Shevia - O.hummelincki

[DWhatley]

The crossbreeding thought has no biological basis but because we have been seeing so many odd sizes (and now possibly an odd octopus) it has become a topic in the house. I do wish Roy would chime in with a mention of plausibility since he has, by far, the most breeding experience (same species breeding) and would be the most likely to have an educated guess on viability. If I were to make a SWAG I would have to include hummelincki because of the body structure (mantle shape and size and arm tapering as well as arm to mantle ratio and ability to pattern the skin texture) but the eye-spot and at rest coloring is not hummelincki (or what we have been calling hummelincki ). I can't find any references to another Caribbean octopus with ocelli but that does not mean a lot and he could well be a common octopus further south that has started migrating northward with the warmer waters.

 

[skywindsurfer]

Sorry for continueing this off topic of the thread, but what about the eye spot is not "Hummelincki"?

 

[DWhatley]

I am trying to collect a series of photos that should be diagnostic and will post them on his ID thread when I have enough clear shots to try for other thoughts. The eyespot has a pale ring and is black or so dark blue that it looks black (twice I thought I saw blue but that my have been the lighting. There is no yellow ring at all. I am also willing to bet on Monty being a dwarf species.

 

[JMP]

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and has a Happy New Year!!!
Shevia inked a few minutes ago Again apparently because my five yr old walked by! So, getting water ready to do a change!!! I hope this doesn't become a frequent thing! She wasn't very friendly for days afterwards last time! Luckily, my fiance is home this time!!!!

 

[DWhatley]

I started to write that your fiance must be home since you did not sound panicked but the email version did not have the last line confirming my suspicions

 

[JMP]

Nothing much new to report. She hasn't been eating as much as she was last week though. The last few days I will give her table shrimp (about 1/2 inch which she was devouring last week) and now she isn't even eating half of it. She has also done that thing (others have posted they do this before they die ) with her arms. She twist them and shakes them!!
She was playing hide and seek yesterday though . I would look at her then move out of the way and she would poke her eyes out!! She also was ou watching me yesterday while I was organizing pictures. Other than that, she hasn't been out much. But we did do that water change the other day... So, hopefully she is just annoyed!

 

[SabrinaR]

I hope it is just her being annoyed... Isis did the arm spin for almost a month before she died, but she could have just liked doing that to shed her suckers.

 

[DWhatley]

Is THIS the behavior you are talking about? If so, it is not a sign of senescence. I would disagree with it being only a grooming sign as noted by several experts but it is not the corkscrew look that comes before death.

 

[JMP]

Yes kind of! She doesn't put them close to her and wrap them up like that but her arms do make that movement!

 

[JMP]

My fiance came up with an idea for an octo-proof lid. He glued a piece of acrylic (7" x18") in the middle (65g and it has a beam in the middle) then took two pieces of acylic for the lids. Both have "child locks" on the ends and he glued a wooden handle on the end! So the middle piece keeps her from being able to lift them up and you have to unlock each side and slide them out to get in! Here are some pics and a pic of Shevia. Also, my fiance's buddha statue that she's using as her door! He thinks he's funny! He also requested that I post the pics of the tank to "brag how awesome he is"!!!

 

[DWhatley]

Looks pretty awsome (and functional) to me!

 

[tonmo]

Tweeted this thread JMP - great stuff!

 

[skywindsurfer]

Nice. Simple and to the point. Can't ask for more.

 

[JMP]

Tweeted this thread JMP - great stuff!

I think you just made his week!!!! :P

 

[Lmecher]

for Buddah!