Cuttlefish

lovethesea

Active Member
hmmm, unusual to say the least. I have to say I have never heard of nor seen one. Thanks Bang for the cool pic, now I need to look up this unusual creature.
 

schneidts

Active Member
Great pic, Bang. I think they are truly fascinating. I like them so much, I used to have one for my avatar. I imagine you aren't keeping that one though, right? From what I've read they are pretty difficult to keep in a tank. For those who are unfamiliar with them, contrary to the name, they aren't fish, they are cephalopods. They can camouflage themselves like chameleons.
 

lovethesea

Active Member
wow...not all what I thought they were...........:thinking:
Cuttlefish are soft-bodied Molluscs with short, flattened bodies and a large head. Cuttlefish skin is soft and delicate, and slides easily back and forth over an oval mantle of muscle that is attached to the rigid, internal cuttlefish bone. It is covered with Chromatophores or pigment sacs which allow the cuttlefish to change colour for camouflage purposes, mating rituals and to show emotions.
Cuttlefish have eight sucker-lined tentacles that are attached to the head in a ring around the mouth. They also have skin flaps along each side which shield two retractable feeding tentacles that are longer than the rest and are flattened at the end.
On the underbelly, there is a forward opening cavity that contains the gills and openings for the gut, kidneys and sexual organs. There is a siphon just beneath the head which helps the cuttlefish to steer and swim.
Cuttlefish have large eyes with a W-shaped lens and, a transparent cover and lid. The body is edged by a thin frill-like fin which circles horizontally around the body.
Cuttlefish usually grow to between 5 and 30centimetres long, but the giant cuttlefish grow much bigger. Giant cuttlefish are only found in the waters off southern Australia and they produce cuttlefish bones up to 1 metre long. Cuttlefish are only usually seen in large numbers near the shore in winter when they gather on the shallow reefs to mate and spawn.
 

bang guy

Moderator
This is a pic I snapped at the Monteray Aquarium a couple weeks ago, it's not my Cuttlefish. What the picture doesn't show is how the mantle is always changing colors & shades. It's an amazing animal to watch.
They can be successfully kept in captivity. The Monteray Aquarium propogates them for their display. Every year they lay eggs and the staff raises the offspring to replace the ones in the display. They have a 1 - 2 year lifespan.
 

nicky1.8t

Active Member
thats in cali right. we went there 3 years ago on a vacation and my uncle took us there they had an awesome jelly fish display and some nice sea dragons
 

leopard_babe

Active Member
OMG that is so cool. I have never heard or seen or heard of those before. That is so oneof the coolest looking fish. It looks like my sting ray.
 

innsmouth

Member
I will have a cuttlefish one of these days. I got to see the entire breeding facility at the DC zoo invert house years ago and have been hooked on them ever since. The zoo doesn't keep them anymore for some reason.
 

jugger

Member
very nice pic BANG....it is cool how they changes colors..... that is one of the coolest aquariums...did you check out the reef tank upstairs and the crazy sea hourse?????
 
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