My octopus (Kang, after one of the Simpson's aliens) has been "spunky" lately. He often likes to tinker in engineering. He had recently pulled all four suction cups off the powerhead feeding the protein skimmer, nothing new, he loves to do that and then stack then in the middle of the tank. This time he then yanked the elbow out connecting the head from the skimmer. He then paraded around the tank (all while I was at work), with the power head spewing water. I got home in time to find him dragging it around the tank like a ball-and-chain. Due to the tight cover only the inside of the tank top was wet, but the tank was a bit rearranged from the water pressure. In fact a large portion of the tank (with 3 inches+) of substrate was pushed aroudn into one corner. The opposite corner was down to the glass. Anyway, this powerhead seems to keep him occupied, but never in danger. Until yesterday.
I was out overnight and found out he knows how to undo the 2 clasps that hold on the bottom intake grill, protecting everything from the impeller. Which he was getting ready to play with. Despite yelling 'No!!' and tapping on the glass (turns out they are in fact stone deaf, or ignoring me), he was getting ready to play with the impeller. I thought I could lure him away by dropping a crawfish. Came down, got the crayfish, and back up the powerhead. I tried to "shoo" him away from it again this time with an algae scraper. No dice..until it went into his den with it, and I used it to pull out a few cherished shells. That got his interest. So now, he comes down and goes after the 14" wooden dowel with the scraper (Im holding it by the scraper). I thought a little tug-of-war would keep him busy/wear him out. After 15 min of tug-of-war he climbed the glass and pinned the stick against the glass. I felt through the wood him scraping the wood. Presumably with his beak. No attacking though. He then closed his eyes, and for the next hour held the stick against the glass. Even with some gentle tugs, he was content to just hld it there, and not play. The whole time with his eyes closed. I took this opportunity to get all the parts out and removed the powerhead (Its it now curing. I used tank silicone to afix all suction cups and both removable coverings). Even when I was poking around getting the parts, he never even open an eye. Id occasionally touch the stick and give it a tug or turn, but he never budged or opened his eyes, only scraping lightly against the stick with his beak. The whole time he had a crayfish pinned against the glass from earlier. He wasnt giving up either of them. After an hour I went back to the TV and checked in about 30min later after I heard some banging from the tank. Kang was plodding around the tank with the crayfish and a 14" stick. He was even jetting around the tank with the stick, which isnt easy in a 46gal corner. While desprately trying to get this in his den, he literally cleared out every rock and shell in his den. It looked like a garage sale in front of the den. No matter how he turned it, it would go in, obviously. I figured for my sake. his sake and the tanks sake I needed to get this out. Besides it was almost 2 hours later now. More tug-of-war was useless as he simply wasnt going to give it up, no matter how hard I tried or tugged. I figured maybe a 2nd crayfish woudl distract him or get him to give up the stick for a second so I could grab it. OK, flash forward 5 min. So now I have an octopus with 2 crayfish and a large wooden stick...
After some more-tug-of war and a new crayfish trying tog et away from him while he held both plus the carcass of the one from earlier, he finally relented and gave up the stick, but not without chasing it as it left the tank.
OK, thats a long story, told longer, probably, but this morning (it all happened around dinner time last night) most rocks, even one large one sunk 3 inches to the glass bottom that he never messed with were all turned over, and his den still not in order. He apparently is searching for the stick and/or the powerhead I removed to seal. He really seem to be missing that stick, what do I do? Find a replacement, he seemed WAY to enamored to the stick!? I'll need to use that stick again during cleaning...
I was out overnight and found out he knows how to undo the 2 clasps that hold on the bottom intake grill, protecting everything from the impeller. Which he was getting ready to play with. Despite yelling 'No!!' and tapping on the glass (turns out they are in fact stone deaf, or ignoring me), he was getting ready to play with the impeller. I thought I could lure him away by dropping a crawfish. Came down, got the crayfish, and back up the powerhead. I tried to "shoo" him away from it again this time with an algae scraper. No dice..until it went into his den with it, and I used it to pull out a few cherished shells. That got his interest. So now, he comes down and goes after the 14" wooden dowel with the scraper (Im holding it by the scraper). I thought a little tug-of-war would keep him busy/wear him out. After 15 min of tug-of-war he climbed the glass and pinned the stick against the glass. I felt through the wood him scraping the wood. Presumably with his beak. No attacking though. He then closed his eyes, and for the next hour held the stick against the glass. Even with some gentle tugs, he was content to just hld it there, and not play. The whole time with his eyes closed. I took this opportunity to get all the parts out and removed the powerhead (Its it now curing. I used tank silicone to afix all suction cups and both removable coverings). Even when I was poking around getting the parts, he never even open an eye. Id occasionally touch the stick and give it a tug or turn, but he never budged or opened his eyes, only scraping lightly against the stick with his beak. The whole time he had a crayfish pinned against the glass from earlier. He wasnt giving up either of them. After an hour I went back to the TV and checked in about 30min later after I heard some banging from the tank. Kang was plodding around the tank with the crayfish and a 14" stick. He was even jetting around the tank with the stick, which isnt easy in a 46gal corner. While desprately trying to get this in his den, he literally cleared out every rock and shell in his den. It looked like a garage sale in front of the den. No matter how he turned it, it would go in, obviously. I figured for my sake. his sake and the tanks sake I needed to get this out. Besides it was almost 2 hours later now. More tug-of-war was useless as he simply wasnt going to give it up, no matter how hard I tried or tugged. I figured maybe a 2nd crayfish woudl distract him or get him to give up the stick for a second so I could grab it. OK, flash forward 5 min. So now I have an octopus with 2 crayfish and a large wooden stick...
After some more-tug-of war and a new crayfish trying tog et away from him while he held both plus the carcass of the one from earlier, he finally relented and gave up the stick, but not without chasing it as it left the tank.
OK, thats a long story, told longer, probably, but this morning (it all happened around dinner time last night) most rocks, even one large one sunk 3 inches to the glass bottom that he never messed with were all turned over, and his den still not in order. He apparently is searching for the stick and/or the powerhead I removed to seal. He really seem to be missing that stick, what do I do? Find a replacement, he seemed WAY to enamored to the stick!? I'll need to use that stick again during cleaning...