So This Octopus has Passed Away, but I want to give detail about what happened as it was very unexpected. Hank (O. Bocki) a few Days ago was perfectly fine then last Night I noticed He was climbing out on His rock which was not His usual given Hank was Nocturnal. He was changing colour randomly and was not as reactive than usual. He refused Food and He had Eaten the tips of some of His Arms off. This morning He was gone. My number 1 thought is Autophagy and second is an Infection due to a recently lost Eye. Conveniently He was put in "Quarantine" a Week or two ago in preparation for a tank treatment and new Octopus going in the main display tank. Just to clarify both display and "Quarantine" tanks have both contained Octopus prior with no problems. One of My Mama Octopus even laid Eggs that Hatched in that tank. The main display still has an Octopus in it so. I know Autophagy is generaly Contagious but this seems to be localised to only Hank. Hank and another Octopus were in the same Water system (but divided) for a while and She has no unusual Symptoms. So what does this sound like? Sorry to talk so much
Ugh, that is upsetting. Sorry to hear. What was the cause of the lost eye? Definitely sounds like it was under some kind of stress given rapid color change.
The Eye loss was the result of aggressive contact with another Octopus. That was an unfortunate experience. It was not from bites but grip. It was a Male And Female
My main question is does this sound like Autophagy? I think it was an infection or even Senescence that I may mot have noticed. But i would like Someone elses opinion
I can only speak from observed experience with no data but I suspect infection from the eye damage. One of my favorite octopuses (Octane) climbed out of his tank and was not discovered immediately. He was still alive but the overhead fan had dried some of his skin. Over the next few days, he chewed off sections of multiple arms and then died. I am not sure (and I don't believe we have direct bacterial evidence) if Autophagy is a specific bacterial infection or can be the result of any infection that irritates the skin so contagion is confusing. In Octane's case, there was never a problem for other octos in the same tank.
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