New Times Two

[Mandjo]

So hello everybody! I just started a login today but i've been reading things from this site for many months now.

I've started an animal behavior lab in my Honors Aquatics class, and we convinced our teacher to let us get an octopus. So one octopus and two weeks later we got a live one! Problem is I have no idea what it could be. I've looked at pictures and descriptions all over here, it could be too small to tell yet. We think they're babies.
...Oh yeah, We have two in one tank...Which I know isn't bright but they're both VERY small and so far they seem to tolerate each other. We believe one is male and the other female .

Anyway, They're very brown with various colored brown spots and some red splashes (I'm not sure if this was because they were agitated from too much attention though) and while they're curled up they're only about the size of a quarter.

I'm not sure what else to say about them But I will try to get pictures soon. They seem very happy in the tank, but the females going to move out in a couple days or so into her own groups tank.
Anyway...all help appreciated with my less then satisfactory descriptions.

 

[monty]

to TONMO

Yeah, it's pretty hard to tell without pictures... do they have eyespots? Do they hold their arms over their heads (that seems to be a typical mercatoris habit? do they have a blue-green sheen and a large web (that might be briareus)? Besides those clues, a pic is pretty much necessary...

 

[Mandjo]

I didn't see eyespots, but my eyes weren't at their best today either.
When you say held his arms above his head in what way do you mean?

The one we believe to be the female had her arms draped backwards over her body everytime I checked on her.

My little guy had his arms (just 2) above him when my teacher moved his rock to show another teacher what he looked like. I thought it looked cute >>;;

Pictures! Yes! I'm going to bring my camera tomorrow(they're held at school right now) and see if I can get one on a video to post!

Sorry for not having one sooner. I was discouraged by the delayed shipping from the last two weeks and didn't think they would come in, yet again, So i was completely unprepared camera wise.

 

[gholland]

When you say held his arms above his head in what way do you mean?

Something like this:

Your description sounds like it might fit. And before I forget...

 

[Mandjo]

Oh, well the supposed female looked like that all day. She had herself buried and blending in some rocks but her little eyes were poking out.

It's not the "cute" pose I was referring to for mine though. It resembled a sort of praying mantis pose to it.

I'm pretty sure these are the same species though. Same size and color. Completely different personalities though.

Thank you both for the welcome!

 

[gholland]

Mandjo,
How big are your octos? And what are you using as an indication of sex? For O. mercatoris, adult males will have enlarged suckers near the base of their arms. Some more pics of my mercs are here for reference. You can also search dwhatley's threads about Trapper and her babies for more pics and info.

 

[Mandjo]

They're very small little things. Coin size really.

From what research my teacher had done, she seems to think ours is the male because he stuck his tentacles up at us, and the other is a female because she had her arms draped over her.

I'll take a closer look at the suckers tomorrow when I have a chance.

I'll go look those threads up right away! Thank you.

 

[Animal Mother]

The arm behavior sounds like mercatoris.

 

[Mandjo]

3 hits is a strike right?

I think I'll go look up O. Mercatoris so I can have more defining descriptions tomorrow?

And pictures