Growth of cultured Octopus mimus (Cephalopoda, Octopodidae)

Laboratory rearing of 19 Octopus mimus, from 40 to 589 g at 20.1 +/- 1.8 de grees C (September to December 1991) provided information on the growth pat tern and variation in instantaneous relative growth rate (G) of this Chilea n littoral octopus. The three smallest specimens (ranging from 40 to 49.8 g ) attained an average weight of 558 g in 70 days. Growth of this species ha d two phases. Growth was exponential during the first 40 days of culture wi th an average G of 5.33%. It slowed and became logarithmic when the animals attained weights ranging from 326.6 to 439 g. Instantaneous relative growt h rate decreased from 2.25% to 0.99% during the logarithmic phase. A simila r pattern was found for the 16 larger specimens (61.4-406.4 g initial weigh t). The change in growth pattern observed between the exponential and logar ithmic phases occurred at body weights ranging from 326.6 to 454.2 g. No di fferences in growth were found between sexes in O. mimus. The growth patter n of this species is discussed and compared to other small-egged octopus sp ecies raised in captivity. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.