Featured Image Credit: UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
The University of Georgia recently received a common octopus. The common octopus was extremely social and adapted to his new environment well. Even though “he” was in an aquarium by “himself”, Octavius, enjoyed checking out the animals on the other side of the glass.
One day, Octavius was not out and about. Instead, he was holed up in his little cave. The staff was a little worried about him, so they decided to check on him at the end of the day. Devin Dumont, the curator of the aquarium went to clean out the tank when he noticed thousands of small particles in the water. It was thousands of baby octopuses! Octavius was actually a female!
The babies were everywhere. According to Durmont, panic ensued. The staff scrambled to scoop the babies out of the tank into smaller buckets so that the staff could properly care for them.
Everyone was excited about the babies, but knew what was coming next. After giving birth, octopus typically die within days. The female guards her eggs carefully and refuses to eat. Eventually, they die by starvation.
Although Octavius will soon die, her babies will live. The thousands of babies have been given to several aquariums to be raised in nursery tanks.
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