Monster00101
New member
Is there a easy to keep octopus? Are they known to be hardy? Im not sure if this is the right spot for this question but i have always liked them and was thinking of getting one.
keeping a octopus.
- Thread starter Monster00101
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small alien
The fungus is among us.
I believe there is a cephalapod forum on RC. I don't think there's an easy octopus.
andrewkw
Active member
I would say they are more trying to keep then difficult.
I have an octopus briareus. It's a tropical species so I keep the temp at 78-80ish. Some species are colder water and require a chiller.
They will likely if not certainly require at least some live food at the start. I feed mine a mixture of live fiddler crabs and frozen grocery store shrimp.
I would say they are modestly hardy but poor shippers. They just don't live long. Not in the wild nor in aquariums.
Your best bet is to get one young. The only way you can be sure is to see it first. If none of your local reef shops ever get any in you're at the mercy of whatever comes after you order online.
You can check out some photos and videos of my guy here
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1948657
I have an octopus briareus. It's a tropical species so I keep the temp at 78-80ish. Some species are colder water and require a chiller.
They will likely if not certainly require at least some live food at the start. I feed mine a mixture of live fiddler crabs and frozen grocery store shrimp.
I would say they are modestly hardy but poor shippers. They just don't live long. Not in the wild nor in aquariums.
Your best bet is to get one young. The only way you can be sure is to see it first. If none of your local reef shops ever get any in you're at the mercy of whatever comes after you order online.
You can check out some photos and videos of my guy here
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1948657
Monster00101
New member
I have a rsm 250 it has a large lid i could weight it down. I could probly order one from my lfs and get them to keep it for a bit just to make sure. How much is the average cost?
sedor
New member
http://www.saltwaterfish.com/Octopus_p_728.html
Here is one on saltwaterfish.com for $75 + shipping...I would expect to pay around the same price or a little more locally.
Here is one on saltwaterfish.com for $75 + shipping...I would expect to pay around the same price or a little more locally.
Monster00101
New member
Thats a very decent price. i thought they would be around the 500 mark. so other than feeding and actully keeping it in the tank there fairly strait forward?
Monster00101
New member
Do they need a tank to themselves? Could u keep one with a large trigger or eel?
Monster00101
New member
ok thanks for the help. If i end up orgering one and getting it What should i look for to know i got a healthy one?
andrewkw
Active member
You are at the mercy of whatever they send you if you order one.
Ideally you want to ID the species before you get it, but most places that sell them won't have a clue what they have. Once you've made the ID you want them to be smaller then adult size so you know they have some time left.
Other then that it's just a matter of finding somewhere that has them. I was lucky enough to get mine at a local reef store. Don't worry too much if they are a little beat up. Mine had 6 arms when I got it and within a month they had grown back and his grip is surprisingly strong.
Lmecher
New member
I believe SWF is out but they have a waiting list. I just got one from them on Tuesday. They are difficult to ID... to tell their age, very difficult.
From SWF we usually see O. hummelincki (caribbean two spot). It is a small octopus which is dinural. This is fantastic because they will spend a lot of time out roaming and hunting in the daylight hours. It has false eyespot (distinguishing) that are usually brown but when it gets angry or very scared will turn blue and yellow.
There are several species commonly kept by aquarists. Liveaquaria.com usually has A. aculeatus and divertom.com usually has O. brierus and O. vulgaris. He also gets O. mercatoris dwarfs. I have kept all of these species and my favorite is O.vulgaris but I love them all. :inlove:
From SWF we usually see O. hummelincki (caribbean two spot). It is a small octopus which is dinural. This is fantastic because they will spend a lot of time out roaming and hunting in the daylight hours. It has false eyespot (distinguishing) that are usually brown but when it gets angry or very scared will turn blue and yellow.
There are several species commonly kept by aquarists. Liveaquaria.com usually has A. aculeatus and divertom.com usually has O. brierus and O. vulgaris. He also gets O. mercatoris dwarfs. I have kept all of these species and my favorite is O.vulgaris but I love them all. :inlove:
