{"id":242018,"date":"2026-03-29T11:42:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T11:42:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/242018\/"},"modified":"2026-03-29T11:42:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T11:42:18","slug":"birch-aquarium-red-octopus-settlement-milestone-achieved","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/242018\/","title":{"rendered":"Birch Aquarium Red Octopus Settlement Milestone Achieved"},"content":{"rendered":"

San Diego is home to some remarkable firsts, and Birch Aquarium just added one more to the list. For what experts believe is the first time ever, the team there has successfully raised Red Octopuses (Octopus rubescens) from hatchlings all the way through to full settlement in aquarium care.<\/p>\n

This milestone has been turning heads in the scientific community \u2013 and for good reason. Octopus settlement remains one of the most mysterious phases in a cephalopod\u2019s life, and very few facilities have ever documented it in this level of detail.<\/p>\n

From \u201cTiny Aliens\u201d to Real-Deal Octopuses<\/p>\n

It all started when Senior Aquarist Maddy Tracewell<\/a> discovered a female Red Octopus guarding thousands of eggs behind the scenes last summer. What followed was an intensive, months-long deep dive into the little-known world of cephalopod development.<\/p>\n

More than 15 of these Red Octopuses have now officially settled, completing the transition from free-swimming paralarvae to a bottom-dwelling lifestyle. \u201cWhen they first hatched, they looked like tiny aliens,\u201d Tracewell said. \u201cNow they finally look like a real octopus, and I\u2019m so excited and amazed!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\"Birch<\/p>\n

Why Raising This Species Is Such a Challenge<\/p>\n

Red Octopuses are a \u201csmall-egg\u201d species, meaning they hatch as paralarvae and spend weeks drifting with ocean currents before settling \u2013 a planktonic stage that\u2019s notoriously difficult to replicate in captivity.<\/p>\n

To tackle this, Tracewell built a custom upwelling system, guided by Dr. Dan Shigeki, a leading octopus paralarvae expert at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.<\/p>\n

Feeding the babies was its own puzzle. After Brine Shrimp and Mysid Shrimp both fell short, the team started culturing Grass Shrimp \u2013 which turned out to be exactly the right size, speed, and nutritional fit for the paralarvae.<\/p>\n

\"Birch<\/p>\n

Documenting Every Stage of Settlement<\/p>\n

Octopus settlement progresses through three distinct phases: a pre-settlement \u201ctactile\u201d phase, a \u201chiding\u201d phase, and a post-settlement \u201cninja\u201d phase. Weekly photoshoots gave the team a detailed record of every stage, since the animals are essentially microscopic and impossible to measure with the naked eye.<\/p>\n

Those images have since been shared with octopus researchers worldwide, offering rare new insights into Red Octopus development. \u201cNot many places have had the opportunity to document this life cycle in such detail,\u201d Tracewell said. \u201cWe wanted to show just how incredible this transformation is from start to finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Birch<\/p>\n

\"Senior<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next for These Little Guys<\/p>\n

The full settlement process took about five months, and the octopuses are still growing before they\u2019re ready for public display. For now, they\u2019re continuing their development behind the scenes at the aquarium.<\/p>\n

Worth noting: these are Red Octopuses (Octopus rubescens) \u2013 a local Pacific Coast species found from Central Alaska to Northern Mexico \u2013 not the Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini). Similar-sounding names, but two entirely different animals.<\/p>\n

See you there!<\/p>\n

Keep an eye on Birch Aquarium for when these remarkable little animals make their public debut \u2013 this is one you won\u2019t want to miss.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udccd 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla
\u2139\ufe0f Visit the website here<\/a> for updates<\/p>\n

See you there, San Diego!<\/p>\n

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