also moving into a 75 gallon tank with a 20 gallon refugium...so I don't see anymore nitrate level problems. One interesting note, while his level's were far from perfect he was still eating like a champ and coming out to play. I would've thought that the levels would have a greater effect on him, but they did not. He has been eating freeze-dried krilled every other day. I was surprised when he accepted it at first, because my first two octos never did. Even so, my roommate and I are going to catch some fiddlers tonight or tomorrow. Then I'll freeze them and have some free food for Lennon and my miniatus grouper, triggers, and eel in my 125.

The good news is that Lennon is doing wonderful overall. Today he came out when I got home from class at 11:30. He played for a little while then took a nap. I went to get some lunch and take my dog on a walk and was back in my room around 1:30ish. He beat in tug-of-war (aka I had to get going and let him take the skewer) earlier in the day, so I put my hand in the tank to get it out. As soon as I did, one of his arms gently grabbed my index finger while two other arms grabbed the skewer. I won round 2 after about 10 minutes of tug-o-war. He was in a position where he could see the skewer, but I did not see him coming at all. Like he's been waiting for me to come back- it was quite entertaining. On a side not, I tried last night to make "rules" with Lennon, like D does with Beldar, and did with Octane and OhToo. I was not as successful as she was, but I'm going to keep trying. I think D has more patience then I do! :lol:

Anyways, during the day Lennon's been coming out at sporadic times to play, but it has never been too consistent. Even so I'm glad to interact with him at my times, not 4 am. :sleeping:

 

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Beldar still has not shown himself during the daytime and refused shrimp again last night (this AM). He would investigate the stick and quite intentionally push it away. I may have some frozen Krill in the freezer so I'll give that a shot tonight. Patience? Do note the number of hours I have spent with this critter. Not having a job has a few minute advantages but we will be eating his shrimp soon if I don't find something quickly.

I just hope his extreme active period is not a sign that he is aging. He eats well and sleeps well but when he is awake he is in almost constant motion. He does not, however, seem stressed (color or skittish behavior) and is always curious. I am thinking he needs a toy (my others have never shown an interest in toys) but the one thing I have tried doesn't interest him so tonight I will try a bundle of straws.
 
Video

If he's still eating and doesn't seem stressed I'd assume he's fine. Lennon is still eating like a champ. Doesn't O. luteus get pretty big? I read somewhere it was about the size of O. briareus, if not a little bigger.

Any and either way, Lennon survived on his own while I was away for 3 days, as with the snakes and all the fish. So that's a big weight off of my shoulders. I've recently gotten a sponge (I think) out break in my tank, but I'm not too worried about- pretty good filter feeders (although it's unsightly). When I got home tonight, Lennon was in hiding until I turned a few dim lights on and he saw me. I gave him a fiddler on a skewer and dominated it. Haha! I caught it on video (ignore the said sponges)--

bdub38


Let me know if the video works! It's my first one.
 
Uploading your video to new video support

Tony has added a new video feature that is superior to the one that more or less works with the attachment. The attachment is very limited and the new feature is far better.

To use the new feature click on the VIDIO link on the very top menu and then on the add video link on the left hand menu. Or you can use this link :sagrin: to get that far. At the top of the form you will see options to add a link or upload a video. Chose upload and select the video from your computer.

After it uploads(it will take awhile), add a link here to the video so that it will show up in the thread (or let me know when it is uploaded and I will give additional instrustions :razz:).
 
WORKED!

Will Lennon take any dead food? Beldar will grab the stick and claim it but not eat shrimp. I am ordering a combination of snails, baby clams, oysters and scallops to put in the bottom substrate (scallops will likely take to the rocks) since he loves to dig his "fingers" in the sand and I see lots of empty snail shells (I never see him eating the snails so it is possible the hermits are responsible). The live shrimp disappear over time and I did see him swat at the remaining peppermint the other night (and could not find him tonight) so I think he will eat shrimp but not dead shrimp on a stick. How do you go about attaching the fiddler to the stick? I have never tried to do that but am wondering if I do and switch foods if it would help.
 

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