Today is 8 Months for Ink

[corw314]

Wow! It's hard to believe it is 8 months today since Ink arrived with such a rocky start! She is still eating daily and the last few days, her activity level has increased. I am handfeeding her because she is now blind. Last night I did put a live crab in and she did find it. She seems to be more intune to vibrations now. When I am approaching the tank I can see her flinch as I walk up. I have been drumming my fingers on the tank, which is how we used to play and I think she recognizes it. She comes to the front of the tank and sits there till I stop.

She has managed to turn her cave on edge, and now sits inside without all the shells pulled around tight. It is nice to be able to see her all the time, but I don't know if this lapse in security is part of the aging process or just her comfortability level!!

On an exciting note, I was able to write an article about Ink and our time with her, which will be published in January in a local magazine. I am hoping to either figure out how to link it, or maybe Tony can help me post it??? Anyway this will be a first for me and I am excited about having her life shared!!!

Carol

 

[joel_ang]

Wow!! And she's still eating?! Incredible. Maybe octos in the wild die cause they're either too weak or blind to catch food after the eggs hatch. What a pity the shrimp got the eggs though

 

[Colin]

happy birthday ink!

But i am sure it is the senescence process which is partly to blame for me not having any cephs for the time being!

How cool if they lived at least as long as a hamster! 3 to 5 years would be better

 

[joel_ang]

There are plenty of GPO out there waiting No plans to cephs anytime soon Colin?

Just curious Carol, will Lil P be moving into Ink's tank after ?

 

[Colin]

Too much going on right now Joel...

had a discussion with nancy about this very subject this week and the outcome is.... not yet!

Need a space for a big tank and it would take me ages to track down the species i wanted. Also i have been true to my word as a friend over here has 25 baby officinalis and I was offered but declined!!!

Having said all that, I might change my mind at any minute LOL

 

[Nancy]

Happy, happy birthday Ink from Ollie and me!! Glad you're still with us!

It's nice Ink's been able to live so long after laying eggs - and even find a crab when she is blind.

Ollie is also much less closed up in her den than earlier. She has moved rocks out to make more room, and I've helped her remove some (she was pushing on them, so I took them out). And she's become more active, so maybe we're seeing the same thing in both.

How old do you think Ink was when she arrived?



Nancy

 

[corw314]

Hi everyone!!!

Joel I do plan to move Lil Pumpkin eventually, but not anytime soon, hopefully!!!! I know Ink's days are numbered, but she has outlived Hermin by 2 months, and with the weather getting cooler, my tank temp has dropped to around 70, so maybe she will live a little longer .

Nancy - I think Ink had to be maybe 3 or 4 months, cause judging her size on arrival compared to Lil Pumpkins, Ink was the size of a silver dollar curled up and Lil P was the size of a dime, and has increased to about a quarter size in the 2 months I have had him, so maybe Ink was 4 months on arrival if I judge by Lil P's growth. Wonder if Fish Supply would know. Will have to email him.

Colin I do wish they had the lifespan of at least a hamster!!! I can't complain though cause I have had great luck and time with Hermin and now Ink, plus I am sure Lil P will be here a while longer than the other two, so I have been lucky!(NO CEPHS???? How can you stand it!!!!)

Carol

 

[tonmo]

Glad to hear your article is close to publication! I'll definitely link it, and would love to post it if I could -- do we have permission to post it, or did you give all rights to the magazine, or are you unsure? Email or PM me, we'll figure it out!

 

[CristalShandaLear]

So Glad/ So Sad

Thanks bunches for the update about Ink. I've been wondering but didn't want to ask.

I wonder if she would have lasted this long if she'd been in the wild? Seems like love is the last thing that's holding her. Gosh what a life.

Drum the fingers a few times for me.

 

[Nancy]

No, I don't think Ink would have lasted this long in the wild, or Ollie either - being fed while watching over the eggs must make a big difference.

Maybe the female octopuses in the wild want to eat, but have little access to food because they don't leave the den. Then they're very weak after the eggs hatch and become someone else's dinner.

Love probably helps, too!

Nancy

 

[corw314]

I'm wondering if maybe the tank temp drop has helped some too. She has really increased her activity level this past week.

I'm thinking about a vulgaris I had years ago that laid eggs, but never ate again. Totally refused any and all food. She died within 3 weeks after laying the eggs.


Gonna keep on drumming!!!

Carol

 

[Colin]

Is it possible that most of the information on octopuses is taken from the most studied species which is probably going to be vulgaris... Maybe bimacs just have a different strategy?

 

[joel_ang]

Well I guess we could check out the people who have or had bimacs to see what they've experienced with their bimacs after sesenence. Quite a few people say captive bred stuff will live longer, maybe this applies to the bimacs?

 

[Nancy]

Hi,

Ollie is a wild-caught octopus, and she also has been eating regularly while guarding her eggs for the last month. In fact, I can see little change in her, and I'm been watching very carefully. Her color is beautiful, her eyesight is still good, hasn't lost any in coordination, still likes to play tug of war, etc. The real difference is that she won't come out of her den - she will rise up out of it, but always leaves some part of her (a few arms) back by the eggs.

Since both Ollie and Ink are eating and not dying right away, maybe bimacs are different. We need to hear the experiences of our other bimac owners -past, present, and future.

Stay tuned for more about Olllie - tomorrow is her 9 month birthday - nine months with me - that makes her 12 or 13 months old.

Nancy

 

[joel_ang]

9months NIce to hear that she's still doing fine