!!octopus help!! (Thinking about starting)

ADHybrid · 04/23/2002, 10:07 AM

I think Im gonna start a new tank for an octopus....I need lots of help on what to supply them and what kinda setup I need. Any and all advice is apreciated!!

schmunkel98 · 04/23/2002, 12:20 PM

Ok,

Here's some basics to start you off. You will need at least a 30 gallon tank, but I advise much larger. This tank will need to run for at least 2 months before you can add an octopus. The only other creatures you can have in the tank are sea cucumbers and starfish. The rest will either be eaten by the octopus or eat the octopus. Get some places for the octo to hide in like live rock formations or even some PC elbows. Make sure you have a good sand bed as well so that the octo can bury itself there as well. Keep the water quality perfect as usual, but make sure that the salinity is around 36 PPT. I would advise a protein skimmer in your sump and maybe even a UV Filter if you have the extra money. Now, make sure you get your octopus from www.fishsupply.com since they are the best out there. I have dealt with them myslelf, and have been very satisfied. Make sure you tell them that Chris Shaw(a.k.a. cephalopoder) from reefcentral.com sent you. Once you hit the point of being ready to order we can talk about feeding the guy and such. In the meantime, I would start to scout out a source of live shrimp and frozen shrimp.

Hope this helps,

Mike

www.schmunkel.0catch.com

DresdenKali · 05/13/2002, 09:09 PM

Sorry to re hatch an old post but now I think I am getting in the same boat and looking at options for getting an octopus. The information here so far is great but I have one more question.

What is the average life span in captivity?

schmunkel98 · 05/13/2002, 10:08 PM

It basically depends on how old the octopus is when you get it. I would say on average anywhere from 4 months to a year lifespan depending on age at arrival. It also depends on what species you get. The cold water species live a bit longer than the tropical water ones if I'm not mistaken.

Mike

www.schmunkel.0catch.com

dollarz81 · 05/19/2002, 06:00 PM

what is the average size these guys get, and is it safe to keep coral with them? Also is the an article on these things on here somewhere

schmunkel98 · 05/20/2002, 07:14 AM

Dollarz81,

Try out this link for lots of good information on cephs:

http://www.dal.ca/~ceph/TCP/

Most of the octos that I have ordered have been betwen 4 and 6 inches in length from armtip to armtip when I got them. I would assume that any non-stinging coral would be ok to keep with them. Also, Colin Dunlop(Octomonkey) has several cuttlefish in his tank with corals and he has had no problems.

Mike

OctoMonkey · 05/20/2002, 03:02 PM

Yeah, that's true, The cuttles have never bothered with any of the sessile inverts in my tank. so right now I have a mix of corals and disc anemones.

I also have brittle stars, blue linckia, sea apple, red leg hermits, blue hermit and 4 million amphipods and bristleworms.

I havn't put corals in with an octo tho. Think they would be too destructive. They'll try to re arrange rocks and stuff...

Mike, how is your cuttle doing now???? when are we gonna organise a web cam feed again?

C

schmunkel98 · 05/20/2002, 03:28 PM

Colin,

The cuttle is venturing out more and more these days. He still won't accept frozen shrimp on a stick like the octo, but at least he is more visible lately. They seem to hang out in the same areas at times. It's really weird. They haven't fought yet that I know of. Maybe they have some kind of ceph mutual understanding. I can try to get another web cam thing going again anytime. Just let me know when would be a good time to do it. I will try to set it up on the octo's home and leave it on tomorrow while I am at work. Catching the cuttle again will be harder than the octo.

Mike

www.schmunkel.0catch.com

04/23/2002, 10:07 AM	#1
ADHybrid Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Selma, California Posts: 906	!!octopus help!! (Thinking about starting) I think Im gonna start a new tank for an octopus....I need lots of help on what to supply them and what kinda setup I need. Any and all advice is apreciated!!

05/19/2002, 06:00 PM	#5
dollarz81 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 357	also a newbie what is the average size these guys get, and is it safe to keep coral with them? Also is the an article on these things on here somewhere __________________ psychedelic corallimorphian collector Current Tank Info: Nuvo Fusion 40

05/20/2002, 03:02 PM	#7
OctoMonkey Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Larkhall, Scotland Posts: 694	Yeah, that's true, The cuttles have never bothered with any of the sessile inverts in my tank. so right now I have a mix of corals and disc anemones. I also have brittle stars, blue linckia, sea apple, red leg hermits, blue hermit and 4 million amphipods and bristleworms. I havn't put corals in with an octo tho. Think they would be too destructive. They'll try to re arrange rocks and stuff... Mike, how is your cuttle doing now???? when are we gonna organise a web cam feed again? C __________________ ...and the Earth died screaming, while I lay dreaming.

04/23/2002, 12:20 PM	#2
schmunkel98 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: The Colony, TX Posts: 254	Ok, Here's some basics to start you off. You will need at least a 30 gallon tank, but I advise much larger. This tank will need to run for at least 2 months before you can add an octopus. The only other creatures you can have in the tank are sea cucumbers and starfish. The rest will either be eaten by the octopus or eat the octopus. Get some places for the octo to hide in like live rock formations or even some PC elbows. Make sure you have a good sand bed as well so that the octo can bury itself there as well. Keep the water quality perfect as usual, but make sure that the salinity is around 36 PPT. I would advise a protein skimmer in your sump and maybe even a UV Filter if you have the extra money. Now, make sure you get your octopus from www.fishsupply.com since they are the best out there. I have dealt with them myslelf, and have been very satisfied. Make sure you tell them that Chris Shaw(a.k.a. cephalopoder) from reefcentral.com sent you. Once you hit the point of being ready to order we can talk about feeding the guy and such. In the meantime, I would start to scout out a source of live shrimp and frozen shrimp. Hope this helps, Mike www.schmunkel.0catch.com

05/13/2002, 09:09 PM	#3
DresdenKali Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Norcross, Ga Posts: 249	Sorry to re hatch an old post but now I think I am getting in the same boat and looking at options for getting an octopus. The information here so far is great but I have one more question. What is the average life span in captivity?

05/13/2002, 10:08 PM	#4
schmunkel98 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: The Colony, TX Posts: 254	It basically depends on how old the octopus is when you get it. I would say on average anywhere from 4 months to a year lifespan depending on age at arrival. It also depends on what species you get. The cold water species live a bit longer than the tropical water ones if I'm not mistaken. Mike www.schmunkel.0catch.com

05/20/2002, 07:14 AM	#6
schmunkel98 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: The Colony, TX Posts: 254	Dollarz81, Try out this link for lots of good information on cephs: http://www.dal.ca/~ceph/TCP/ Most of the octos that I have ordered have been betwen 4 and 6 inches in length from armtip to armtip when I got them. I would assume that any non-stinging coral would be ok to keep with them. Also, Colin Dunlop(Octomonkey) has several cuttlefish in his tank with corals and he has had no problems. Mike

05/20/2002, 03:28 PM	#8
schmunkel98 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: The Colony, TX Posts: 254	Colin, The cuttle is venturing out more and more these days. He still won't accept frozen shrimp on a stick like the octo, but at least he is more visible lately. They seem to hang out in the same areas at times. It's really weird. They haven't fought yet that I know of. Maybe they have some kind of ceph mutual understanding. I can try to get another web cam thing going again anytime. Just let me know when would be a good time to do it. I will try to set it up on the octo's home and leave it on tomorrow while I am at work. Catching the cuttle again will be harder than the octo. Mike www.schmunkel.0catch.com