So sad when their time is up
It is with somewhat mixed emotion that I watch when they reach this state. Nature's cleanup crews are rather amazing but I just can't watch the natural end process. I place the octo in a suspended breeder net to let it die unmolested but, in truth, I don't believe they feel the invasion.
Honestly, up until the last moments, every pod creature that picked or poked Misty... shrimp, even the brittle... he would flinch, quiver, flail, move, hide, etc.
When he stopped the bigger responses and couldn't move too much (flinched and pulled arm away), when the clean up crew would get close and he wouldn't move... we moved him into the keeper.
Before then he would evade, or hide, or dance around the tank.
The end of his life was quite an endurance test to find a mate. Very restless.
He was not still until the last evening/morning.
Made me wish there was some sort of fake ceph love doll for it to inseminate, so he can pass with some dignity. So he felt his life was fulfilled.
The timing and guess work would be a miracle - but are there any journals of putting a new fem ceph in a tank as the original inhabitant (male, or vice versa) was in the restless stages?
As far as the circle of life, I would be ok with it. Letting the clean crew do its job; instead of only act as a vacuuming crew.
We are already ripping these creatures from their homes, least we can do is give an authentic environment and life for them as possible.
Rocco is not ok with the circle of life method. I respect that.
We now have 2 ceph in the freezer...