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 Ocean Institute's Two-Spot Octopus Gives Birth to More Than 300 Young
DANA POINT, CA, December 3, 2008 - Ocean Institute aquarist Julianne Steers reports that the Institute's Two-Spot Octopus (Octopus bimaculatus) eggs, cared for by their mother for the last two months, hatched Monday. More than 300 hatchlings about 4 mm in length are drifting about their tank as plankton, with some eating brine shrimp. The hatchlings can grow up to three feet in length and live about two years.
"It's very exciting," commented Steers, the Ocean Institute's aquarist for five years. "We're always glad to see that our marine life adapts well enough to life in our aquaria to reproduce."
The Two-Spot Octopus lives off the coast of California, and can be identified by its circular blue eyespots on each side of the head. Steers caught the Institute's Two-Spot Octopus last year off the coast of Laguna Beach; it is used regularly in the Institute's ocean education programs for students. Steers has a scientific collecting permit issued by the State of California allowing her to legally collect the specimens. Because of their friendly temperament and hardiness, the Two-Spot Octopus makes an excellent aquarium specimen, Steers added.
The female Two-Spot Octopus lays her eggs near the end of her two-year life span. Steers was uncertain if the eggs were fertile, as the octopus had not been around a male since its capture. A female octopus has the capacity to store male sperm for long periods of time, however, and the Institute staff was delighted to see that the eggs had hatched on Monday.
The Ocean Institute has a 16,000-gallon system of small aquaria that contains 160 species and 1,200 specimens of local marine life. The public may enjoy them on weekends, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Cost: $6.50 adults, $4.50 children (ages 4-12).
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