Pygmy Octopus Diet?

JakeMallowFilms · 11/15/2014, 08:00 PM

So I'm starting a nano tank for a pygmy octopus. I was wondering what their diet usually consists of (in captivity.)

I'd prefer maybe putting a few crabs in, hopefully they reproduce, and maybe throwing a few in every so often for feeding.

I would like some reassurance (before I get this octopus,) so I can go on vacation without worrying.

Diamandi · 11/18/2014, 06:07 AM

Hi Jake,
Pigmy octopus has to be fed every day, his main diet is clams, small crabs, hermit crabs and small fishes. You'll need them alive since pigmy octopuses are hard to feed frozen foods.
You can't put few crabs into the same tank with the octopus since he will eventually kill them.

Fredericks · 11/25/2014, 08:18 PM

At the shop i worked at we fed ours beef heart.

Betta132 · 11/28/2014, 02:36 AM

Every crab I can think of is nearly impossible to breed in captivity because they have a planctonic larval stage. That won't work.

JakeMallowFilms · 12/02/2014, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diamandi

You can't put few crabs into the same tank with the octopus since he will eventually kill them.

I don't think you understand me... I know the octopus will kill them, that's the point. I'm saying, right before I go on vacation, can I throw a few in the tank, and hopefully he kills them and eats them while I'm away?

Diamandi · 12/03/2014, 01:35 AM

He will kill them all immediatelly instead of taking one for a meal each time, that's what I mean

Jasanden · 12/03/2014, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diamandi

He will kill them all immediatelly instead of taking one for a meal each time, that's what I mean

Not sur this is completely true. I had an octopus years ago in a tank with a few chromis some hermit crabs and peppermint shrimp. The octopus eventually got everyone but it wasn't all at once. I would get some more opinions.

JakeMallowFilms · 12/03/2014, 03:38 PM

Thank you, Jasanden. I think since the Octopus will hide most of the time, and come out at night to feed (since it's nocturnal,) some of the crabs, shrimp, etc may be hidden, and the Octopus won't be able to find them all at once.

I've never heard of an Octopus that is able to find, and kill over 30 crabs in one week (I'm usually on vacation for around a week.) If I'm wrong, please correct me, though.

Jasanden · 12/03/2014, 04:03 PM

I would check out TONMO it's the equivalent of RC but strictly Cephalopods.

liven learn · 12/04/2014, 11:03 PM

Mine loved hermits the most. He went nuts

JakeMallowFilms · 12/07/2014, 03:24 PM

Anyone else?

liven learn · 12/09/2014, 08:56 PM

I saw him eat bristle worms lol loved those too

JakeMallowFilms · 12/10/2014, 06:57 PM

I'm sorry, but that really doesn't help.

Can anyone help me?

Gonodactylus · 12/12/2014, 12:43 PM

Vacation feeding is tricky. It is difficult to predict the predatory behavior of a pygmy (which species? There are dozens). You may be able to stock the tank with enough prey so that the octopus doesn't eat them all in one day, but occasionally they will go on a killing spree and take out several prey over the course of a day or two. Dealing with a small aquarium, this may be enough for the uneaten prey to rot and foul the tank.

By the way, it is my experience dealing with a number of pygmy species (O. bocki, O. mercatoris, O. wolfi, O. fitchi, O. chierchiae, O. micropyrsus H. lunulata and a few other undescribed species) that if you keep the temperature on the low end of what they experience in the wild, you don't need to feed them every day. Skipping feeding a day or two every now and then is not a problem. The only species that seems to be an exception is O. micropyrsus which I had difficulty keeping and I suspect diet was a problem.

Roy

wnppmy · 01/06/2015, 11:30 PM

My Pygmy lasted about a year, as lifetime is just over that.

Mine needed about 1/2 dozen hermits weekly.

They are nocturnal so I used a red light to observe when I was lucky to catch him out.

Mine never did a killing spree, I just added the five to six hermits needed per week.

Not sure of species I had but a video when purchased, they are amazing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUA2B...e_gdata_player

Note I had a couple small fish in my nano tank, but he never bothered them, perhaps I kept him well enough fed with the easier to catch hermits?

Back then I was fortunate to have a shop with hermits at 85 cents each, still added up to a McDonald buger per week !

11/15/2014, 08:00 PM	#1
JakeMallowFilms Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: New York Posts: 28	Pygmy Octopus Diet? So I'm starting a nano tank for a pygmy octopus. I was wondering what their diet usually consists of (in captivity.) I'd prefer maybe putting a few crabs in, hopefully they reproduce, and maybe throwing a few in every so often for feeding. I would like some reassurance (before I get this octopus,) so I can go on vacation without worrying.

11/28/2014, 02:36 AM	#4
Betta132 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 2,239	Every crab I can think of is nearly impossible to breed in captivity because they have a planctonic larval stage. That won't work. __________________ When you put an animal of any kind in a situation where it can no longer fend for itself, such as an aquarium, it's your job to care for it to the best of your ability. It's that simple.

12/04/2014, 11:03 PM	#10
liven learn Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 135	Mine loved hermits the most. He went nuts __________________ Ask yourself. Are your tank inhabitants surviving or are they thriving?

12/09/2014, 08:56 PM	#12
liven learn Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 135	I saw him eat bristle worms lol loved those too __________________ Ask yourself. Are your tank inhabitants surviving or are they thriving?

01/06/2015, 11:30 PM	#15
wnppmy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 257	My Pygmy lasted about a year, as lifetime is just over that. Mine needed about 1/2 dozen hermits weekly. They are nocturnal so I used a red light to observe when I was lucky to catch him out. Mine never did a killing spree, I just added the five to six hermits needed per week. Not sure of species I had but a video when purchased, they are amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUA2B...e_gdata_player Note I had a couple small fish in my nano tank, but he never bothered them, perhaps I kept him well enough fed with the easier to catch hermits? Back then I was fortunate to have a shop with hermits at 85 cents each, still added up to a McDonald buger per week ! Last edited by wnppmy; 01/06/2015 at 11:39 PM.

11/18/2014, 06:07 AM	#2
Diamandi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 67	Hi Jake, Pigmy octopus has to be fed every day, his main diet is clams, small crabs, hermit crabs and small fishes. You'll need them alive since pigmy octopuses are hard to feed frozen foods. You can't put few crabs into the same tank with the octopus since he will eventually kill them.

11/25/2014, 08:18 PM	#3
Fredericks Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 26	At the shop i worked at we fed ours beef heart.

12/03/2014, 01:35 AM	#6
Diamandi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 67	He will kill them all immediatelly instead of taking one for a meal each time, that's what I mean

12/03/2014, 03:38 PM	#8
JakeMallowFilms Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: New York Posts: 28	Thank you, Jasanden. I think since the Octopus will hide most of the time, and come out at night to feed (since it's nocturnal,) some of the crabs, shrimp, etc may be hidden, and the Octopus won't be able to find them all at once. I've never heard of an Octopus that is able to find, and kill over 30 crabs in one week (I'm usually on vacation for around a week.) If I'm wrong, please correct me, though.

12/03/2014, 04:03 PM	#9
Jasanden Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: southeast , pa Posts: 417	I would check out TONMO it's the equivalent of RC but strictly Cephalopods.

12/07/2014, 03:24 PM	#11
JakeMallowFilms Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: New York Posts: 28	Anyone else?

12/10/2014, 06:57 PM	#13
JakeMallowFilms Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: New York Posts: 28	I'm sorry, but that really doesn't help. Can anyone help me?

12/12/2014, 12:43 PM	#14
Gonodactylus Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Berkeley, CA, USA Posts: 5,024	Vacation feeding is tricky. It is difficult to predict the predatory behavior of a pygmy (which species? There are dozens). You may be able to stock the tank with enough prey so that the octopus doesn't eat them all in one day, but occasionally they will go on a killing spree and take out several prey over the course of a day or two. Dealing with a small aquarium, this may be enough for the uneaten prey to rot and foul the tank. By the way, it is my experience dealing with a number of pygmy species (O. bocki, O. mercatoris, O. wolfi, O. fitchi, O. chierchiae, O. micropyrsus H. lunulata and a few other undescribed species) that if you keep the temperature on the low end of what they experience in the wild, you don't need to feed them every day. Skipping feeding a day or two every now and then is not a problem. The only species that seems to be an exception is O. micropyrsus which I had difficulty keeping and I suspect diet was a problem. Roy