Portobello Diary

[Jean]

Jean,
You mentioned two people that squeeze into that tank - I would so want to do that - but you DID NOT say that you have done any of the inside cleaning ...

Actually when cleaning it's usually only one person! he other diver is outside on standby. Though we have had two people in the tank when it's been empty to repair rock work (spiny rock lobsters EAT artificial rock ).

I haven't dived in the tank, I don't have a SCUBA ticket (history of asthma) but I HAVE siphoned it. It has a special extra long siphon with a valve system and a long hose which leads under the tank to the plumbing, where there is an opening in the drain for it . Sodding awkward job as it has to be done at the top of a ladder and takes two people, one on the ladder and one below, directing where to put the siphon (you can't really see at the top) and to move the hose etc. Fun, fun, fun!!!

 

[DWhatley]

Jean,
You have some of the best real-time stories! Now that you have some extra letters after your name, have you thought again about that book. Just some of the stories you have told here would be delightful, very entertaining in that children's book and would make an octopus so much more facinating for them!

 

[Jean]

Just to let you all know that Joseph has been released. His appetite was starting to decrease and he was getting more agitated, so we've let him go to find a girlfriend.......we are currently octopusless

J

 

[monty]

bon voyage, Joseph!

 

[dreadhead]

Adiós my friend.Good luck with the ladies!!

 

[DWhatley]

Jean,
Darn, I am obviously going to have to wait on that picture of a diver cleaning the tank with a large octo in residence!

How long was Joseph with you? It seems like less than a month since you posted his picture. I assume you were becoming fond of him since your avitar has changed.

 

[Octavarium]

Awesome! Who/what is Portabello? A business or a persons octo.

 

[monty]

Portobello Marine Laboratory - Wikipedia

or the associated(?) public aquarium... Jean both works in the public aquarium part and teaches students, I'm not quite sure how that balances out...

 

[Jean]

Jean,
Darn, I am obviously going to have to wait on that picture of a diver cleaning the tank with a large octo in residence!

How long was Joseph with you? It seems like less than a month since you posted his picture. I assume you were becoming fond of him since your avitar has changed.

fraid so! He was with us two months but he was a mature specimen so we never intended to keep him much longer.

I just felt like a change of avatar!

Awesome! Who/what is Portabello? A business or a persons octo.

Part of the University of Otago it is a marine laboratory with associated public aquarium. I worked there to pay my way while studying. At the moment I'm a teaching fellow in the department helping to teach 1st year earth and ocean science (the ocean bit!), 3rd year Marine Ecology and 4th year field marine science. Tis fun but I don't spend to much time with the critters!

Check out http://www.otago.ac.nz/marinestudies for the aquarium
and http://www.otago.ac.nz/marinescience for the department.

J

 

[Jean]

release of one octopus and new one intro'd

Here's a link to some local news footage of the changing of the octopus guard at the Portobello Aquarium!

Stadium starts under budget

J

 

[shipposhack]

Nice.

 

[Nancy]

Enjoyed the video. What nice, big octopuses you have at the aquarium!

Nancy

 

[Jean]

Enjoyed the video. What nice, big octopuses you have at the aquarium!

Nancy

they are, although that female was on the small side!

J

 

[Jean]

Introducing Davy Jones

We have a new octopus (Pinnoctopus cordiformis) at the Portobello Aquarium. We probably won't have him for long as he is exceptionally large (~3m arm spread and we haven't weighed him!) and a mature male, so he'll be released very soon. As you can see he has a preference for hanging out in amongst the seaweed (Giant or Bladder Kelp Macrocystis pyrifera) the fourth pic is a public eye view of his tank, taken from across the aquarium. The lights are on in the tank, but they are deliberately kept dim and don't show in this picture.

The seastar you can see to the left of Davy is the Giant seven armed seastar (Astrostole scabra) a species that can reach 70-90 cm in diameter, the one in the pic is about 55-60 cm diam.

J

 

[Tintenfisch]

~3m arm spread