Lennon- Macropus complex

forever27

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Dec 22, 2008
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Woodstock, GA
Hey guys, I got this octo awhile ago and just decided to (and a request from Sedna) to start my own journal. I got it 12/18/8, on my mom's birthday. I named it Lennon, after John Lennon- My favorite Beatles' song is Octopus' Garden (Kind of a biased choice).

I believe, after some help in the ID section, and comparing with some pictures that its Octopus luteus. But I'm not sure of it, hopefully as he matures it will be easier to tell. I'm definitely thinking Macropus complex though. For now, it's in a 37 gallon tank with a SubCurrent Internal Wet/Dry filter and a ProClear 150 Protein Skimmer. When I move across town in early April, it'll be moved into a 75 gallon tank with a DIY 20 gallon refugium with the same skimmer. If he does outgrow that, I'll have to clean out my 125 gallon tank or donate him to the local small aquarium (I've already proposed the possibility to them).

Since December, he's been steadily accepting small fiddler crabs that I ordered from Sachs Systems Aquaculture ( Cannot connect to MySQL server ). I'm feeding him these until it gets warm enough to go catch some myself. Also, occasionally he'll take some silversides and clam strips from a skewer.

He's not very day active at all, the only time I see him out is feeding time during the day. However, I bought a 4watt blue light that put into a clamp lamp and he'll come out when that's on at night around 2 or 3. (I'm a night owl) Also, when I get up to take the dog out around 8:30 he's always out.

My pictures are terrible. Any suggestions on octo-picture taking is greatly appreciated! haha






 

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Good that you started this journal. It will be interesting to see these macropus complex octopuses grow up and compare them. We've never had journals featuring them before. Keep the photos coming!

I'm glad that you and Sedna have back-up plans in case your octopuses grow too large! But maybe we'll get lucky!

Nancy
 
Yeah, I'm going to invest in a new digital camera soon I think. Hopefully Lennon will get more used to me over time, it's still a baby though. And I'm hoping that the 75 gallon will be enough, because I sure don't want to get rid of the fish in my 125 gallon, and definitely won't want to donate the octo anywhere. I'll be updating as frequently as possible, hopefully with pictures! Lennon's colors are absolutely gorgeous, with an redish-orange base and bright blue/green spots as his neutral appearance.
 
Hey guys, I've got a some-what (or at least I think so) interesting tidbit I found out about Lennon.

Tonight (actually 5 minutes ago) I started an experiment by accident, which I'm going to continue to play with until I get bored with it haha. The other day, it was around 7 pm and I had just gotten home; my door had been closed with all lights off, the room was basically pitch black with the curtains blocking out remaining sunlight. When I did get home, I turned on the blue light so I wouldn't startle the octo, assuming it'd be out. He wasn't. Usually, Lennon will not come out with the slightest bit of light (aside from the 4watt blue bulb) unless there's a crab in the water. Well tonight, I was sitting at my computer with my desk lamb on and the TV on as well. The room was decently lit, definitely enough for the octo to notice; he was out journeying about. It's 3 am. I want to see if he actually has some sort of mental clock, or if I just got lucky tonight. I'm going to try to do the same two "experiments" again, and see what the results are. Maybe he has a sort of mental clock? Anyone have any thoughts? Or is this sort of a waste of time?

Other news- I've learned for sure that Lennon does not like silversides. This is sort of disappointing because they're the most convenient thing for me. I figured this one out as I was doing my last water change. I picked up a rock to gravel vac under, and i found crab exoskeletons and what was left of those, and about 3 whole silversides that Lennon apparently took, then just kind of hid. Also, earlier today I tried to stick feed him a silverside and he grabbed it, battled the feeding stick for about a 30 second tug-of-war, then jetted across the tank to his crevice. I tried putting outside of his hole, and he grabbed it again, then decided he didn't want. He came out after that to play for a little while, but wasn't interested in the silverside. He ate a fiddler crab shortly after (which I've now run out of). But, the good news is is that he's starting to come out more often and is more comfortable with me around. He doesn't like my roommate or girlfriend so much though! haha

Good night!
 
YES! Continue your experiments with his out times! I have no real idea what time Artemis "wakes up." Since I have kids I am not able to convert to a nocturnal schedule. I always check at night when I get up to go to the bathroom- sometimes he is not out between 4 and 5 am, but then he'll be out at 7am when my husband gets up. We almost always see him out on school mornings. This makes me wonder if he is staying out to see us... He'll stay out as long as we pay attention to him, then goes to bed once we get caught up in school morning routine.

Being Saturday, I missed him completely by sleeping in, and now I may not see him today at all. Only once right after I got him he was up in the evening as early as midnight. Try as I may to stay awake (boy, I wish SNL was as good as the old days!) I always end up having to cash out before my guy is up. I'll try tonight, maybe I'll put on a concert video instead of t.v. tonight since SNL has been putting me to sleep

I noticed Artemis ended up spitting out his grocery store shrimp yesterday, but try it on Lennon, if he likes it it's a cheaper way to go. Also, if you don't keep hermits with him trow a couple in. I see that Artemis did eat some since my last post. At least you know he's always got a "last resort" snack if he needs.
 
Hey guys, a couple things to report.

I've kind of ditched my little experiment. The reason for this is I'm scared that it'll stress him out to not have a specific diurnal schedule going. So as of now, I'm doing my best to keep the tank lights on from 10-6, and the blue light on from 8-10, and the moonlights I just bought for the remainder of the time. He seems to be eating better now that I've got his times set. Also, I have been spreading out his feeding throughout the day/night. I'm hoping that this promotes him to come out during the day to hunt, although I doubt it will have that effect. Lennon still steals the silversides, so I kind of quit feeding him those and just save those for the grouper and triggers in the 125 gallon. Right now, he's accepting shrimp from the supermarket, scallops, and mussel meat (also from the super market) with a fiddler crab or a crayfish every other day or so.

Other than that, there haven't been many behavioral updates to make. I still don't get to see him too much, mostly in the middle of the night or in the early morning. Sometimes he comes out during the day to feed, but most of the time he just uses his longer, front arms to grab food or patrol it into his den (if it's live food, of course). I did put a ping pong ball in there that I've seen him play with in the middle of night. That's quite entertaining to catch! Hopefully I can get some pictures up soon, but there aren't really too many opportunity for pictures. And the ones that I have taken don't do justice to the beauty of the creature.

Over n out!
 
So far I've gotten by best pictures in the morning, when the sunlight is just starting to fall a bit on the tank. The extra ambient light helps a lot! Funny to hear he plays with toys, Artemis has ignored his so far.
 
update

Hi all- It's been a hot minute since the last update, but I've been pretty busy with school and work. Lennon is getting pretty big! His mantle is a little under 2 and a half inches. So, he's definitely grown. Since the last update I've been trying to feed a variety of things, but have pretty much narrowed Lennon's favorites down to any crustacean. He won't eat mollusks (clam meat, scallop meat, and snails) or fish (lance fish, silversides, and I tried a molly). But, I'm ok with this. He'll eat shrimp from the grocery store, the live fiddlers, and now he's starting to like like crayfish.

I've started some sort of problem solving experiments to see how he reacts (figures it out or gets frustrated and quits). I'm starting off pretty easy and put a fiddler in a clear plastic cup. There's no top to the cup, but the fiddler's can't get out. He's gotten this one down pretty steadily, but I won't be getting anymore fiddlers in until Thursday. When they do ship in, I'll probably try putting them in a water bottle with the lid off. After he gets that, I'll start gradually tightening it. Another behavioral note is now Lennon is finally coming out a little more regularly with the room dimmed, but enough light whereas I can see him. He's starting to play 'follow the hand' with my hand out side of the tank, but only when my room is pretty dark (with only the 4watt blue bulb on). As soon as I turn on a desk light or pretty much anything else, he slowly creeps back into his hideout. Do you guys think this will change with time? Or can I get him to become a little more curious with the lights on?

Also, I got a few pictures of him. Nothing great, though.


 

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I'd try adding a little light over the next few weeks when you feed him. With Kalypso I started turning on the light in the room with the tank after he would come out into the open. It took a while but eventually he started staying out with the light on.
 
What times are you seeing him out? Glad to hear you're having fun. Keep posting photos, don't judge yourself harshly. It'll get better with time, but share what you get anyway, it's much appreciated. Next time, put a ruler in place of the knife! I'm going to tape a flexible one to the glass where it will show up in the photos, just to help journal growth.
 
Haha, the knife's there for cutting airline tubing/cutting the filter floss down to size. Don't worry, Lennon's safe. But on that subject, I measured the knife and it's 8 inches long (for comparison's sake). I've barely seen him today, but he has taken a shrimp from the skewer (just saw 2 of his arms come and grab it). My order of fiddler's is coming in Thursday, so he'll be happy to have those!
 

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