Can Octopus be Kept in Reef Tanks?
- Thread starter euphoria
- Start date
moraym
Active Member
They are hard to keep in the tank. Octopus are problem-solvers and very creative, and they can fit their bodies through the tiniest of gaps. So it is extremely hard to keep them from escaping a tank if they want to, harder than any eel i've heard of. So that is problem #1, keeping them in the tank in the first place.
As far as being reef safe goes, most octopus will knock off every fish in the tank, so theyre not fish-safe, that's for sure.
Also, common octopus in the aquarium hobby are unfortunately some of the most deadly, so that's a problem. It's not like getting tagged by an eel or lionfish, a blue-ring just kills you. A little risky for me.:nervous:
As far as being reef safe goes, most octopus will knock off every fish in the tank, so theyre not fish-safe, that's for sure.
Also, common octopus in the aquarium hobby are unfortunately some of the most deadly, so that's a problem. It's not like getting tagged by an eel or lionfish, a blue-ring just kills you. A little risky for me.:nervous:
badkharma
Member
Octopi are very smart, and you will definitely need a locking or very heavy lid - just a cover will not suffice, as they can lift it to get out. That is probably one of the toughest parts of keeping an octopus. They need to be in a species only tank. Don't get a blue-ring unless you want to die. There are other small species available, but I must stress the importance of doing your research to make sure that the octopus you get will not kill you if you get bitten. That being said, like a fish, they need really good water quality but are generally hardy and can tolerate lower quality than a lot of fish out there. Keep your carbon on hand, because if something ever spooks it and it inks (not common, but common enough to be prepared), you'll wanna run that carbon until the water is clear, otherwise the ink will seriously compromise your water. Provided you have a good, secure tank, and you're diligent with your water quality, there's no reason why you couldn't keep an octopus (other than some types can kill you 
). It has to be species-only though, so no reef/octopus in the same tank.
). It has to be species-only though, so no reef/octopus in the same tank.
euphoria
Active Member
Thanks, that was good info. I was just bored and was like "hey, I wonder if I can keep octopus in my tank", but given that it should be in a tank of its own w/ heavy lids and such, FORGET IT
While on the topic of strange things, what are those fish called that are very flat (horizontally) and have long tails and just glide across the surface of the sand? I dig them
While on the topic of strange things, what are those fish called that are very flat (horizontally) and have long tails and just glide across the surface of the sand? I dig them
