The first couple of years I only kept O. mercatoris but serendipitiously got an O. hummelincki and thus began a desire to keep a variety. It did not hurt that the collectors I use in the Keys have found (unknowningly) several different species for me
So far I have only kept one that I have no clue on his species but all others have been common, plentiful with at least known genus. Each one I am keeping at the time becomes my favorite
. I would really, really like to get an adult female of whatever Monty was to see if they are large egged. Sadly, finding another of either sex is likely not going to happen.
So sad that the O. joubini is small egged. This is just a wonderful animal and nicely sized.
Researchers were able to raise two past the palegic stage in a squid rearing tank. One of the survivors died with mishandling but the other did not survive through to senescence. I think I would try a breeding program if I found a species this size and I could get a genetic mix. The closest we have come (the collective TONMO we) is the limited success Rich and Roy had with the O. chierchiae and even with their contacts, they could not come up with enough animals for a successful genetic mix, but I fantasize about raising a small animal for the aquarium trade from time to time and each new species has me thinking about it.
Of note on Little Bit's species. I feel comfortable with the species call after rereading the linked article BUT, she is twice the mentioned size (3 cm in the paper and 4.5 cm in Mark Norman's book) which has Neal calling her a jougaris (joubini/vulgaris cross). After observing that octopuses detectably shrink as they go through senescence then again after being preserved and seeing other marine animals change size depending upon the amount of available food and possibly tank size, I am not sure how reliable size suggestions are for a given species (especially compounded with tank living). The arm to mantle ratio seems to fit but not mantle and arm lengths. One of the very old studies I read on O. hummelincki mentioned that a very large female drastically effected the sizing averages for the collected sample. I have kept two males close to the size of the mentioned over large female but have also kept two females that were dwarf sized when they started brooding. Either Neal is right that there is a lot of mixing and matching going on in the wild or sizes can vary significantly. At almost twice the Norman listed mantle and arm length, knock wood, Little Bit has not shown signs of brooding (but I hold my breath thinking about it).
The short answer is: 8
Octopus mercatoris
Octopus joubini
Macropus ?
abdopus ?
Octopus briareus
Octopus hummelincki
Octopus Unknown (Monty)
Octopus bimaculoides
