thinkin about a blue ringed octopus for my nano

[clowns'r'us]

what can you tell me besides they are the deadliest creatures on the face of the earth????

[J.A]

They only flash blue rings when threatened and excited, pretty short live and that they're ONE of the dealiest creatures on the face of the earth

[OctoMonkey]

that they make fairly lousy pets

[Geepers Creepers]

You get stung you die.

[Gonodactylus]

I hesitate to jump in here since this issue comes up every couple of months, but it is probably worth another comment. Blue-rings, specifically species in the genus Hapalochlaena, contain TTX in their saliva. This is the same compound found in pufferfish that is responsible for Fugu poisioning. TTX blocks neural conduction and is lethal to humans, usually causing death via suffication. It is well documented that the bite of the two south Australian species, H. fasciata and H. maculata, can kill people. I don't know of any data showing that the bite of H. lunulata is deadly, but reports of blue-ring caused deaths in areas where H. lunulata occurs suggest that it is. Personally, I have experienced some neurological symptoms just handling specimens, so I'm convinced that being bitten by one would not in your best interest.

That said, telling people simply how deadly these animals are is not going to convince them that they should try a different animals for their tank. In fact, it usually has the opposite effect. What should convince them to look elsewhere is how difficult these animals are to keep and how quickly they die. H. lunulata are almost alwasys sold in the U.S. as adults. This means that they will live at most three months and most not that long. If the female lays eggs, she will move into a cavity and brood for a month, but you won't see her for that time, then she dies. Many adults never adjust to captivity and begin eating their arms. Others pace the walls of the tank until they die. It is the unusual animal that behavies "normally" in even a fairly large tank. Given the cost of the animals, how short a time you will have them, and the impact on the species that promoting their collection is causing, I really can't recommend purchasing one.

Roy

[Dakan]

I've read several posts on these and they seem to be the worst pet ever.:(

[Mr aqua]

i had one for a two months that came in on live rock. guy even survived the tank cycle. i sold him to my biology professor at my university. its been two months since then, so maybe four to five months totaL he's been alive. Frank was cooL when i had him, and he seems happy at the university too. i wouldn't recommend him to any beginner aquarist but maybe someone with experience. if ur really interested in keeping a ceph i'd keep a bimac - they live longer, larger and are interactive. whatever u decide, good luck man .

[sdelliott]

So lets see....they have a very short life expectancy, they are very expensive to acquire, and lastly they have the capacity to kill you.

Sounds like some marriages I know of.......................

[Dexter1334]

And according to another thread that has run here, there is no antidote, effects take place very quickly, and the only way to survive is immediate CPR for breathing and pulse maintained until the poison wears off, approx 24 hrs ? Longer than I could hold out. Oh , and you are awake and immobile for the process until your brain dies from asphyxia.

[OctoMonkey]

lovely, sign me up for two! LOL

[WetWilly]

lol guys... this is obviously a troll post and i would not reply.. clowns-r-us is a fitting name.