Ya know I am looking closely at the tanks. Octoguard eats the hermits but not snails. Tranny eats snails but not the hermits.
Octoguard - O. Mercatoris
- Thread starter sirreal
- Start date
We have several remarks on how one hobby leads to another and photography is high on the list for aquarium keepers 
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Don't leave dead food in the tank, for whatever reason, it won't get eaten by the intended animal and will contribute to pollution even being eaten by the clean-up crew. With Tranny, it is possible (eventually) to suspend food from a floating sick (we have used an acrylic ice cube and zip tie). This (vs suspending from a fixed position) makes it retrievable if not eaten and keeps the live rock in place when they decide they want the stick. As Tranny gets older you will learn to allow him to keep the stick for awhile if he won't give it up (SueNami rearranged his tank before we learned to float the stick when he would not come out for supper).
As an aside, it does seem that the red legs are left alone by octos. Even Margay does not eat them and he has elminated all his snails.
IME, you are likely to get Tranny to eat at noon but not OctoGuard. The mercs are fully nocturnal and I think the light bothers their eyes. O. briareus will sometimes hunt during the day (evidenced by empty but occupied dens) and definitely early evening. If you feed anything else to the tank inhabitants, try feeding it 5 minutes or so before trying to feed Tranny. We put frozen Cyclop-eeze in the tanks to feed the corals and this seems to wake them up. You might also turn off the lights on the tank as a signal that it is feeding time and then turn them back on in half an hour or so (timers are helpful if you want to try this to add to the consistency).
.Don't leave dead food in the tank, for whatever reason, it won't get eaten by the intended animal and will contribute to pollution even being eaten by the clean-up crew. With Tranny, it is possible (eventually) to suspend food from a floating sick (we have used an acrylic ice cube and zip tie). This (vs suspending from a fixed position) makes it retrievable if not eaten and keeps the live rock in place when they decide they want the stick. As Tranny gets older you will learn to allow him to keep the stick for awhile if he won't give it up (SueNami rearranged his tank before we learned to float the stick when he would not come out for supper).
As an aside, it does seem that the red legs are left alone by octos. Even Margay does not eat them and he has elminated all his snails.
IME, you are likely to get Tranny to eat at noon but not OctoGuard. The mercs are fully nocturnal and I think the light bothers their eyes. O. briareus will sometimes hunt during the day (evidenced by empty but occupied dens) and definitely early evening. If you feed anything else to the tank inhabitants, try feeding it 5 minutes or so before trying to feed Tranny. We put frozen Cyclop-eeze in the tanks to feed the corals and this seems to wake them up. You might also turn off the lights on the tank as a signal that it is feeding time and then turn them back on in half an hour or so (timers are helpful if you want to try this to add to the consistency).
I dont leave uneaten food in the tank. I am also extremly on top of my water changes. I keep 50g of water ready to go at all times. I have the coralife 150 protien skimmer on Trannys tank and it does a great job.I change my filter sock every 2 days. One thing you wont have to worry about with me is water quality. On octoguards tank I run a nano skimmer and an old magnum 350 with ceramic pellets in it which is overkill but I am a stickler when it comes to water quality. I have an RODI system at the shop that gives me 0 tds readings and I use reef crystals. All this steams from keeping high end corals for many years.
I put 40 redleg hermits and 20 snails in trannys tank before it was trannys tank. It was octoguards tank and like i said octoguard will eat the hermits. Seems like about 2 a week.
I really like the idea of suspending the feeding stick. I will def do that. With as many hermits I have in Trannys tank just putting the stick with food on it down by his den I end up with 1 or 2 hermits on it before Tranny makes his way to the food.
I have a lot of zenia at home in one of my tanks and I have been thinking about putting a bunch in this tank just so when Tranny is not out there is something else to look at. I have not been running any other lights accept the 2 red 13 watt bulbs so I would have to run some more light to keep them. The waiting room is pretty bright with the overhead lights on but not enough to grow zenias. I was also thinking about some Green star polyps and maybe some mushrooms. I know no ricordias. All of this just to make the tank more presentable. I will look up what I will need for light for these. I know they are all low light corals.
As far as photographs of my tanks I have an olympus e10 with about every lens made for it."It was my dads and he passed" I havent played with it much yet but I will. My phone takes some pretty nice pics, even you had said the pics very nice and could not believe they were from a phone. I had an older olympus e5 "passed down when dad got the e10" and I have taken some great pics with it of my coral tanks. but the coral doesnt move so its easy lol
I put 40 redleg hermits and 20 snails in trannys tank before it was trannys tank. It was octoguards tank and like i said octoguard will eat the hermits. Seems like about 2 a week.
I really like the idea of suspending the feeding stick. I will def do that. With as many hermits I have in Trannys tank just putting the stick with food on it down by his den I end up with 1 or 2 hermits on it before Tranny makes his way to the food.
I have a lot of zenia at home in one of my tanks and I have been thinking about putting a bunch in this tank just so when Tranny is not out there is something else to look at. I have not been running any other lights accept the 2 red 13 watt bulbs so I would have to run some more light to keep them. The waiting room is pretty bright with the overhead lights on but not enough to grow zenias. I was also thinking about some Green star polyps and maybe some mushrooms. I know no ricordias. All of this just to make the tank more presentable. I will look up what I will need for light for these. I know they are all low light corals.
As far as photographs of my tanks I have an olympus e10 with about every lens made for it."It was my dads and he passed" I havent played with it much yet but I will. My phone takes some pretty nice pics, even you had said the pics very nice and could not believe they were from a phone. I had an older olympus e5 "passed down when dad got the e10" and I have taken some great pics with it of my coral tanks. but the coral doesnt move so its easy lol
One of the requirements for my newest camera was better low light focus and a remote firing button
One option for adding enough light to keep a few softies would be to add light to only one end of the tank. My octo tanks are very sparse and not much to look at (pretty much your basic pile-o-rocks with an attempt at aesthetic arrangement - by both the octos and me - and positioning to allow water movement). I use lower wattage power compacts the full length of the tank and have no problem with gorgonians (except the darn pencil urchins eventually decide to eat them when the have over cleaned the LR) and the red mushrooms that were common in FL until the big freeze a couple of years ago. I also have some orange/brown and white polyps that the octos don't react to but these are the only kind I have been able to leave in the tank and I can't tell you their name or where to find them (I have seen them called sun polyps but that name is also used for a very different animal). Others that look similar in color but smaller I have had to remove. Also think about a thorny star or three as they come in a great orange shade, are out during the day and live for several years. If you can keep sponge alive (I can't unless it volunteers from the LR, the colorful stuff eventually dies on me) it also makes a nice spot of bright color. I avoid trying the ball sponges with the octos because of potential toxins but I have never seen the kind I have tried do damage to other tanks when they die off.
One option for adding enough light to keep a few softies would be to add light to only one end of the tank. My octo tanks are very sparse and not much to look at (pretty much your basic pile-o-rocks with an attempt at aesthetic arrangement - by both the octos and me - and positioning to allow water movement). I use lower wattage power compacts the full length of the tank and have no problem with gorgonians (except the darn pencil urchins eventually decide to eat them when the have over cleaned the LR) and the red mushrooms that were common in FL until the big freeze a couple of years ago. I also have some orange/brown and white polyps that the octos don't react to but these are the only kind I have been able to leave in the tank and I can't tell you their name or where to find them (I have seen them called sun polyps but that name is also used for a very different animal). Others that look similar in color but smaller I have had to remove. Also think about a thorny star or three as they come in a great orange shade, are out during the day and live for several years. If you can keep sponge alive (I can't unless it volunteers from the LR, the colorful stuff eventually dies on me) it also makes a nice spot of bright color. I avoid trying the ball sponges with the octos because of potential toxins but I have never seen the kind I have tried do damage to other tanks when they die off.
I guess there have been a few that have been able to keep sponges but they are filter feeders and most tanks are to clean and dont have the right nutrition for them. I have had some grow on rocks but never been able to just buy sponge and it make it. then when it dies it makes a mess.
So I brought the SLR in today. I have 3 macro lenses so I will be experimenting a lot to find out what works best. Is it best to slow the shudder speed for low lighting. I will admit this camera does waayyyyyy more then I understand
So I brought the SLR in today. I have 3 macro lenses so I will be experimenting a lot to find out what works best. Is it best to slow the shudder speed for low lighting. I will admit this camera does waayyyyyy more then I understand
I forgot that we started a thread for ceph photography 
Look in the Octopus' Den, POTM forum for the sticky, Photography - Cephs, Tanks and Fossils. It needs attention
Look in the Octopus' Den, POTM forum for the sticky, Photography - Cephs, Tanks and Fossils. It needs attention
What a great morning. I couldnt sleep last night "probable because of reading about
Octavia - O. hummelincki" WOW Thats what I want from an octo. Well I came to the shop at 330am and didnt turn the lights on. hmmm no octos out so I did my few small things but still didnt turn any lights on. I go back in the office and both octos are out. WAAHOO Octoguard let me touch him. He would touch then slowly move away. I tried hand feeding him but he didnt want to eat. Just move around. I have noticed that when he is out he likes to stay by the top. He will wrap up in a ball right at the top water line. He stayed out for about an hour with me. It was really nice and I felt he was not afraid of me. I know sounds a little silly but that was the feeling I got. when i slowly touched him he would touch me back for a few seconds then slowly move a couple inches. This little bit of interaction makes it all worth it!!!! And the pics are still with my phone. hoping to get in to the DSLR today
Octavia - O. hummelincki" WOW Thats what I want from an octo. Well I came to the shop at 330am and didnt turn the lights on. hmmm no octos out so I did my few small things but still didnt turn any lights on. I go back in the office and both octos are out. WAAHOO Octoguard let me touch him. He would touch then slowly move away. I tried hand feeding him but he didnt want to eat. Just move around. I have noticed that when he is out he likes to stay by the top. He will wrap up in a ball right at the top water line. He stayed out for about an hour with me. It was really nice and I felt he was not afraid of me. I know sounds a little silly but that was the feeling I got. when i slowly touched him he would touch me back for a few seconds then slowly move a couple inches. This little bit of interaction makes it all worth it!!!! And the pics are still with my phone. hoping to get in to the DSLR today
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I call that, "being touched by an octopus". The interaction is physical but it implies a mental thrill that is addictive
Well its a sad day. I came in this morning and did not see octoguard as normal. went on with my day. about 10am I look over at the tank and octoguard is out by the top and ghost white. I touched him and he got his color back but only for a min. he moved but just a bit. He touched me and then pulled back. I took some pics and had to take care of some customers. when I came back he was on the bottom dead. At least I had yesterday with him and I learned a lot. Octoguard will be missed but not forgotten!!! I will be looking for another one very soon.
the last one is with the red light off.
the last one is with the red light off.
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I was a little afraid this might happen when you said he was often hanging around at the top but I hate to interject negatives when they may not be well founded. What I think the two of you might really enjoy is ending up with a fertilized female and growing out some of the young (significant other needs to be OK with is that only 5 or so will be the likely survival numbers).
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Oh wow. Sorry about Octoguard. It is such a bummer when that happens. We only had Orange for about 6 weeks, but it was still worth it! I just wrote on DaVinci's journal about Aquacon. I hadn't read this yet. Good luck if you decide to try them! I will be checking in.
DWhatley Its a perfect idea that you came up with. I am in bed and was able to read this to the wife and she is ok with it. going in to it knowing that maybe 1 in 4 will survive she is ok with. There is no bond with the babys for her until they grow. Thank you. we will see which way I go. I think I will look and keep an open eye to what comes available. I am sure I will have a merc again but there is no rush. I admit I really want a hummelincki. I really want a day time Octo. DWhatley what is the most day hunter? Even if it is a cold water species. It would not be a big deal to run a chiller. I have a .5 hp just sitting around from back when I used to run 1400 watts of MH over a 125.
Kim Thank you. I read about DaVinci's journal and thank you for the info. I will see what I can do with them. I am also asking the 2 crabbers I know about getting a vulgaris. I have a 150g that could be ready in a couple days. I am keeping an open mind as to whats around. I have Tranny so I dont have to rush.
Kim Thank you. I read about DaVinci's journal and thank you for the info. I will see what I can do with them. I am also asking the 2 crabbers I know about getting a vulgaris. I have a 150g that could be ready in a couple days. I am keeping an open mind as to whats around. I have Tranny so I dont have to rush.
Addictive little critters they are 
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For longevity, daytime activity and potential for raising offspring, the Pacific bimaculoides is our only common animal that meets all three criteria. It is hard to come by and to get the longevity the temp needs to be held around 62 (give or take 3 degrees). Unfortunately, they are also less active at these temps (which may be part of the longevity extension). They will survive at 70/72 but will only live about half as long (I had physical problems at the warmer temps but he still lived 18 months in captivity - would not keep one again at the warmer temps though). They are common in CA but it is illegal to sell them (you can catch, eat, kill and use for bait but not sell). Occasionally members have offered to catch and ship at the expense of the recipient with no other monetary considerations but the shipping is expensive and there is no arrive alive guarantee. It is the only US Pacific animal we see with any frequency.
The Indonesian aculeatus (normally from the Philippines) would be next on the daytime active list. It is small egged so no hatchlings have been raised. The capture age tends to be toward the end of their lives and 4 months is a guestimate of average keeping time.
Next common day active is the Caribbean (frequently imported from Haiti) hummelincki. Females tend to lay eggs within the first couple of weeks in captivity. This is likely to be because they are foraging more in preparation for brooding but we really don't know. Females seem to be more common than males. It is a small egg species so time with a female tends to be short. The males seem to do quite well.
Vulgaris is probably the next most day active (tending to crepuscular but will sometimes hunt in the daytime). It is also small egged but has the longest lifespan of the Caribbeans we keep (and is also the largest).
O. briareus is next in line. Not daytime active but can be coaxed into eating during the day and will often make a good supper time companion. Briareus is a large egg species so it is possible to raise a few hatchlings but only a few opportunities have been journaled and, to date, only one success. We have a new brood in the works and I am crossing my fingers for success.
Next is O. mercatoris. They are definitely nocturnal but can be fed as early a 9:00 and active around 11:00 if the room and tank lights are off around dark. They are probably the easiest (do not mistake this for easy) to raise and hatchlings can be kept together all their lives (the only common animal that this has shown to be feasible). The can also be inbred for at least a generation and likely do so in the wild.
Last on the list is the unidentified small Macropus (Indonesian and again often from the Philippines). Great little animal but very nocturnal and not likely to be seen except at 3:00 AM. It is also a small egg species.
. For longevity, daytime activity and potential for raising offspring, the Pacific bimaculoides is our only common animal that meets all three criteria. It is hard to come by and to get the longevity the temp needs to be held around 62 (give or take 3 degrees). Unfortunately, they are also less active at these temps (which may be part of the longevity extension). They will survive at 70/72 but will only live about half as long (I had physical problems at the warmer temps but he still lived 18 months in captivity - would not keep one again at the warmer temps though). They are common in CA but it is illegal to sell them (you can catch, eat, kill and use for bait but not sell). Occasionally members have offered to catch and ship at the expense of the recipient with no other monetary considerations but the shipping is expensive and there is no arrive alive guarantee. It is the only US Pacific animal we see with any frequency.
The Indonesian aculeatus (normally from the Philippines) would be next on the daytime active list. It is small egged so no hatchlings have been raised. The capture age tends to be toward the end of their lives and 4 months is a guestimate of average keeping time.
Next common day active is the Caribbean (frequently imported from Haiti) hummelincki. Females tend to lay eggs within the first couple of weeks in captivity. This is likely to be because they are foraging more in preparation for brooding but we really don't know. Females seem to be more common than males. It is a small egg species so time with a female tends to be short. The males seem to do quite well.
Vulgaris is probably the next most day active (tending to crepuscular but will sometimes hunt in the daytime). It is also small egged but has the longest lifespan of the Caribbeans we keep (and is also the largest).
O. briareus is next in line. Not daytime active but can be coaxed into eating during the day and will often make a good supper time companion. Briareus is a large egg species so it is possible to raise a few hatchlings but only a few opportunities have been journaled and, to date, only one success. We have a new brood in the works and I am crossing my fingers for success.
Next is O. mercatoris. They are definitely nocturnal but can be fed as early a 9:00 and active around 11:00 if the room and tank lights are off around dark. They are probably the easiest (do not mistake this for easy) to raise and hatchlings can be kept together all their lives (the only common animal that this has shown to be feasible). The can also be inbred for at least a generation and likely do so in the wild.
Last on the list is the unidentified small Macropus (Indonesian and again often from the Philippines). Great little animal but very nocturnal and not likely to be seen except at 3:00 AM. It is also a small egg species.
Thank you for the info. I will be looking for a hummelincki And if I cant find one then a vulgaris. It too might be hard to come by but I should have the option to pick. One of my crab buddys told me to just go with him and pick so I hope my ID'ing is right lol I should only see 3 diff species here in the tampa bay area. I will take pics when I go.
This will be a super experience (just don't get upset when you see what they do with the ones you don't take. I call octopuses the true chickens of the sea, everything eats them, including their eggs)! PLEASE record your adventure both in the "new ones" (vs the Old Ones - HP Lovecraft's Cthulhu) journal and with pictures. The whole working experience (if I recall correctly, everyone on board a fishing vessel works) should be interesting.
I think you have a pretty good feel for O. briareus now. The arms will be 4 to 6 times the mantle length and the colors will range from peach (a pinky brown) to white and you will see green sparkles on the right lighting (usually at night with artificial lighting). The color combination is typically splotchy, solid or solid on the mantle and white on the arms and webbing. Very young animals will have bright blue around the eyes. IF it shows color around the sucker tips, the color will be a pinkish brown.
O. mercatoris will have arms about 2 times the mantle length, a reddish brown or white coloration. When red, there will often be little starburst like white patterning. It will often show a protective stance with one or two arms thrown up between the eyes. I don't recall color showing around the sucker tips on any of the merc and white is not helpful since they all can show white rims
Vulgaris will have a dark chocolate, almost black to tan coloration (neither of the other two will show a tan) or white (yes, they ALL can be white). Often you will see a bright white stripe in the front and sometimes down the mantle (all can do this but vulgaris seems to do it in the front more often). Arms will be 3-4 times the mantle length (longer than merc, shorter than briareus). Often the funnel will be quite orange. Sucker tips, when showing color will be brown to orange. Often the skin will look veined in dark brown criss-crossing lines. Eyes with the "ball" appearing to be attached directly to the head rather than on a stalk.
Hummelincki will look very much like O. vulgaris but has shorter arms and an identifiable pair of eye-spots that look like a yellow and blue ringed bulls eye just below each eye. This is not always visible but you can usually see traces of it if you look closely. Eyes will be on a short stalk.
I suggest looking through the journals (you can Google for pictures but very often the species and photos do not match well) and printing a good photo of each of the species showing the characteristics I mention and then printing my hints then taking the lot with you. Using the List of Our Octopuses at the top of this forum and then typing the species name in your browser's find box (under edit in Internet Explorer) should help locate pictures.
I think you have a pretty good feel for O. briareus now. The arms will be 4 to 6 times the mantle length and the colors will range from peach (a pinky brown) to white and you will see green sparkles on the right lighting (usually at night with artificial lighting). The color combination is typically splotchy, solid or solid on the mantle and white on the arms and webbing. Very young animals will have bright blue around the eyes. IF it shows color around the sucker tips, the color will be a pinkish brown.
O. mercatoris will have arms about 2 times the mantle length, a reddish brown or white coloration. When red, there will often be little starburst like white patterning. It will often show a protective stance with one or two arms thrown up between the eyes. I don't recall color showing around the sucker tips on any of the merc and white is not helpful since they all can show white rims
Vulgaris will have a dark chocolate, almost black to tan coloration (neither of the other two will show a tan) or white (yes, they ALL can be white). Often you will see a bright white stripe in the front and sometimes down the mantle (all can do this but vulgaris seems to do it in the front more often). Arms will be 3-4 times the mantle length (longer than merc, shorter than briareus). Often the funnel will be quite orange. Sucker tips, when showing color will be brown to orange. Often the skin will look veined in dark brown criss-crossing lines. Eyes with the "ball" appearing to be attached directly to the head rather than on a stalk.
Hummelincki will look very much like O. vulgaris but has shorter arms and an identifiable pair of eye-spots that look like a yellow and blue ringed bulls eye just below each eye. This is not always visible but you can usually see traces of it if you look closely. Eyes will be on a short stalk.
I suggest looking through the journals (you can Google for pictures but very often the species and photos do not match well) and printing a good photo of each of the species showing the characteristics I mention and then printing my hints then taking the lot with you. Using the List of Our Octopuses at the top of this forum and then typing the species name in your browser's find box (under edit in Internet Explorer) should help locate pictures.
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