[Octopus]: Today I made the leap.

When they are first introduced to an aquarium we have seen octopuses exhibit either gluttonous consumption or stubborn refusal. I recommend continuing to offer food every day and remove anything not eaten after a couple of hours. Initially, size seems to be important and I have found that starting with small pieces (about the size of the eye) seems to work better than offering a single large portion. Once the food is accepted and eaten, I increase the size until there are left overs. Quantity consumed will change over the life of the animal with young animals eating more as they grow into adults and older octos slowly consuming less. It also seems best to develop a diversity of accepted food and alternate during the week as the larger (ie not dwarf) octos I have kept appear to get "bored" of the same food every day.
 
It took a half of a shrimp today while the lights were on (super camoflauge!) and hid it until the lights went out. Then he returned for it. I haven't seen the shell come back out yet.
 
I would suggest removing the shell before feeding. There is no nutritional value (octopuses don't eat it), it is hard to be sure you remove all of it, and it will quickly degrade and add ammonia to the tank. I do leave the shells on the crab claws I feed but claw shells are easier to find and the meat much harder to extract in one piece.
 
So he takes but rejects thawed shrimp. I have a bunch of small hermit crabs and a small blue crab in the tank. As well as 2 clowns, a lawnmower blenny, and a leopard wrasse. I am going to try fresh shucked oyster tonight. And I'm trying to find fiddlers today. He won't starve right? Also he has moved to the cave/den behind pride rock and that's super exciting.
 

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