Cuttlefish hatching

[1979fishgeek]

Getting bigger, this guy decided he was pod hunting today. But sourcing enough mysis is becoming difficult and exhausting both my local fish shop supply's, so I started them on sand hopper shrimp/Amphipods from the beach this morning, a few hunted them with relish and a few were bit worried, hopefully as they are more substantial than mysis and will satisfy them more.

10 and 11 days old today and also squirted their first ink this morning when I startled them. Best of all 3 of the 6 now come to glass and get all excited turning rusty red brown when they see me and beg for food. Will try and get a video of it next. Surprising how aware they are of me and how interactive they are like proper pets.

 

[DracoKat]

Too cute!!

the bulbous side is their mouths? I thought their mouths were in the tentacles! Then again, I know nothing about them. I am glad they're doing so well!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Baby Ray]

Too cute!!

the bulbous side is their mouths? I thought their mouths were in the tentacles! Then again, I know nothing about them. I am glad they're doing so well!! Thanks for sharing!

There mouths do have tentacles. In the picture above, the right side is the one with tentacles and the mouth.

 

[revhtree]

Cool!

 

[1979fishgeek]

Well funny and very informative! Lol

 

[helen ann]

Well funny and very informative! Lol

Informative and FUNNY!!!

 

[1979fishgeek]

Let's play find the cuttle!

 

[Baby Ray]

Well funny and very informative! Lol

I have watched this video so many times!!!

 

[Brad1215]

I'm curious what happened to these little guys? How did it all go?

 

[1979fishgeek]

I released five as they were getting enormous, they were set up outside in a my kids paddling pool for few days to get used to outside temps and then we took them out on our little boat and released them on the high tide. Had to take loads of extra buckets for water changes as they were inking like crazy, did you know they can produce a ink cloud or a ink blob?!...messy!
Slowly introduced the water and I use the same NSW so it was just a temp difference to contend with. They happily shot off into the big blue and I hope they survive, I never did get them on dead or frozen food but they were hunting prey they would naturally find locally, particularly fond of hunting crabs and could tackle very large ones, striking from behind like lightening.

I kept two to run on a little longer, both about 3 inches (the smallest!) it's hard to get your head round how fast cuttlefish grow, just over two months old and grew from about 6mm to four inches in that time.

The two which remain are very friendLy towards each other, the others were getting aggressive and cuttles can be canibalistic. Got so attached but could never keep seven long term.

Had a scare as we saw a seal on the way back home from releasing them, so I am not in a hurry to release they guys yet. Mummy worries about her Cuttlebabies! Never seen one in the area and saw it again few days ago!

This one I named Zoidberg, he really begs food when he sees me.