Octo hasn't eaten in a week

[MJG]

Hello I am a new octo owner of a bimaculoide. I have owned him/her for over three weeks now. The first two or three days it ate 10 blue leg hermit crabs and some frozen clams. Then a day later it ate a snail. After that I had orderd some fiddler crabs and feed him/her 1 a day for 4 or 5 days, skipped a day then feed him another. Now he/she won't even go for them. There are plenty of things in the tank for him/her to eat snails,blue legs, and two fiddler crabs that I have thrown in the last week that he/she hasn't touched. Between all of the live foods I have offered. I also have offered frozen clams on a stick(he/she won't even touch the clams now). Have offered fresh scallops and fresh shrimp(won't even touch it). I will keep offering fresh frozen foods on a stick. It took it a few times just doesn't seem to like whats on the stick. He/she's head is almost the size of a golf ball and when swimming its maybe six inches long not very big. Perhaps he/she ate to much the first two weeks and is now full. He/she stays in its den most of the day comes out around six and is very active for around five to six hours a day. Seems to be in predatory mode flashing colors, streching its tenticals around from rock to rock. He/she will also be stuck to the front of the glass. But hasn't ate. Any advice. Please help with any ideas or knowledge of this kind of behavior. Thank you.

 

[cuttlegirl]

You could try live shrimp, see Tony's shrimp site (http://www.shrimpstuff.com/). The other thought is that you have a female and she is laying eggs. But if he/she is still out and active at night, my guess is that she is waiting for different food.

 

[TidePool Geek]

Hi MJG ,

The first thing that occurs to me is that there might be a water problem. Test your water parameters paying particular attention to ammonia and nitrite. Also, think about the tank and the food items you have provided - is there any chance that there could be copper contamination?

Beyond that, it would be helpful if you would post more information about your system:
1. Tank size
2. Water temperature
3. How long has the tank been set up
4. What are the levels of ammonia, nitrite, & nitrate
5. What sort of filtration are you using
6. Is the tank in a high traffic area of your home

An octopus has a 'dead-end' digestive system. The routine is that it eats a meal, digests it, and then essentially vomits whatever is not digestible. It's only a slight oversimplification to say that an octo is either full or hungry under normal circumstances. Depending on the size of the prey item(s) most octos will eat at least once and as much as three times every day so refusing food for a week is definitely a problem.

Based on your description of size and behavior it seems to me that your octo is too young and too active for this to be related to egg laying or brooding.

Conditionally yours,

Alex