Food Preference of Eledone moschata Lamarck, 1799 (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) in Captive Conditions

Abstract

In this study, the preferability of some food organisms for maintaining Eledone moschata in captive conditions was investigated. The study was carried out at four different periods from 2005 to 2006: March 28-April 15 2005 (E1); January 18-April 12 2006 (E2); April 4-May 4 2006 (E3); and 5-27 May 2006 (E4) with 120 individuals of E. moschata (body weights ranging 90 to 600 g). To determine food preference of the musky octopuses, a total of 50 species including 20 crustaceans, 16 fish, 5 bivalves, 4 gastropods and 5 cephalopods were given as live and freshly dead or frozen. The musky octopuses showed significant preferences amongst food items in this order: crustacean > molluscs > fish. Furthermore, E. moschata mostly preferred live or freshly death crustacean, but frozen fish and cephalopods were consumed as well.