Goodbye Mr Fabulous, the giant cuttlefish who let us into his world and changed ours for the better

Mr Fabulous in all his glory. This giant cuttlefish gave people a reason to jump into the ocean in winter. Photograph: Kate Ahmad

Mr Fabulous was the name bestowed upon him. He was a giant cuttlefish (scientific name Sepia apama) and he was the king of Cabbage Tree Bay. This huge, alien-looking cephalopod had attracted many visitors to the small marine reserve at Sydney’s Manly beach; they were enthralled by his flashing rainbow colours and flamboyant tentacles.

He measured about 1 metre in length, and he did not mind posing for an underwater camera, or 10. There were sometimes other smaller cuttlefish around, but none of his size or vibrancy. His image is all over Instagram and he even featured in the pic of the week competition of a national news site. Mr Fabulous was a legend.