definitely not normal / healthy behavior; it would be best for it to be happy within the tank environment itself vs. scaling its perimeters. Not sure what could cause that -- lack of enrichment? Some imbalance in the ecosystem? It's hard to know
[Octopus]: Unidentified Flying Octopus & Baby Cuttlefish
- Thread starter Hahmlet
- Start date
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- cuttlefish octopus
I realized it's doing this whenever I come near the tank. It would come out and start doing that. Possibly hunger?definitely not normal / healthy behavior; it would be best for it to be happy within the tank environment itself vs. scaling its perimeters. Not sure what could cause that -- lack of enrichment? Some imbalance in the ecosystem? It's hard to know
I also realized it doesn't identify the shrimp as food unless it jumps once or twice in front of it. Once it was trying to attack the reflection of the shrimp on the glass and then gave up after reaching for it 4 times.
Waving a shrimp in front of it outside the glass also doesn't seem to get any response.
interesting that it only does it when you approach the tank; I'm not sure I've ever heard of that behavior in a cuttlefish!
Cuttlefish Fry Day 51 - 20 June 2023
- Total 3 fries in breeder box (Wk1: +36 -1, Wk2 +5 -5, Wk3: -10, Wk4: -1, Wk5 -1, Wk6 -18, Wk7 -1, Wk8 -1)
- One more passed away last night. Worried that it might be the phosphates causing this. I decided to stop the medication and run some carbon.
- The refugium is once again teeming with amphipods now.
- Feeding 1~2 glass shrimp daily.
- It seems like the timing to feed them is important, and somehow lighting and reflection is affecting their ability to identify the food.
- Not sure if it's my glass that's particularly reflective or if it's the lighting, but it does not react to a shrimp I show it from outside the tank.
- When it's swimming against the glass side by side, it will not react to shrimp.
- It's mostly found resting on the corals or in its cave.
- She's been eating a whole clam 2 days in a row!
- She takes the clam and goes under the caves she dug below the rocks.
- I certainly hope she is not leaving uneaten clams in there....
- She is definitely not as clean as my previous algae octopus. She does not leave uneaten food in the same corner of the tank. She just drops it wherever she's done.
- She also doesn't poop in the same corner.
- Her leftover food also has a thick clear gel drooping from it whenever I pick it up. Venom?
Cuttlefish Fry Day 52 - 21 June 2023
Octopus Day 41 - 21 June 2023
- Total 2 fries in breeder box (Wk1: +36 -1, Wk2 +5 -5, Wk3: -10, Wk4: -1, Wk5 -1, Wk6 -18, Wk7 -1, Wk8 -2)
- One more passed away yesterday not long after my post. Doing some water changes and hope it turns around.
- Feeding 1~2 glass shrimp daily.
- Tried feeding a large rock shrimp that's almost the same length as the cuttlefish. The cuttlefish tried to snap at it twice then gave up. I guess it is too big.
- Waving the shrimp in front of the cuttlefish does not work, hence I can't move on to frozen food. You can see the cuttlefish respond only when the shrimp jumps. Also once the cuttlefish is in warship stance, it only attacks when the shrimp moves one more time. I've seen shrimps stay absolutely still and the warship disengages after quite a few seconds.
Octopus Day 41 - 21 June 2023
- Steadily taking 1 whole clam daily. I've been removing the mantle and foot before feeding her.
Cuttlefish Fry Day 54 - 23 June 2023
- Total 1 fries in breeder box (Wk1: +36 -1, Wk2 +5 -5, Wk3: -10, Wk4: -1, Wk5 -1, Wk6 -18, Wk7 -1, Wk8 -3)
- Funny thing the smallest fry is alive. Right after the carbon and some major water changes, it started eating again. I guess either the high phosphates or something in the meds caused its siblings' death.
- Feeding 1~2 glass shrimp daily.
- Getting dark eyes whenever the octopus comes nearby..
- Steadily taking 1 whole clam daily.
- Doesn't mind the cuttlefish at all.
glad it's going so well! would love to see a pic or two in your next update if you can 
Yeah octopus girl is doing great. But she's a very shy species. Does not greet me at the glass, always camouflaged somewhere and pounces on the clam I feed her.glad it's going so well! would love to see a pic or two in your next update if you can
Octopus girl eating a clam, and the cuttlefish showing dark eye liner, feeling a little annoyed at the octopus's sudden movements.
Cuttlefish Fry Day 57 - 26 June 2023
- 1 fry in breeder box (Wk1: +36 -1, Wk2 +5 -5, Wk3: -10, Wk4: -1, Wk5 -1, Wk6 -18, Wk7 -1, Wk8 -3)
- I saw the fry sucking on a shrimp, but later when I came back to take out the remains, the shrimp looked untouched. Quite worried for this last kid. It was the smallest out of the last 5.
- Feeding 1~2 glass shrimp daily.
- Feeing routine is roughly 2 clams every 3 days.
Cuttlefish Fry Day 58 - 27 June 2023
- (Wk1: +36 -1, Wk2 +5 -5, Wk3: -10, Wk4: -1, Wk5 -1, Wk6 -18, Wk7 -1, Wk8 -5)
- Last fry passed away this morning. I think overall water quality was quite unstable for the past 2 weeks.
- Has not eaten since yesterday. I think cuttlefish are more sensitive to the water parameter changes than octopus. Will do a major water change today as well.
- Still doing well and eating well.
Do you know what kind of octo she is? I can’t remember if it’s mentioned in the thread and too tired to look
No I don't. She is very similar to an algae octopus in size, with the only difference being thinner legs and bigger head.Do you know what kind of octo she is? I can’t remember if it’s mentioned in the thread and too tired to look
Coloration wise she is more red/maroon while my algae octopus was a darker brown.
She also shows a vertical white band down the head at times usually when she feels threatened just like an algae octopus. At times she also has a greyish/blueish coloration right after waking up and emerging from her cave, which I have not seen my algae octopus do.
But the main difference is that she's nocturnal while algae octopus are diurnal, and she eats a lot less than my algae octopus. My algae octopus would eat more than 1 clam a day if I fed her, while this girl eats 2 clams everyday 3 days.
Apart from them she's a lot shyer and like to bite/grind on my hand, but that might be an individual thing.
Cuttlefish Adult Day 21 - 29 June 2023
- Still not eating.
- Did a 12% water change the day before and yesterday.
- I have been making the switch from a good reef salt to a natural type of salt. It has been quite gradual, but not sure if this is causing it, or if this new salt is just bad for cuttlefish. It's supposed to be from the red sea....
- A sea hare passed away yesterday after the water change, but they are known to die after a water change.
- My domino damsel who was immune to ich, got it after the water change the day before yesterday and passed on today.
- Still doing well and eating well.
Cuttlefish Adult Day 22 - 30 June 2023
Octopus Day 50 - 30 June 2023
- Still not eating.
- Arms have been in a weird position recently.
- It stayed near the top of the tank for quite a few minutes, it has never done this before.
- I feel like it looks dazed and confused. I think it will pass soon.
Octopus Day 50 - 30 June 2023
- Eating well, not interested in the cuttlefish.
Aww I hope the cuttlefish gets better! Glad your octo is still doing good
No good. It's on it's last breaths right now. I turned off the lights and flow to make it easier for it. It's floating at the top but still breathing and very pale.
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