Teeny, tiny larvae are living in five fertilized eggs, tucked safely in an incubator at the Peninsula’s aquarium.
Darla, the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre’s Giant Pacific Octopus, laid 30,000-plus eggs last year, just before she was slated to be released to the Salish Sea.
After consulting with other aquariums and octopus experts, Jim Cosgrove and Roland Anderson, the team at SODC, came to the conclusion that the eggs weren’t fertile. Then, while removing Darla, from display they sifted through her eggs and were stunned to find five were fertilized.
“We have them in an incubation chamber right now,” said head aquarist Mike Anderson. “There’s a small possibility we could have octopus larvae.”
He stressed that it’s never been done in an aquarium setting, so the hope is small.
February marked a year that Darla spent at the marine centre, an unusual amount of time. She surprised staff by producing the eggs, and educated everyone as she cared for them in the public eye.
“The sex life of octopus is a marvel of adaptation,” Anderson said. “The female octopus is very much in control. She collects sperm from the male and holds it until she chooses to fertilize and lay her eggs at a time and place that suit her.”
He’s pleased that she appeared comfortable enough in the aquarium’s octopus habitat to produce the eggs.
Volunteers and staff at the marine centre hope its two newest residents will find the habitat just as comfortable. One male and one female octopus now call the centre home.
“We wanted to see how they would interact,” Anderson said. “We’re still committed to our six month return policy.” Staff monitor the sea creatures so they could return to the sea earlier, but the marine centre won’t keep them longer than six months.
“There is the chance they might breed, but it’s entirely up to her,” Anderson said, gesturing to the octopus overhead. Even if they do breed, “We’re hopeful she doesn’t lay her eggs here.”
Darla moved from the octopus habitat in preparation for her return to the Salish Sea, after getting the go-ahead from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada and a veterinarian. Unfortunately she will return home to die. The same hormone that causes her to start laying eggs, brings on the death process as well.