should i be concerned

[i got crabs]

from reading over past threads it dosent seem like this anything i should really be concerned about but a day ago randall re located from his den to the back of the tank some where. i can tell hes back there because all the sand has been moved and pushed into a big pile but i cant see him. i think hes still eating because everyday theres crab shell on the bottom of the tank from the fiddlers i throw in but i havent seen him eat in about 3 days. water quality reads fine but im used to seeing him come out when im in my room to watch me in the hopes that ill throw a crab in for him. ill keep you posted if i spot him at all but right now ill just relax.

 

[Nancy]

Well, you've had randall since the beginning of June, according to the List of Our Octopuses - that's 6 months, so it could be that randall is thinking of laying eggs. Did we ever determine what species randall is?

It's a good sign that randall is still eating.

Of course, the relocation of the den might be for some other reason, but it's something to watch.

Nancy

 

[i got crabs]

hi, just an update, randall still seems to hide most of the time but ive spotted him now a few times. he seems to mostly be comeing out in the very early morning. like 5 or 6 am. i was concerned he wasnt eating but last night i held a crab a few inches from the rocks where i last saw him and he shot out and grabbed it from me. but i still cant tell where hes hideing. and no nancey i never did figure out what species. right now his head is about the size of an egg and hell go any color from brownish purple to a slight kakki green. and display anything from stripes to a broken molted pattern to solid gray. i do know he likes to dig! and for some reason he'll eat crabs almost as big as him but wont touch the cleaner shrimp wich he dwarfs now. oh well... if hes ever out in the daylight or i can figure out how to take a good picture in the dark ill post a more recent pic of randall.

 

[3000gtman]

i have had my carribean reef octo for 7 months and has moved the sand bed/den around baout 3 or 4 times with the more he was secure with me. about once every 2 months. it seems like normal octo behavior just a lil redecoration of his home.