Ollie - New O. briareus

[Lmecher]

At 3:30 when my daughter came home from school, she noticed Ollie was out crusing. He came to the front and was looking at me so I decided to play. He was unbelievable. He let me pet him. I petted him on his mantle and on the other side of his eyes (whats that part called) My husband and son walked in and while this was going on and lets just say they couldn't believe it. I am really thrilled that Ollie finally trusts me enough to come to my hand. I understand he may refuse contact tomorrow or the next day but I will continue to play when he comes to our spot. I am having a wonderful time with him, this is what makes it all worth while.

 

[DWhatley]

From the eyes to the mouth is the head

You do realize that if you tell anyone outside the forum that you pet an octopus like you would pet a dog, they will not believe you.

 

[Lmecher]

I know so that is why I'm going to keep it my dirty little secret. How shameful, we are octopus petters. My daughter had been talking to her teacher about Ollie. This morning she asked me to email her some photos and the video where Sam feeds him. Her teacher, along with others at school, viewed it this morning. She pulled Sam aside and told her she thought it was a really cool that she has an octopus and she thanked her for sending it and wants to see more, Sam said she got all embarrassed. Wonder what she'd think of a video of Sam petting him? hmmm...First I have to see how he reacts to Sam, I am sure he will be receptive. I have a new project. Sam is excited, now to get Ollie to cooperate with be the challange.

 

[CaptFish]

WOW, that was fast! I'm super happy for you. I cant wait to hear about Sam's experience.

 

[Lmecher]

WOW, that was fast! I'm super happy for you. I cant wait to hear about Sam's experience.

You don't have to wait, you can more than hear about it, LOOK~

 

[DWhatley]

To answer a question with a question ("Do you think anyone is giong to believe you if you tell them?"), Would you?

 

[DWhatley]

She pulled Sam aside and told her she thought it was a really cool that she has an octopus and she thanked her for sending it and wants to see more, Sam said she got all embarrassed

I think I JUST got the significance of what you were saying. Am I correct that the teacher thought Sam had an "imaginary" friend and got caught with egg on her face? My grandaughter took photos we gave her to school but didn't have the nerve to show the teacher (she did show the people on the bus though). I can't blame her though as the year before the teacher could not understand why Ash brought in photos of our pot bellied seahorses while they were studying Australia.

 

[Lmecher]

I think I JUST got the significance of what you were saying. Am I correct that the teacher thought Sam had an "imaginary" friend and got caught with egg on her face? My grandaughter took photos we gave her to school but didn't have the nerve to show the teacher (she did show the people on the bus though). I can't blame her though as the year before the teacher could not understand why Ash brought in photos of our pot bellied seahorses while they were studying Australia.

I know I wouldn't have a few years ago. Not sure if her teacher believed her, I am leaning towards yes. Sam has chosen odd subjects for school projects. She did he history fair project on Sponge diving and wrote about anemones and is currently doing a paper on octopuses. I do however think she has the most unusual pet in her class. This experience has renewed Sam's interest, she was still excited this morning, she can't wait until tonight.
I am greatful to have Tonmo to share this all with, no one else can really understand. I have had family and friends over, they want to see Ollie, all they see is an arm. It is a personal experience, very difficlt to share.

 

[Lmecher]

I was just walking past the tank and saw a big poof of material come from the back of the tank. I walked around the side to see Ollie with a big white patch just below his eyes. I panicked, in the low lights it looked as if his head was ripped open. I grabbed the camera and this is what I saw.

Notice he has the decorator with my goochsters. The material must have been the crab but what is the white coloration on him? I am perplexed

 

[DWhatley]

Just guessing, I would say sand since I have seen KaySoh throw it around a lot but if it is not gone the next time you see him, I would worry about something in the tank causing a skin issue.

 

[CaptFish]

Whoa, that is strange! Not only is that patch strange but his colors are so dark. Is he always that dark?

 

[Lmecher]

It was not sand, the photo is not so clear but it is definately his skin. I watched him for a while and it looked normal a short while later. I checked this morning and I see that decorator, alive and well. I see the remains of another decorator on the bottom. I can't imagine what but something happened just before this photo was taken, it was a really big poof of material released into the tank. The only thing I could imagine would hurt him is maybe a large bristle worm? Just a guess. I am relieved to see he is alright. You can imagine, my heart fell when I saw what looked like a massive injury.
Anyway he was acting very normal in every way, he explored as usual, very active.

Captfish, yes, Ollie is quite often dark. He does change colors, Most of the time his arms are very light with dark mantle. Even when he is in his den, I can see in, his arms very light, one eye usually visible and will have dark around it.

 

[DWhatley]

Unless one of your corals can defend itself by giving off a visible chemical (or possibly a spawn?) I will go with the octo disturbing the substrate (I think you saw KaySoh's excavation vids, the water can get pretty cloudy if there is fine stuff in the sand). Since the skin color is back t normal, I would say the odd coloration may be either a reaction to contact with whatever caused the cloud OR just white camo matching the cloud (Ollie definitely patterns differently than what we have seen as typical). Since there are no lasting effects, I don't think there is anything to worry about.

 

[Lmecher]

I have only leathers, xenia (well used to have) a few zoas, one of which is now on the decorator but were all closed up for hours since the lights had gone off.

 

[DWhatley]

We need a forehead slap smiley. There is one common white cloud that we see (nothing to do with the white patch) that I failed to think about. Sometimes when octos poop (especially after eating crabs) they eliminate a milky white cloud.