My first O. Hummelincki

[skywindsurfer]

 

[skywindsurfer]

Look how large she's gotten.

 

[skywindsurfer]

 

[skywindsurfer]

I tried to get the best shot of her mantle. I'm no expert, but doesn't the shape and the way its moving kind of hint on a mother to be?

 

[skywindsurfer]

Bubbles came half way across the tank and ate from my hand this evening. She even played with my fingers a bit. That was really fun.

 

[skywindsurfer]

So I managed to get a video of Bubbles taking a piece of shrimp from my hand tonight. She was already in the middle of the tank when I stuck my hand in, so I wasn't able to video tape her leaving her den and coming all the way to me. I know it's a short clip, but she's kind of a touch and go octopus lol. I don't know if you can tell, but after she takes the shrimp, the pulls it to her beak(I'm assuming she bites it when she does this) then grabs my fingers, and as she pulls my fingers closer she moves the shrimp away from her beak. I swear she's trying to eat me lol. I've always had that feeling everytime she's ever made contact with me. I know have video evidence. She's busted.

 

[skywindsurfer]

So for a quick update about my breeding attempt, I have a professional building a pseudokreisel for me. It should be about 20 or more gallons. I'll post pics both in and out of the tank as soon as I get it.

 

[skywindsurfer]

I caught bubbles excevating this morning. I think I'm quickly running out of time to mate her. For the past week or so she's been staying a dull whitish grey at rest, and she's not as active as she used to be.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Here are some pictures of here after her little dig.

 

[skywindsurfer]

She's still more than willing to come out and eat so that's a good sign. I'm feeding her about one piece of thawed table shrimp twice a day.

 

[skywindsurfer]

No changes so far. Bubbles is still behaving the same. I'm still looking for a male. And the kreisel is still in construction.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Here's a quick comparison of Bubbles from when I first got her to a week ago(give or take the recent photo's date).

 

[DWhatley]

It looks like thumbnail sized mantle to thumb sized mantle in seven months.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Actually her mantle is about the size of a golf ball, maybe slightly larger.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Well Bubbles is not being so reclusive anymore. I got some vitamin/nutrient liquid suppliment the other day that I'm soaking her shrimp in. She deosn't seem to mind it one bit. Most of the time she sits on the top of the center rocks hanging over the back just watching me. I was crawling around on my hands and knees looking for something and I caught her crawling around the tank with me, following me as I went. I thought that was hilarious. She's still eating vigoriously, and other than the digging out of her den, I haven't seen any signs of her slowing down and preparing for eggs. She is spending less and less time in her den as well. Giving more interaction to me, especially during feedings. She likes to play tug of war sometimes with the feeding stick.