New Zebra O. chierchiae (now trying breeding!)

[Thales]

Ah!
I just add food and they eat it at their leisure. Only once did I really see them actively hunt. I tried to tweezer feed them a couple of times, but that was a while ago...maybe time to try again.

 

[DWhatley]

Be sure to note when the little guys start to react. For my Mercs it was about 5 months before they would not hide right after feeding but Greg seems to have an earlier success.

 

[Neogonodactylus]

I had a good day photographing #4 today. It has started living in a worm tube and sits in the entrance in hunting posture, first pair of arms over the head. I photographed in leave the cavity and attack an amphipod, then quickly return mantle first into the tube. It also "defended" the tube several times by jetting water at my paintbrush and at an amphipod. Even better, it took a couple of amphipods from forceps and blew out the exoskeletons a few minutes later. I'll post photos later.

Roy

 

[gholland]

Were you ever able to get any of Jon Crossan's babies to increase your gene pool?

 

[Thales]

Not yet. He was supposed to ship some out before he came out here, but he came over without shipping them. He told me he was going to ship them, but never followed up with me. When he was here he told me he had only 6 left.

 

[gholland]

Hmmm... I can't imagine having a chance to contribute to an effort like this and not following through. That's a real shame.

 

[Nautilusfreak]

Amazing! best of luck and good job!

 

[Thales]

A quick update on my day off.

While I was on vacation all the babies and the female (brooding a second clutch) went to Roy's lab, and stayed there till last week as I got my footing with a couple aquarium related trips and new job. While there, the brooding clutch hatched roughly 15 babies and the female was mated with a male Roy and I were able to pick up from a helpful hobbyist (sadly a male, but at least its new genes). There are 6 or 7 babies from the first batch and they are larger and gaining weight and look like real octopus! I have a pic with a dime and will try to get it up this weekend. I have 3 from the first batch in my home lab (new water table that will be able to hold 30 occys if necessary!) and 8 from the second. They are eating amphipods and mysis and cyclopeez (Roy is pretty sure they are eating it) and live, enriched brine in pinch (but avoided if possible). The female is also at my place and was quite gravid, so I expect her to lay eggs any day, if she hasn't already. She did eat last night.

Whew!

BTW, I have gotten a bunch of requests about purchasing some of these animals, and if I didn't respond to all of them I am sorry (been totally swamped!). At this time none are going to be for sale, instead used for study. If some do become available for public consumption, I will post about it here. Thanks for your interest and understanding!

RR

 

[Thales]

Here is hatchling 3 at 2 days:

Here is hatchling 15 at 85 days:

 

[avel]

I just found this thread, so nevermind.

 

[Thales]

Oh - if anyone finds any of these animals in LFS or the like, Roy and I are very interested in buying them. Thanks!

 

[hijiwii]

I love that second picture.

 

[GPO87]

OMG! i just found this thread! That is an adorable little octopus!

 

[Neogonodactylus]

I thought you might be interested in how some of the O. chierchiae hatchlings are doing. I just photographed #1, the first hatchling to emerge. It is now 123 days old and weighs in at 330 mg. It is a female and probably half way to maturity. The photo should be up shortly.

Roy

 

[Colin]

I haven't followed this thread for a while but its great to see them doing so well. Could this be a candidate for continued captive propagation?