[Octopus]: Octonaut (species unknown)

[DWhatley]

Sadly, hobbyists should NEVER release their animals back to the wild. Most hobbyist tanks contain items from outside environments. All aquariums can harbor foreign bacteria and diseases that could cause a collapse of the local ecosystem, most won't but the chance is not worth taking for the sake of releasing an animal.

There a few (not many) public aquariums that use open water systems (their water and all animals within the tank are local) and will release the animals. Even this can be iffy but great care is taken to keep the environment populated with only local water and animals and to keep the environment safe.

 

[SkyFl]

This was my thought as well. It was an idea at least! :/

 

[SkyFl]

She has does a wonderful job of creating a "door" to her new den with shells. I can only see her when she is letting her arms wander! She has even taken a flat shell and holds it up to cover herself during the day. She did take a small piece of shrimp from the stick last night, however, I am unsure if it was consumed, or just grabbed because it was near the den.

 

[DWhatley]

I recommend to keep trying to feed her very small pieces of food but you are right that a brooding female take food and not eat it, apparently to keep it away from the eggs as part of her cleaning service.

 

[SkyFl]

She hasn't been taking food for the past few days.
This morning, when I turned on the day lights, I noticed an octopus-shaped "skin" floating in the water. It looks like she shed - just like a snake/crab. It is the entirety of the body, but with very few sucker outlines. Unfortunately, we were running extremely late, and I did not have time for a full investigation.
I pulled it out and stored it in water for the day.
Later, I will see if I can still see her in the new den. Not sure what it was or what it means for her health…

 

[DWhatley]

Most curious. This is not anything we have ever seen and I have never heard of any kind of shedding except for sucker pads. I would be tempted to say it is the dead octopus but any clean up crew would not likely eat only the insides to leave an outer skin and dead animals usually sink (no floating carcasses on record). The only thing I could possibly think of is if there is an air bubbler in the system and the mantle cavity filled with air but it should still look like a complete animal and not a covering. Please take pictures of what you found. If you have the time, float it in water first, then a dry shot.

 

[SkyFl]

I will make sure to do so tonight.
It is not a carcass – I couldn’t wait until tonight and stopped by the house after picking up my son from school and lifted her rock. She is still in there, and very much alive. She was not impressed by my den lifting skills.
I will make sure to get some pictures tonight. It is clear, so I will try different lighting options to get something worth looking at. I have seen sucker sheds floating before - this appeared to be the whole body - minus the mantle.

 

[DWhatley]

THIS is really, really interesting! As soon as you get pictures up I will try to contact some of our marine experts to have a look. I know of no ceph that "sheds" a full skin.

 

[SkyFl]

Welp... don't I feel silly!
After further review (without trying to rush everyone out of the house in the morning madness) it is most certainly a fiddler shed. I suppose the way it was moving in the water threw me off. and I did not notice the tiny claws... I also have no idea what crab it came from, as it is almost as large as Octonaut. Seems we have a hideaway!
So sorry to get you so worked up.

 

[DWhatley]

A little excitement is always entertaining and the sea is full of mystery

 

[SkyFl]

Well - she is still "kickin," so to speak. Every night, I can see an occasional arm reach out of the den. She is very far up in the rock, so I haven't seen any eggs, or any more of her.
She has stopped taking the shrimp from the stick. For a while, she would still take it, although I was unsure if she was consuming it. Now - she may touch it, but she wont actually take it.
Her arm movements also seem slower and more lethargic.

 

[SkyFl]

I am sad to say we lost Octonaut this week. Unfortunately, I was at work, and by the time I came home, the cleaning crew took care of most of her carcass. Enough was left for me to identify her. I also moved her brooding den rock, just to double check, and she is gone. I am sad we had such a short time together, but I will be working on getting the tank rearranged and ready for a new friend soon.
Octonaut 1/31/14 - 4/30/14.

 

[DWhatley]

Hopefully your next octopus will be a bit more interactive but each octopus is a different and there is something enjoyable about having them in the house, even the reclusive are noticed when they are no longer home.

 

[SkyFl]

I truly enjoyed having her. The few months that were active were incredible. I am looking forward to having another go.

 

[SkyFl]

Well... I am still waiting on a new tankmate. I was really hoping my LFS would be able to get another one locally, as we are just so close to the coast. But he seems to not have any luck. It just seems silly to have one shipped in from so far away. Anyone know of another source in the central (Tampa) Florida market?