MEET 'octavia'!

[rcl]

Thank you for adding octavia and for your comments.

I have all of these shrimp and one crab still running around. I always see her looking out of her den at me, so I am sure that she sees this food running around constantly, yet none of it seems to be touched as far as I can tell. I would be shocked if this ended up with her not having eggs...

What happens to a male octopus? Everybody seems to talk about octos laying eggs.... but never about male octos? Do they stop taking food as well?

Robert

 

[Nancy]

Hi Robert,

The male octopus becomes senile. I haven't personally experienced this, but I believe Carol has. They seem to get a bewildered look and die shortly afterward.

If Octavia does have eggs, she will most likely not come out to hunt, even though you have a lot of food in the tank. A lot of us have had good results offering the food directly to the mother octo - maybe placing a piece of food where she can reach it without leaving her den.

I noticed that my bimac set up her den so that she could reach out her arms to the sand through crevices in the rocks and perhaps find a piece of food. But she was used to the feeding stick, so I gave her pieces of thawed frozen shrimp on the stick.

Nancy

 

[rcl]

BIG NEWS!!!!

Well OCTAVIA definitely was a female after all --- I came home after a long day and I was looking at how filthy this octo tank is (algae on sides) and I noticed a small creature with 8 arms blowing around in the current!!!!!!!!!!!! A baby!!!!!!!

I am completely excited. I think from what I have read, the best bet would be to try to raise them in this tank and let 'nature take its course'

There's only one so far, but it sounds like there may be around 150 that hatch over the next few days or longer? Wow, this is amazing!


Octopus Party

 

[dawnchihuahua]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!! I am so excited for you!

P.S. DID you go to Rolling Ridge Elementary school in Sterling Park, Va a really really long time ago?

 

[rcl]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!! I am so excited for you!

P.S. DID you go to Rolling Ridge Elementary school in Sterling Park, Va a really really long time ago?

I didn't, but I almost did!!! We moved a few miles in the other direction and thus I went to Sugarland Elementary. You are from the area I guess!

Perhaps you are thinking of an octopus you knew in 3rd grade

 

[dawnchihuahua]

Hehehhee! Good one! Yeah, I lived in Sterling age 0-11. I think that Octo I knew was named Marty.

So are there any pics of this new baby??

 

[rcl]

!!!!!!!!!!!! (part 2!)

No pics yet but there undoubtedly will be by the end of the day --- there are MANY babies this morning!!!! I would guess there are many 20 to 30 now.. it's amazing to watch so many of them jetting around in the tank together!

This morning I looked in at the mother and I was afraid that she wasn't moving, so I disturbed the area around here with a stick.. after a while she finally put an arm out, but it looked like she was very tired/weak... I guess helping all of these little guys hatch has put a strain on her!

I will definitely be dragging people with cameras over here today, I can't wait to share the pictures with everybody!

Robert and Octavia

 

[dawnchihuahua]

AWWWW how sweet!!! I am so excited for you OH! And if you happen to have a bunch live in a couple months, put me down as someone who wants to buy one, please

 

[rcl]

PICTURES!!!!!!

Thanks so much to my friend, I have gotten some pictures of the baby octos!!!! These are all the small versions of the pictures. If you would like them in all sizes (up to 1600x1200), you can go to....

http://lucidsoft.org/~kingfish/gallery/bobs_sea_world

All of the pictures he took tonight are up there, the octopus babies are the first group of pictures, the others are of other tanks. Here are some highlights...

I may upload several of these to the picture database when I get a chance!!!

 

[corw314]

Wow!!! Great pics! They seem to be of pretty good size! What are you doing for feeding?

Good luck with em!

Carol

 

[rcl]

Right now I am feeding only frozen food, cylopese, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, and other 'formula one' frozen prepared foods.. I'm feeding this in total darkness (man do they like to come out when its dark!) with garlic. I have no idea if it is being eaten or not...... I also have no idea if they're finding food on the live rock or not!

Tomorrow I'm planning to go out and get some brine shrimp cysts to hatch, and I'm going to feed ones of all size to the tank, and I'm thinknig I will order amphipods as well from octopets or sachs.

I sure do hope they are eating!

 

[Swarvegorilla]

oh...

WOW!

One day, one day I too will have baby octopus.
can I just put in one more wow!

If you were in the neighbourhood I would strip all my mates damsels and give you the bubs as feeders.....

 

[Burstsovenergy24]

Very cool! Best of luck, dude!

 

[ceph_dude]

That has got to be the coolest thing i have ever seen !!!!!!!
Your so lucky!! I would buy one, but i think that you live too far away for me to get one Oh well, i'm thinking of going to that one in Lancaster. A map would help a lot too ! Once again, your so lucky!!!!!

 

[Colin]

How are the wee ones doing now?