Octopus Prime seems to have returned to normal since i started a slightly more vigorous water changing regimen, with the exception of some general changes in his behavior overall. I am thinking that this may just coincide with his reaching full maturity.
I have also been trying give him more intellectual stimulation. He is not really interested in toys or objects i place near him, but he almost always enjoys a few fingers to explore or his old feeding stick to hold onto. Usually if he is looking gloomy, i will offer him one of those things to interact with, and by the time he loses interest, he seems back to his old explorative self.
The hectocotilus (sp?) has definitely made itself evident, and I have seen a lot more male 'skunk-stripe' displays since that point as well, though they usually only last a moment or two.
I also see Prime spending a lot more time traversing the rockwork. While he used to spend almost all of his time crawling around the side panel of the glass nearest my desk and the outside of the room, he now seems to enjoy crawling around the live rock a lot more, with his arms splaying out (sort of flexing) then wrapping around a close piece of rock (sort of a hugging gesture), and then exploring the crevaces with his arms. this behavior is also accompanied by more dynamic color displays. Today i saw him flashing in waves, like the cuttlefish 'passing clouds' display, but with only one or two waves at a time. This was very cool to see. He seemed to be hunting the straggling mysid shrimp or some other critters in and about the rock.
The other day i saw him sort of splayed out along the sand and he started pushing his arms into the sand bed and wiggling them around in the substrate (think loch ness monster humps). i couldnt figure it out.
Also i have noticed him brushing the outside and inside of his mantle with his arms a lot more often.
To the Aculeatus experts: any insights into these behavioral shifts?
On a final, unnerving note (that i have been putting off,) this shift back to normalcy is something of a mixed blessing. My apartment lease ends in June and it has been slowly becoming clear that Octopus Prime will outlive it. I have been talking to many of my friends about inheritting him, but only a few have experience keeping a SW tank, and none of them are currently running setups. I am waiting to hear back from a few friend's friends who may have cycled tanks already set up, but otherwise only one person has offered to become Prime's gaurdian after i have to leave, and he doesnt have a tank set up so i would need to move mine over to his house, no doubt causing a lot of die-off and a spike. Therefore, before it comes down to that, i would like to reach out the the community here. For anyone in the Central Mass area, there may be a free-to-a-good-home, but very mature Aculeatus becoming available this month. please let me know if youre responsible and interested.
I have also been trying give him more intellectual stimulation. He is not really interested in toys or objects i place near him, but he almost always enjoys a few fingers to explore or his old feeding stick to hold onto. Usually if he is looking gloomy, i will offer him one of those things to interact with, and by the time he loses interest, he seems back to his old explorative self.
The hectocotilus (sp?) has definitely made itself evident, and I have seen a lot more male 'skunk-stripe' displays since that point as well, though they usually only last a moment or two.
I also see Prime spending a lot more time traversing the rockwork. While he used to spend almost all of his time crawling around the side panel of the glass nearest my desk and the outside of the room, he now seems to enjoy crawling around the live rock a lot more, with his arms splaying out (sort of flexing) then wrapping around a close piece of rock (sort of a hugging gesture), and then exploring the crevaces with his arms. this behavior is also accompanied by more dynamic color displays. Today i saw him flashing in waves, like the cuttlefish 'passing clouds' display, but with only one or two waves at a time. This was very cool to see. He seemed to be hunting the straggling mysid shrimp or some other critters in and about the rock.
The other day i saw him sort of splayed out along the sand and he started pushing his arms into the sand bed and wiggling them around in the substrate (think loch ness monster humps). i couldnt figure it out.
Also i have noticed him brushing the outside and inside of his mantle with his arms a lot more often.
To the Aculeatus experts: any insights into these behavioral shifts?
On a final, unnerving note (that i have been putting off,) this shift back to normalcy is something of a mixed blessing. My apartment lease ends in June and it has been slowly becoming clear that Octopus Prime will outlive it. I have been talking to many of my friends about inheritting him, but only a few have experience keeping a SW tank, and none of them are currently running setups. I am waiting to hear back from a few friend's friends who may have cycled tanks already set up, but otherwise only one person has offered to become Prime's gaurdian after i have to leave, and he doesnt have a tank set up so i would need to move mine over to his house, no doubt causing a lot of die-off and a spike. Therefore, before it comes down to that, i would like to reach out the the community here. For anyone in the Central Mass area, there may be a free-to-a-good-home, but very mature Aculeatus becoming available this month. please let me know if youre responsible and interested.
