New Arrival

[DHyslop]

Hello everyone

Dr. Gaius Baltar arrived this morning: perky, active and semi-transparent in his bag. He came with an entourage including 200 baby clams and 2 abalones. Everything was considerably smaller than I was expecting, except the abalones.

Dr. Baltar was drip acclimated for ~75 minutes after I poured half the bag-water out. I saved some of the bag water and I might run some water tests on it tonight out of curiosity.

He's now living happily inside his critter cage. I thought the flow holes I drilled in it were way tiny, but I think if he really wanted to he could climb right through one of them. I moved the two damsels into the sump just in case he does choose freedom. In the 15 minutes he was in the tank before I left for class he was exploring his new surroundings and flashing different colors.

Pictures will follow when the camera battery is charged.

Dan

 

[Mizu]

I am glad yours arrived. and is doing well.

 

[DHyslop]

Well, with my luck it will be dead by the time I get home! I'm sorry that there seems to be more problems at Octopets: They don't seem to be having the best luck lately. You should put in an order now so that you're guaranteed one of the next available.

Dan

 

[Mizu]

we have had our order in since before the flood in CA. how does jims ordering system work? did you get an email yesterday or today saying it was shipped?

 

[DHyslop]

I recieved an automated DHL email yesterday at 4:30 PM CDT giving me a shipping number. The box was here today before 9:30 AM.

You have to be one of the next ones in line. There's always the hope that he'll come across a little guy in one of the ponds while he's cleaning or doing maintenance. I suspect that's where Dawn's mysterious out-of-season bimac came from.

Dan

 

[Mizu]

maybe we will be suprised anyhow good luck with your little one

 

[lockburn]

Hi Dan,

Got mine today as well! I too was surprised at how small the overall package was.. I mean, I know the webpage says the baby clams are 1/4" - 1/2", but its still a surpise seeing them that small. I also ordered a Pod Farm for my seahorses. Well, I thought I ordered the Pod Farm, but I didn't see any Red Ball or Sea Lettuce in there, the pods were attached to a wet paper towel. I need to pick up some macro for those guys to cling to.

I wish I had a critter cage setup. Can you post a pic of yours? My little guy hung out on the glass for a while, then when I came back he was gone! I finally spotted him in a hole in a piece of live rock, but he then burrowed in to hide a little more. I'm worried I might not be able to find him, or make sure he is feeding.

What are you feeding your octo, and how much? The baby clams? I added a few to the tank (the rest are in my refugium), but the tank is pretty large, so I'm not sure if he found them; I certainly haven't seen him eat any.

 

[DHyslop]

My critter cage setup is copied from the one Barnstorm posted during the last wave:

Introducing Ziggy

All of my PVC pieces and everything are a little bit bigger than Barnstorm's. It was kind of hard to guage the best size to get when I was at the store. In any event, he seems to be happy this afternoon hiding right at the mouth of one where he can still see outside. And he can grow into them a little bit.

I had put a single clam in before I left for class. I didn't see the little siphons sticking out from the spot this afternoon, so he might have eaten it. I have enough little shells in there to preclude finding taphonomic evidence.

I'll probably feed him three per day and see how he does with it.

Dan

 

[corw314]

Welll....Welll...Well.....Another generation of baby bimacs begins!!! So happy for both of you! Wish you both much success and a long life for your new babies!!! Anxiously awaiting pics!!!

Carol

 

[Nancy]

Congratulations on the new arrivals! When you give them names, Ill add them to the list of bimac siblings (top thread in this forum)!

The best way to track the clams is to put the ones you are using for that particular feeding in a shell or a little plastic lid so they can't burrow into the sand.

Keep us posted!

Nancy

 

[DHyslop]

The best way to track the clams is to put the ones you are using for that particular feeding in a shell or a little plastic lid so they can't burrow into the sand.
Nancy

That's what I'll probably start doing...it will also give him something of a feeding area.

He's spent most of the day hiding just inside a piece of PVC where he can watch the room with one eye. A few minutes ago I tossed a clam into his den and he didn't waste much time before pouncing on it.

I'm pretty paranoid about him just because he's so tiny! It seems like anything could happen to him!

Dan

 

[lockburn]

I'm having a bit of a rough time.

I mentioned before that I had him in a 37 gallon tank by himself. I threw in some clams, but wouldn't be able to tell if he was eating them or not.

So, I went out and bought a 'kritter keeper'. It has small slits in the top for ventilation. So, I put some shells and pvc in there and put him in. Ahh, much better, now I can monitor how much he eats, as well I'm able to admire him more easily.

This morning, though, I found him outside of the cage! Hey, how'd you do that? The ventilation slits are pretty darn small. So, I put him back in the cage.

Now I come back this afternoon and I can't find him. He's not in the cage, I inspected all the shells and pvc. I also tore apart the tank and looked through all the live rock and decorations, and I can't find him! Argh. I'm hoping he's just playing a mean game of hide and seek now, but I worry that I won't ever be able to find him again. If he got out of that cage, he might have been able to make it through my drain into the refugium...

 

[DHyslop]

I'm sure he's in there somewhere! Have you escape-proofed your overflow and uptube?

Dan

 

[corw314]

I think you've got one pretty smart baby octo there! I would leave him alone. Let him stay out if that's what he wants. And most babies do disapear for a few 24's. Let him settle in and he'll come out all on his own. He's probably hiding from all the excitement that's been going on in his world!!!!

 

[lockburn]

Thanks corw, he's got me pretty worried though. I just checked the tank, live rock, etc, and still can't find him I had a strainer on the overflow that has slits the same width as the critter keeper. I thought that he wouldn't be able to get past them, but he somehow got past the ones in the critter keeper, so... I've since added a sponge over the top of the overflow to prevent his escape that way. I've also flushed the overflow tubing and am pretty sure he isn't in there.

If he's anywhere, he is most likely in the live rock which is filled with nooks and crannies for him to hide. My only concern though is whether or not he is eating. I've stocked the tank with some amphipods and a few clams to make sure if he comes out he'll be able to feed.

I'll be a lot happier when he finally makes his presence known, though.

BTW, where abouts in NJ are you? I'm in northern NJ, near Morristown.