My first O. Hummelincki

[skywindsurfer]

It looks like we'll be moving into our new, larger apartment here in a few weeks. I'll be able to set up the 250 again and run the sump as a secondary tank. I'll put Bubbles back into the sump with most of the rocks so that she can feel safe and secluded as the sump will be closed off most of the time in the stand. Everything else will go in the main tank.

Has anyone ever heard of an animal prolonging their lifein order to mate and reproduce before death?

 

[skywindsurfer]

We start moving into our new place Feb 19th. We are having a professional work on our 250 gallon tank so that we can make it look like another wall. I've attached a picture of the floor plan and another of the way we want our tank to look. The only difference is that it won't be flush with the wall because we cannot build it into the wall and it will not go all the way to the ceiling. But we want it basically as neat as this one and pushed as close to the wall as possible. This is to seperate the "Living Room" and "Dining Room" as well as allowing us to view the tank from all three sides. It will be connected to the Kitchen/Living Room wall, across from the entrance.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Bubbles was just crawling aroung like it's no body's business when I got home today. After about an hour or so I went to get a piece of shrimp. The second I placed the shrimp in the water, she started freaking out. Her entire body twitched and jerked and she whipped her legs about and suddenly lunged for the shrimp. I wish I could have gotten it on video. By her actions you'd think I never feed her lol. Maybe next time I'll have my camera handy before I decide to feed her.

 

[skywindsurfer]

 

[skywindsurfer]

I was just looking at Bubbles slowly crawling around one side of the tank and I knoticed that one of her eyes is starting to cloud over.

 

[Lmecher]

Love the new tank.

Very sad about Bubbles.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Thanks. She's not looking so hot this morning. She's laying flat on the sand in the back corner. I watched her dig it out last night. Her breathing is really slow, and her arms are just draped about.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Because of the cold weather we're having in North Texas they are randomly shutting off power all over North Texas for periods of 15 - 45 mins at a time. So far our power has been shut off twice that we know of. Bubbles is doing fine from what I can see but I'm not too happy about this power issue without a warning. On another note, Bubbles' left eye is almost completely clouded over while the right remains the clear.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Behavior remains the same and she is still eating well.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Well I've had her for almost 12 months now and as I've said before I believe she was about three months old when I purchased her, and she is still going strong. Aside from the one eye clouding over and the digging, she's still doing great. I love this little creature, and I know it's going to be hard to come home one day and find her drapped over on her side behind the rocks like I did Nereus. I just wonder how much longer she is going to hang on. She still hasn't laid any eggs. I know that not all animals lay their eggs. I've seen from past experience a few of them just hold out until they die. Only time will tell. She is still eating great and responds well to stimulation.

 

[Nancy]

Congratulations on keeing Bubbles for so long. It says a lot about the good care you're giving her.
The clouding over of one or both eyes is fairly common in octopuses who've lived a long time.
And yes, it's very hard when they pass away. They've been such a part of your life.

Nancy

 

[skywindsurfer]

I try my best to make sure she's happy and well stimulated. I think the constant moving of the rocks did a good job of keeping her on her 'toes' so to speak. She really is such a great addition to the family. I wish I could get another when she passes, but they are too expensive right now, and we're trying to save money . I will try again with an O. Vulgaris as soon as we move into our new house in a year or so. Could I guess her her health or how much longer she will live by her eating habits? I know that when they start denning most will reject food. Are there incidents where they will not den and just continue to eat up until their death?

 

[skywindsurfer]

Well we will officially start moving this Saturday. I'm so anxious to get all of my animals out of those darn tiny freakin' 55 gallon tanks(if a tank you could call them) and into the 250. Bubbles was a bit reluctant to eat this evening.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Well we started moving into the new place today. We got just about everything over. The 250 is still semi finished so I won't have the animals moved over until Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Today I should have the plumbing and pump fixed. I just have to clean out the tank before I can move everything over.