Abstract To evaluate the aquaculture potential and developmental characteristics of the holobenthic octopus Amphioctopus fangsiao , we conducted artificial breeding and continuous rearing of Amphioctopus fangsiao from hatching to 150 days post‐hatching (dph) under laboratory conditions using broodstock collected from Fujian, China. The body weight increased from 0.156 ± 0.004 g at 1 dph to 42.343 ± 8.243 g at 150 dph, and the mantle length increased from 0.53 ± 0.02 cm to 3.93 ± 0.76 cm. The growth showed stage‐dependent patterns, with length‐related traits following logistic trends, while the body weight increased continuously without a clear asymptotic phase. Morphological and behavioral changes were also documented, including an increase in the sucker number from 26 to 30 at hatching to 110 at 150 dph. The species‐specialized golden ring at the web base appeared at around 25 dph and darkened with stimulation, while chromatophores expanded across the body to enhance camouflage. This study provides the first comprehensive dataset on A. fangsiao juvenile development. Its benthic hatching, relatively short incubation period, and stable survival highlight its aquaculture potential in East Asia.
Yu et al. (2026) studied this question.