[Octopus]: This is Pete

CHolland

Cuttlefish
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Jan 12, 2017
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Location
Florida
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I got an octopus via my LFS just last week! I have been waiting to post about him until he was coming out of his den and could include some pictures and video. :smile:

This morning, he finally did! This is Pete. He was sold to me as a Vulgaris and, if he is, he is just a baby! His mantle is maybe a couple inches (at most). All I really know about him is that he was sourced from the Caribbean.

I've already observed some interesting behavior (which is shown in the pics). I must have startled him this morning because his reaction was to stock his mantle straight up and away back and forth. I think he was trying to look like algae. :biggrin2:

I am concerned he might not be a Vulgaris. I know there's a possibility he is a mature dwarf, but I'm hoping I won the lotto and got a baby Vulgaris. Perhaps someone could help me positively ID him?

Without further ado, here are some pictures!
 
Welcome Pete! He is cool. :cool2: He does look young, doesn't he? Not sure about vulgaris... someone here can help I am sure.

Looking forward to this journal! :thumbsup:
 
Very young vulgaris can display red but the marbled mantle pattern, mantle shape and starburst around the eye have me thinking Pete is a nocturnal dwarf, O. mercatoris. However, the activity is unusual for both a very young animal and a merc and there appear to be papillae on the mantle that you would not find on O. mercatoris.
 
papillae are the little things that help their skin change texture, correct?
Sorry, yes. At one time I kept a cephalopod definitions page but it failed to make one of the forum transitions. Merc skin displays very little change in texture or color (reddish brown and white). A TONMO media search for mercatoris finds a number of @Neogonodactylus ' excellent photos.

Off the top of my head, the only journalled images of a very young vulgaris are of LittleBit and it took me quite awhile to establish her species.
 
A big welcome to Pete! Even if you can’t figure out which species he is, he’ll still be fun to keep! We’re looking forward to future posts and photos.

Nancy
 
Thanks for the reminder to update!

Honestly, there hasn't been much new. I see him more and more in the mornings when I wake up, but that's about it. I'm not sure if it's because he is nocturnal or still adjusting to his tank.

He IS eating. I keep the tank stocked with live shrimp and (if I need to) hermit crabs and they keep on disappearing! :smile:

I've managed to capture a couple more pictures which I'll attach here.

All and all, things seem well with him! Just not very active (yet!). :smile:
 

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Pete is still doing well!

There isn't too much too update. He is still active exclusively at night and still eating like a pig. He eats exclusively live ghost shrimp, which I finally got to see him hunt the other day, and are easy for me to find here. It's been a busy time of year, but I at least have some new pictures.

Sorry for the poor quality on the one with my finger, that's just for scale. He's only a couple inches from the glass. The other has better lighting. He's not happy in either photo. :smile:

He's not too exciting, but a Merc-sized Octo (still not 100% sure in the ID) in a 75 gallon makes for easy maintenance! :biggrin2:
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What a cutie! Glad you got to see some hunting action. Mercs can be tough because they are nocturnal and you have to be up late with red lights on to see much of them. They are one of the few types of octopuses that can be kept in groups. With a tank that size, you might want to give it a try! It's a lot of fun to watch the interaction.
 

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