Pajama squid

[Neogonodactylus]

I'm not sure that this guy qualifies as rare, but it is exotic. I've had this pajama squid (Sepioloidea lineolata)for three months. The only time I ever see him is during feedings. If it is really hungry, it will emerge from the sand, orient and strike, then rebury to eat the shrimp. Mostly it feeds at night. A shrimp goes in the dank at dusk, out comes an exoskeleton in the morning. I would also note that these guys are hard to photograph without a bunch of sand all over their dorsal surface. When they emerge from the sand to capture prey, they do so by coming slowly straight up so the sand stays on their back.

This shot is taken at the moment of contact when the tentacles strike out.

Roy

 

[DeepBlueWonders]

How available is this species in the aquarium trade? Difficult to keep?

 

[tonmo]

Incredible!

 

[Thales]

How available is this species in the aquarium trade? Difficult to keep?

Almost never available. Very cool in pictures, much less cool in person most of the time. :GRIN:

 

[DeepBlueWonders]

I was looking at other pics on the internet, it seems to closely resemble a cuttlefish. I thought this was kinda cool.

 

[Jean]

We get Sepioloidea pacifica, have tried so hard to get that shot :green: recent bunch we had were observed mating and my camera was in my locker and by the time I had fetched it they were back under the sand

 

[Neogonodactylus]

Another strike photo

A few msec after contact.

ROy

 

[DWhatley]

It never occurred to me until this photo to think of the squid/cuttlefish tentacles as being similar to the chameleon tongue

 

[Neogonodactylus]

Pajama squid funnel use while swimming and burying

Sepiolids have long funnels that are used not only for jetting, but also in burying behavior. The animals uses jets of water to excavate the substrate as it uses its fins to push down into the sand. Once partially buried, a few more blasts from the funnel pushes sand up around the body burying the pajama squid. Here the pajama squid jets into position and then extends the funnel in preparation to water blasting a pit. (I got the order of the images wrong.)

Roy

 

[Thomas Jay]

I had a quick question: What is the lifespan on these guys?