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Unread 06/25/2006, 04:48 PM   #1
Buddy Pine
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My BEST hitchhiker is an OCTOPUS!

I never expected this to happen to me in my entire life. What a shocker! After picking up a few corals from my local Reef Stores, I was watching my tank one early morning when suddenly I saw something unusual moving besides the new coral i've just bought. I had to rub my eyes exactly what it is, when it moved and saw the tentacles it just freaked me right out! What an AMAZING hitchhiker!. Luckily my camera was handy and took some photos. I was told that it's from Indo Pacific and a Pigmy Octopus species. If anyone knows exactly what it is please let me know, thanks in advance.

These photos was the first day I found him in my tank, April 19, 2006 (night shots).








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Unread 06/25/2006, 04:50 PM   #2
Buddy Pine
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2 months later...

This is 2 months later, June 24, 2006 (day shots)












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Unread 06/25/2006, 04:51 PM   #3
Sk8r
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What a neat critter!


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Unread 06/25/2006, 05:43 PM   #4
DHyslop
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Beautiful little guy! Thanks for sharing.

Do you feed him or let him scrounge?

Dan


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Unread 06/25/2006, 06:17 PM   #5
Frostyeel
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Does he leave the fish alone? Cool looking octo.


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Unread 06/25/2006, 06:19 PM   #6
Buddy Pine
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by DHyslop
[B]Beautiful little guy! Thanks for sharing.

Do you feed him or let him scrounge?


I tried feeding him as much as I can but manage to eat a little more than expected.


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Unread 06/25/2006, 07:15 PM   #7
oceanscurve
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That octopus is going to rip apart your reef tank (eat all the fish, ext.). That inst a pygmy its a briareus. which grows to be 2 feet from tentical to tentical. I suggest returning it to your lfs for your reefs sake or isolating in your quaritine tank until you can get another tank for it.
It is a very cool hitch hicher though,

-Tom


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Unread 06/25/2006, 09:02 PM   #8
DHyslop
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He's pretty big now, so if you haven't seen him nip at the fish I wouldn't be too worried. Contrary to the stereotypes, its just as common for fish to harm octopus as vice versa; although if yours was being nipped at by the fish, I don't think he would show off like that.

If you were to take it to a LFS they would almost certainly kill it. You have a very happy accidental octopus and you can consider yourself lucky

If you are worried about the fish and want to keep trying to supplement its diet, you can get fiddler crabs for reasonable prices at www.aquaculturestore.com. I don't know if they ship to Canadia, though!

It does look a lot like Octopus briareus, particularly the "web" at the base of its arms, but I don't think that's exclusively diagnostic. If your LFS is correct that it came from the Pacific then it is certainly not O. briareus. The question is whether or not the store really knows where their stuff comes from. Either way, its no dwarf!

Thanks again for sharing. Beautiful little guy.

Dan


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Unread 06/25/2006, 09:08 PM   #9
thedigitalimager
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Whatever the species, it's fascinating and gorgeous. If it doesn't work out in your tank, I'll bet that a public aquarium would take him. Thanks for sharing such a wonder!


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Unread 06/26/2006, 08:49 AM   #10
Yasha
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He is one attractive looking octopus. If you are wanting to keep him, post the pics on tonmo. They would be able to tell you what your your hitch hiker is. Keep posting pics of the cute one.


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Unread 06/26/2006, 09:03 AM   #11
shells
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what an awsome little guy.


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Unread 06/26/2006, 09:30 AM   #12
mikeatjac
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I would make sure that you have something in place to keep him from climbing out.

Thanks for the pictures, lots of fun viewing. LR is cool, you never know.....


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Unread 07/01/2006, 04:22 PM   #13
Buddy Pine
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Here he is feeding on Tiger Shrimp, man this guy is strong!!










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Unread 07/01/2006, 07:02 PM   #14
thedigitalimager
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That's so cool! How often do you feed him?


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Unread 07/01/2006, 08:07 PM   #15
batesdc
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That is awsome what a great hiker!!!


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Unread 07/01/2006, 09:06 PM   #16
Buddy Pine
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Quote:
Originally posted by thedigitalimager
That's so cool! How often do you feed him?
once or twice a day, shrimps and Iobsters.


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Unread 07/01/2006, 09:57 PM   #17
thedigitalimager
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You mentioned that he came in with some corals you purchased. I'm amazed that he went unnoticed. Was he really small? I know they are able to camouflage themselves.


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Unread 07/01/2006, 11:24 PM   #18
nancyocto
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You have a very beautiful octopus and you're doing well in keeping him. If you ever decide you don't want him (and that would be a shame), there are octopus keepers at this site who would be glad to have such a fine octopus. They'd like to see your excellent photos, too.

Nancy


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Unread 07/04/2006, 01:00 AM   #19
lessans
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I think it would be cool if you put him in his own tank that way you won't risk the lives of your corals. Plus, if you wanted to you could put in much bigger prey to watch him eat.


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Unread 07/10/2006, 10:03 PM   #20
Boomer
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Now that is cool L@@ks liike he likes it there.


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Unread 07/10/2006, 11:22 PM   #21
Konadog
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Now that's just cool!


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Unread 07/11/2006, 01:12 AM   #22
melev
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Yes, that is indeed an awesome hitchhiker. At first I was smiling to myself as there wasn't a fish in sight in most of your pictures, until I saw those tangs. Looks like they are cohabitating well together, and if you feed that octopus as much as you are currently, I have to imagine it will grow more rapidly.

Hopefully there are those here with enough experience to give you the adequate feeding schedule so you don't end up with a giant octopus-in-a-box.

Great pictures!


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Unread 07/11/2006, 08:44 AM   #23
nancyocto
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You're feeding your octopus the right things and the schedule is good. The size it reaches will depend on the species.

Nancy


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Unread 07/11/2006, 01:05 PM   #24
Kinetic
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that's so amazing! It looks brown sometimes, then other times white! so cool =)


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Unread 07/11/2006, 03:33 PM   #25
Fini
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Did you end up making any major changes to the tank since your hitchhiker came (ie: tank top, filtration, rock, corals, etc)?

He's really gorgeous! You've got a rare treat for sure.


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