MIMIC OCTOPUSES :
WILL WE LOVE THEM TO DEATH?

There is no question that the mimic octopus and its
relatives such as wunderpus are remarkable animals.
Whether they are capable of the repertoire
of behaviors attributed to them remains to be seen.
Even if their mimetic abilities are limited,
we must marvel at the images of these animals that
have been captured on film and video and are displayed
around the world. However, as the animals become
better known, they are also becoming more desirable
for public aquarists, scientists and hobbyists alike.
The pressures to acquire and attempt to keep and
display them are rapidly increasing. It is not
uncommon to see requests for such animals and often
the amount of money offered for them is
staggering - $100 and up. At this point,
I think we should all take a deep breath and think
seriously about the biology of this species, what such
bounties are likely to mean for its survival,
and what motivates us to want a mimic for our very own.

I want to make it clear from the onset that
I am not against the importation of marine life
where its collection did not threaten existing stocks.
I certainly support efforts to culture a variety
of organisms for public, commercial and private display.
Over the years I have strongly supported the aquarium industry
because I firmly believe that public awareness of,
and interest in, marine diversity offers one of our best
routes to marine conservation. However, I feel
strongly that because of its notoriety and scarcity,
mimics present a special case that deserves our immediate attention.

If there is one thing that we know about mimics,
it is that they are rare. Since they
were first recognized, very few have been collected or
observed in the wild. Even in areas such as the
Lembeh Straits and Bali, which have been
extensively dived by knowledgeable naturalists,
sightings have been infrequent and sporadic.
Only dozens have been seen, not hundreds or thousands.
Yes, it is a big ocean. However, the habitats
apparently suitable for the mimic are limited, easily
accessible and the number of people (including collectors)
diving on them is rapidly increasing.

In a few areas, individual mimics are occasionally
identified by underwater guides who take
divers to see them. Much of what we know of these animals
comes from such sightings. With the bounties being
offered for these animals, it is increasingly
likely that some collectors who know the
whereabouts of mimics will be unable to resist the temptation
and these animals will end up in the collection bucket.
You do not want to know the fate of most
cephalopods collected in Indonesia for export.
By offering importers high prices for mimics,
I am deeply concerned that we are creating a market
that rapidly will exhaust the supply.

I would urge everyone, amateurs and professionals,br> alike, to curtail your desire to display these
animals. I hope that with our help they can
continue to survive in the wild where
they can be studied, photographed and appreciated.
These animals have enough problems without our
hastening their doom. The coastal habitats in which they
occur are some of the most heavily impacted in Indonesia.
Coastal run off and mining are eliminating them at
an alarming rate. To my mind, risking several of these
rare beasts so that one might live for a few months
(with no hope of successfully reproducing)
in an aquarium just is not worth the price.

It would be great if we could acquired a sufficient
number of specimens to keep them in aquaria around
the world, learn their habits and how to culture them, etc.
I would strongly support this for a species like O. cyanea
that is widely distributed. However, there does not
appear to be the population base needed to support intense
collection of mimics. With modern communications,
mimics are popping up everywhere in print,
on television and on the web.
People around the world know about mimics and want one.
The market isn't just in the US, Germany, and Japan,
but extends around the world. How many public aquaria
would like to exhibit one? How many scientists,
myself included, would dearly love to have a few to study?
How many amateur cephalopod enthusiasts would shell
out big bucks to have one? And how many hobbyists walking
into their local LFS would put down their money just
because the mimic looks so cool? By promoting this
exceptional animal I'm afraid that we have created
a demand that may do it in.

Sure, a few specimens were needed to document the
species and the occasional animal will make its way
into the market place. Stuff happens and I cannot fault
anyone for taking advantage of it. All I'm asking
is that we do everything in our power not to encourage
or support the deliberate collection of mimics.
I honestly fear that if we cannot stem their collection,
there will be no mimics to wonder at in a very few years.

Chris's comments

I was lucky to acquire one through my supplier,
who had one in his shop. He contacted me knowing
I had the most experience of the people he dealt
with and could give it the best home.
I took the offer and had the mimic shipped to me.
The supplier had no idea what he had.
All he knew is he had another fancy zebra octopus.

I had been offered twice before a chance to buy a
zebra octopus. The first two times it turned out
to be wonderpus. The first one found a home at the
NRCC when I had no room for it and died in their
tanks a few days later. For those who don't know
what theNRCC stands for they are the
National Resource Center for Cephalopods.
If any one has a chance of keeping a octopus alive these
people are some of the best. But even in their expert
hands it died in a few days.

A second specimen was offered to me at a time I was
in Costa Rica and had no way to know it was
being offered to me till I got home from the trip and
read my email. When I called my supplier I found it died
two days after having it in his tank.

Now both of these octopuses cost more than twice
what a bullet proof biamc would cost.
Why did they die so quick? Collection methods maybe,
the use of cyanide, stress, delicate octopus...Who knows?
But what I do know is after thinking about it,
these animals cost a lot, die easily even at the hands of>br> the pros and are rare even to see in the wild.
For the money... you would be better off
with a O. bimaculoides that has
10 times more things going for it than a zebra octopus
at about 1/3 the cost.

When I got the mimic it arrived weak,
a few legs half missing and on the verge of death.
I was lucky enough to nurse it back to health and save it.
Why was I able to?
Maybe this one was not collected with cyanide.
It seems that species that are sand dwelling octopuses
are chased out of their holes 99% of the time with
cyanide in order to collect them for the trade.

Maybe this animal is better of being left alone
untill we know more about it. From what I know they
do not do well in captivity. I can only imagine how
many must have died before this one managed to live.
After having this animal for 5 months I will now tell
you the pros and cons of owning one.

Pros...

1)They are way cool looking!

Cons...

1)They require a very deep fine sand bed of 8 to 10
inches to feel safe. They will not live under rocks,
in tubing or any other home. This is a must!!!!!!
And they can live under the sand for days which means
you don't see it for days.

2) They demand exceptional water quality.
Above that which most common octopuses require.

3) They require a heated tank kept at a steady controlled temp.

4) They hide a lot and seem to prefer a very dimly lit tank.

5) They are active late at night and very
early morning when light is the weakest.
Not a great display animal..
And folks, you will not see any mimicry!!!

6) They don't interact very much at all and have a
dull personality. They are not very exciting folks.
They also cost way more than a bimac that has
10 times the personality!!!

7) They should have a large long tank because
when they do come out they like to swim and seem
to ink out of frustration if they keep hitting glass
which then requires a water change for this species.
Even with a kick butt skimmer and carbon they seem
to sleep a lot if you don't...My observations.

8) They are very sensitive to some brands of salt.
I almost killed mine by switching to a very
common brand and would not have figured it
out if I didn't keep a log.

9) They have no real color or texture
change ability, so all the time you have a dull brown
and white octo unless it gets mad then its black.

10) No one to date has done a toxin test on
them and for all we know they could be poisonous!

If you want a cool fun octo that will blow your socks off...get a bimac.