Octopus briareus photos and videos

corpusse · #1 01-03-2011, 03:04 PM

I've had this guy a little over 3 months. He was just a baby when I got him and a total recluse. I did not see him at all during the first month. Checked the tank with a red flashlight day night morning whatever. He was never around.

I tore the tank down thinking he was dead and he crawled out of the rock. Back into the tank he went.

Over the next couple of months I started to see him a bit more. Usually if I starve him for 3-4 days he will be out in the morning exploring, or sometimes late at night. I feed him a combination of live fiddler crabs as well as grocery store shrimp on a stick. He readily accepts the food on a stick it's just a matter of getting him to actually pull it off. Once he wants it a tug of war ensues.

Here's a video I got earlier. It's grainy but the tank lights are off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wll7oXDryXo

This morning he was out and I managed to get lots of good photographs. Then much to my surprise I went back downstairs and he was out again with the lights on! first time ever!! I attribute this to the fact my timer stalled yesterday and when I restarted it I set it to go on earlier by accident.

First the night set :

The first few were taken at iso 1600 and relatively slow shutter speeds. I still increased the brightness and lowered the contrast to get a bit more light. The rest are with flash. Flash doesn't bother him much which is strange since he's so afraid of the tank lights being on.

Arms fully stretched he's about 20"

I like that one a lot even though it's dark. The room's tracklighting makes it appear the sun is rising.

I will upload the day set and a video shortly..

365seasons · #2 01-03-2011, 03:49 PM

great photos and video!
What a neat little creature.

corpusse · #3 01-03-2011, 03:57 PM

Some more from today

A few are slightly out of focus but I think they still capture him well.

I haven't seen him this light green since he was a kid lol

flipzed · #4 01-03-2011, 04:26 PM

thats really neat. now i want one lol. where did u pick this guy up from?

Delphinus · #5 01-03-2011, 05:26 PM

That is pretty darn cool! Thanks for sharing!

corpusse · #6 01-03-2011, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flipzed

thats really neat. now i want one lol. where did u pick this guy up from?

I got him at seaumarine.

lastlight · #7 01-03-2011, 05:47 PM

Wow those darker shots are too cool. Too bad you can't have the lights on and still get to see him.

corpusse · #8 01-04-2011, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lastlight

Wow those darker shots are too cool. Too bad you can't have the lights on and still get to see him.

I think in time he will come out more. I am hoping he's only around 5-6 months old, but I guess he could be closer to a year.

I believe his natural lifespan is about 18 months. Cephs just don't live very long..

Here is another video I shot today. I just have a cheapo camcorder that doesn't do well in low light.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDmHlerWX9Y&hd=1

It's cool to watch him just slide under the live rock, despite the fact he is noticeably full of fidder crabs

octopus-keeper · #9 01-07-2011, 03:21 PM

Aaaaa! yes those octopus iv had one like him before, i believe those octopus are called macropus a night dwelling octopus mine only came out at night and very early morning i never got an octopus like that again lol, If you want a day dwelling octopus get a common brown octopus or pygmy (vulgaris) there very good octopus to care for and watch in the light

corpusse · #10 01-28-2011, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by octopus-keeper

Aaaaa! yes those octopus iv had one like him before, i believe those octopus are called macropus a night dwelling octopus mine only came out at night and very early morning i never got an octopus like that again lol, If you want a day dwelling octopus get a common brown octopus or pygmy (vulgaris) there very good octopus to care for and watch in the light

There is no such thing as a pygmy vulgaris and all pygmy octopi are nocturnal.

New pics

I thought I took a lot more pictures, but I did get a few decent. I really need better lenses

It's too bad my glass was not cleaner

I always seem to get the flash in the pic too, here's a 10 minute photoshop job

cropped to be panoramic (and hide other cosmetic imperfections in the photo)

There might be a few more. Today I will clean up the glass in the hopes he makes another extended visit hopefully at an earlier time.