[Octopus]: This is Pete

[CHolland]

I was finally able to get some great pictures and video of Pete this morning, so I thought I'd go ahead and post an update. I was most surprised at how large he has gotten! He has easily doubled in size.

I haven't seen him as much the past several weeks, but that doesn't mean anything with these guys.

I've attached some more photos and here is a link to a video of him digging a new den: Pet octopus digging a new den - Streamable

I've been thinking he's a Merc, but I'm still not certain of that ID.

Enjoy!

 

[DWhatley]

Pete looks like a merc but I have never had one (or heard of one) that burrowed so the behavior is odd. There is another dwarf from the US Pacific, O. digeuti, that looks similar and that eye ruffle matches the one shown in @Neogonodactylusimages here but I don't know its habits.

 

[tonmo]

nice!!

 

[CHolland]

Pete looks like a merc but I have never had one (or heard of one) that burrowed so the behavior is odd. There is another dwarf from the US Pacific, O. digeuti, that looks similar and that eye ruffle matches the one shown in @Neogonodactylusimages here but I don't know its habits.

That one looks extremely similar to Pete! I think you might be into something!

 

[DWhatley]

The body patterning and eye frill look very, very much alike. Sadly, we don't have a known journal on a prior. Here is what Mark Norman has in his Cephalopods A World Guide pg 283. Years back we had a staff member that thought about trying to raise them for resale but decided the effort and cost was not viable.
@Neogonodactylus any observations/history you can share?

 

[CHolland]

I wanted to add another video to Pete's journal!

Here it is: Pete again, moving around the tank - Streamable

I think he looks a lot like and Octopus Digueti in this video!

 

[tonmo]

I wanted to add another video to Pete's journal!

Here it is: Pete again, moving around the tank - Streamable

I think he looks a lot like and Octopus Digueti in this video!

Great video!

 

[CHolland]

Alright, So I guess this is my last update on Pete. I put off making this post because I wanted to be certain before posting. As far as I can tell, Pete isn't with us anymore.

I haven't seen him in about a month. Mostly I would see him in the morning 2 or 3 times a week and then it jumped to almost daily. Then, about a month ago, I didn't. And it's that simple. I haven't seen a body, living or otherwise. I do have a very efficient bristle worm (he only scavenges) and I believe he did his job. That, and the fact he's a dwarf in a 75 gallon tank, make me doubtful I will find evidence one way or another.

Pete was definitely some kind of dwarf, and I believe he was an O. digeuti, so it isn't surprising. I had him roughly 5 months (that I can confirm). He was young when I got him, so it stands to reason that finished off his life cycle.

It's just sad to have such an anti-climactic end to my little guy! Thanks to everyone who followed along!

 

[DWhatley]

I suspect you have the correct diagnosis but there is one other possibility, though not a happy one. Pete may have been Petra and has denned up to lay eggs. However, since you have had her so long and from such a young age, the eggs would not be fertile. It is unlikely you will know though as the scavengers will do there job in the end. If she is brooding, you might see her one more time at the point (any time now) that the eggs would have hatched as the females will often leave their den and wonder about.