Octopus photography

[redchick2]

your pictures are INCREDIBLE!!!

 

[myerst22]

Baby Mimic. Regards, Tim

 

[Animal Mother]

Ha, Awesome pics/vids!

Since they are so curious, have you had any casualties with them getting into your overflows or powerheads?

No. I have been fortunate enough that I haven't had any accidents like that. I changed my powerheads to Koralia's because I read people were having good success keeping nudibranches and the likes from being killed by them, and so far the octos have climbed all over them without losing any limbs. Although Kalypso can yank them off the glass regardless of their magnet/suction cup combo.

 

[Animal Mother]

By chance they both female? Was difficult to tell from the pics, just curious Nice shots

I believe Grover is a female. I haven't noticed any indication otherwise. Kalypso is a male. He has obviously over-sized suckers on some of his arms which is a male physical trait.

The male octopuses third right arm is called the hectocotylus. The tip is different from the rest, usually spoon shaped, and usually carried constantly curled.

 

[redchick2]

Incredible animals, incredible pics! Thanks for sharing...

 

[Animal Mother]

Baby Mimic. Regards, Tim

Very cool Tim. I hope you have great success with it. You might try making it a muddy area with some special refugium mud. They love to dig and their natural habitat is muddy.

Keeping Mimics/Wunderpus/Zebra's is controversial. Very rare animals both in the trade and in their own habitat. I'm don't suggest anyone go out and buy one for the best interest of their longevity on Earth but I won't down on anyone for trying to care for them. It's a shame collectors don't understand the impact they make on certain creatures.

I'm not trying to rub you the wrong way Tim, I just can't condone the collection/sale of a rare species until more is known about their wild populations and I feel it's important to bring that to the publics attention so that they too can understand. If you find one at a store and feel the urge to rescue it, well... that's up to you. Unfortunately once they make someone some money, another one is collected to make someone more money.

 

[myerst22]

I agree completely. The octo is not mine but a LFS's. I have done limited research on the Octo and obviously rare and not much is known about them. Amazing animal and if you saw the documentary about them, I am sure you were amazed as I was. Tim

 

[princessp714]

Amazingly beautiful!

 

[Sparkles12]

very cool