Chambered Nautilus

[cephalopoder]

I recommend trying to explain to the store that is selling them why they shouldnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t. Not only is this species very hard to keep but they have demanding parameters that most people can not afford to maintain. Public aquariums that keep these animals successfully, try to duplicate the daily temperature shift they experience in the wild. You can also explain that due to over collection these animals are in danger. I was able to get one major online dealer who sold them to stop immediately after one simple phone call explaining their situation. I not only explained that these animals are hard to keep and threatened in the wild, but people were starting to boycott stores that sold these animals. I handled everything in a very friendly manor showing concern for his business and his reputation. Needless to say the item was removed off his web site the very same day and he now refuses to sell these animals to people who call and request them. A little kindness and concern can go a long way sometimes.

 

[DesertShell]

Chambered Nautilus

Hi XDrewX - and anyone else interested...

The two best and most reknowned books on Nautilus are:

Nautilus. The Biology and Paleobiology of a Living Fossil. Edited by Bruce Saunders and Neil H. Landman

In Search of Nautilus: Three Centuries of Scientific Adventures in the Deep Pacific to Capture a Prehistoric-Living-Fossil by Peter Douglas Ward

Your local large college should have a copy in their science library.

The Saunders tends towards the more scientific aspects of Nautilus. The Ward book is good history reading, plus how the first scientist tried to capture and keep nautilus alive.

I've been fascinated with Nautilus for years, especially these last few. My main interest is in their different species, the locations where and how they live.
The current known species are:
Nautilus pompilius
N. macromphalus
N. belauensis
N. scrobiculatus
N. stenomphalus
N. repertus

I'd love to keep a Nautilus in an aquarium, but I'm not an experienced aquarist. Besides reproducing their environment is near impossible: They're essentially nocturnal- rising to a couple hundred feet when it gets dark, diving deep (~1200ft) when it starts to get light. Their habit of varying their pressure and temperature conditions, could also affect their health in the aquarium. The Waikiki Aquarium has been relatively successfull in keeping them and reproducting them (takes close to a year)- the book they put out it was Macromphalus in Captivity.

They're fascinating for sure.

Matt