Octopus babies

Lmecher

Lmecher

New member
My O. hummelincki's eggs hatched. I really wish I could raise them. They are so tiny. I have them in a breeder net, added some tigger pods. So far they show not interest.

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Unfortunately this a small egged species and have NEVER been raised by hobbyists. I cannot sit by and let them die without giving it a good try. My efforts are futile but I am giving it a shot.
The mother is still holed up in her den. I am saddened that soon she will emerge weak and listless. She is now at the end of her life. I am missing her already. She was such a joy to watch. Here are a couple of photos of her.

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eating a scallop
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eating the shrimp she just caught
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Sushi? Bite your tongue :mad:

My camera is a Cannon coolpix p100

Not much to see usually till after 9:00pm. Aquamarine (daughter named her) O. briareus usually comes out after lights out. However she made appearances yesterday w/lights on around 2 then again at 6. Anything "different" is always a concern but things are back to normal today.
 
In the ocean, these planktonic young float near the surface eating tiny organisms. When they get large enough, they sink to the bottom and find a place to hide. These have never been successfully raised outside a laboratory setting. Mine lasted about a week.
Right now, Aquamarine (O. briareus) has laied eggs. She is a large egged species, these I could try to raise. The hatchings are larger and benthic. It would be easier to find suitable food. However, if my calculations are correct, they will hatch while I am in Florida. My mother has a very aggressive form or brain cancer, we cannot put off this trip. My son will be looking after my tanks while I am away. He will have his hands full with daily tank maintenance, the dog and cat. (besides his job) The task of feeding baby octopuses would be challenging for me, just way too much for him. I am hoping that she laid later than I am guessing. (her den is near the bottom w/opening facing the back of the tank, unfortunately I cannot see in) If they hatch near the time of my return I just may be in luck. That being said, this is all contingent on the eggs being viable. I have not seen her in weeks. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.
 
They do not contain enough nutrition. It has been noted that when fed brine shrimp, newly hatched octopuses and cuttle fish slowly starve to death. There has been success using live mysid shrimp, amphipods, crustacean larvae, crustacean appendages. They eat a lot and grow fast. Soon they are moving on (couple weeks) to small crabs and shrimp. I would also try to get them eating frozen asap. Unfortunately there is no easy solution, I would have to be here. My tank is mature w/lots of hiding places. If they hatch while I am gone, maybe will find some babies left when I get home. They can lay up to 500 eggs so there is a chance.
 
Maybe flood the tank with copepods,triggerpods,rotifers before they hatch so they will have a good food source for food.
 
I thought newly hatched brine shrimp contained their egg sacs & were very nutritious but once they absorbed their sac, they were worthless.
 
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