Octopus

75drilled

75drilled

New Member
Just got my Octopus from SWF.com. It came in the normal Fedex overnight. He was balled up in the bag and I let him aclumate for 4 hours (drip method). Had to figure out how to get him from the bag he was still in and my 75 gallon tank. So I used a 1 cup measuring cup and just put it by him. he immediatly crawled in and thought it was a cool home. I put the cup in my tank and he walked over to a rock. He stayed there for another hour. Then made his way from rock to rock eating two hermit crabs on the way. Now he seemed to have made a den under my largest rock and I can't see him this morning. So far so good.
His head is about 3" and looks to have a 8" legs.
My tank is a 75 gallon drilled, sumped, ASM3, 85lb LR, 60LB LS running for 8 months.

Attempting to attach a pic.
 
runn3rb3an

runn3rb3an

Active Member
nice tank and octo but you reallyyy should have only the octo in the tank. the yellow tank is most likely going to kill it or stress it out so youll never see it. what else is in the tank?
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Just a few facts on keeping an octopus I learned when I was thinking of getting one. Sorry if you already know this. They are very strong and can topple over your rockwork. They like dim actinic lighting. The tank needs a very secure top. Have a large water change on hand if your octopus is frightened it may release its ink cloud in defense. And can cause death
 
75drilled

75drilled

New Member
Thanks for your comments.
I had two octopus previously about 10 years ago and I did everything wrong then. My first was about 1" with 4" legs. Pour water quality and filtration was the problem. (20 gal tank)
Then I had a 75 gal tank with various fish and got a big octo 5" head 12" legs (one side) he almost stretched across the tank. Biggest I have ever seen in an aquarium. No live rock and some fish picked on him. no wear to hide and after a month death.
Now this time, I have become a PHd in research. my tank mates are all pretty docile and keep to their respective areas.
two false clowns
tomato clown
yellow tank
blue hippo tank
lawnmower blenny
blue spot blenny
pajama cardinal
royal gamma
cleaner shimp
The Royal gamma is the only fish that has 'eyeballed' the octo. No one was chased or been chased. (or nipped).
I understand the challange and welcome it.
He hid all last night and this morning I found him sunbathing on top of my highest rock, spitting out parts of an emerald crab. My cleaner has quckly learned that if he follows Squidward around he gets free left overs.
 
75drilled

75drilled

New Member
This tank setup was originally planned to have an octo, but some of the fish ended up being added after cycleing.
Just check all parameters
amon = 0
Nitrate = 0
Nitrite = 0
Phos = 0
Calcium = 480
PH 8.0
KH = 5
temp 80
salt 1.026 / 35
Copper = 0
Oxygen = 100% (7 mg/l) (Tetra test has a hard and wide scale)
I went to my LFS and bought some fiddler and other crabs. I only had to put this thing in the tank about 4" and the Octopus ran out, grabbed him, and hung back under the rock he was on. Seems to be pretty happy. (again the cleaner is waiting for the uneaten parts to start dropping).
He has not fully stretched all 8 legs or 'swam' around the tank. But I figure as he gets used to his new home, I'll get better traditional pictures. So far he was been pretty balled up.
 
75drilled

75drilled

New Member
Glass tops, with the plastic piece in the back solid. one panel has my cooling fan on it. I plan on holding down the other three with varous items and duck tape when he gets more curious.
Update; took him about an hour to eat the fiddler crab. He spit out bleach white and totally cleaned edoskelaton. Then my other tankmates ate the wasted pieces.
He then went for a short walk around about 1/2 of my rocks and ended up about in the same spot he was before. I'm surprised he does not hide under a rock in the sand more (out of the light and away from the other fish). But I've read Octo's like interaction and maybe he wants to see what is going on.
As most people say, he is a master of disguise and can change color, tone, and body texture. Right now he is brown-almost black and very spiny.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
I love octo threads. There is one on Michigan Reefers where the posters puss has laid 1,000 eggs and he is going to try to get them to hatch and see if he can raise some. Yours looks nice. More pics are always welcome.
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3152493
No comment needed
Hahaha
Very cool, be sure to keep us updated. 3rd time's a charm I hope.
Question for you, how long does your research say that this octopus will live under ideal conditions?
 
loopy101

loopy101

Member
interesting thread wish you the best of luck with this guy. i dont know much at all about these guys but wont he eat your fish?
 
texasmetal

texasmetal

Active Member
Originally Posted by loopy101
http:///forum/post/3152568
interesting thread wish you the best of luck with this guy. i dont know much at all about these guys but wont he eat your fish?
In my experience with Abdopus aculeatus, as long as they are well fed they can even be kept with ornamental shrimp and crabs in a community tank. I haven't tried keeping O. hummelincki (the species SWF.com sells) with fish, but I imagine as long as the fish is considerably larger, the pus is well fed, and has no reason to attack the fish, all should be well. O. hummelincki grows considerably larger and stalkier than Abdopus aculeatus though, and they grow way faster than fish... so your call. Kind of a valuable fish to risk it with.

I tried a chromis in my O. briareus' tank, didn't survive the night.
Don't wait until you notice your octopus gets "more curious" to weigh the lids down. Or this will be your third one lost to doing it the wrong way. That's like waiting to child proof your home until you notice your toddler falling down the stairs. Just use some duct tape. I turned my back for 30 seconds while transferring a toadstool leather to another tank, and the next thing I knew one of my dogs was chasing my O. briareus around the kitchen. No joke.
 
texasmetal

texasmetal

Active Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3152252
I love octo threads. There is one on Michigan Reefers where the posters puss has laid 1,000 eggs and he is going to try to get them to hatch and see if he can raise some. Yours looks nice. More pics are always welcome.
The small-egged hatchlings are practically impossible to raise on the hobby level but I'm glad people are trying. They need a rotifer soup for about the first 2 months of their life, pretty hard to keep water quality decent while you're dosing live micro-foods like crazy. A few trillion, bazillion gallons of water volume to work with would help... haha.
I made it 4.5 days. Another person on TONMO made it 11 days.
I'm hoping to get a gravid female O. briareus or some other large-egged species. Much easier to raise when they can catch mysis shrimp from the get-go.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
TaxasMetal...That was amazing...thanks for sharing those videos
Although I can not seem to get fradiavalo off my mind

jokin
maybe not...LOL
 
texasmetal

texasmetal

Active Member
The information is here, it's just buried under a few thousand posts.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/281374/octopus-care-101
 
75drilled

75drilled

New Member
Thanks.
I will secure the tank ASAP.
My research shows an octo may live 1 month to a max of 2 years.
Mine has made a den and has collected old shells that he places in front of the opening.
 
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