Mirrored tank for octopus?
- Thread starter Tigé21v
- Start date
Animal Mother
New member
Hmmm.... that's a good question. There have been some divers take mirrors down to GPO's to test their reaction and I can't remember what the outcome was. You might try to Google that... "octopus mirrors".
Animal Mother
New member
Here ya go... http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10716
reefergeorge
New member
Pictures please 
What kind, and size tank?
What kind, and size tank?
Tigé21v
Active member
Have a pic of him in the show the octopus thread. Trying to get some other, better shots. Picked him up at Marine Solutions. Not sure as to type. In a 30 gal hex. Threw the tank together when I saw her at the store. Looking for a bigger tank, but seems to be pretty happy. Have a dozen hermit crabs, a mix of turbo, cerith, and bumble bee snails, about a dozen total, and three damsels. So far only one of the damsels has disappeared. Has not bothered the crabs or snails.
Animal Mother
New member
Damsels have been known to peck out octopuses eyeballs. It appears to be an O. briareus and a 30 gallon is an incredibly small tank for that species. They won't eat the snails and hermits as adults.
Last edited:
Tigé21v
Active member
Animal Mother,
Here are a few other shots. Sorry about the quality. Hope they may help you identify the species. Never heard about the damsels pestering them. Everyone I asked suggested them, partly because they are not supposed to bother her, also cause they would probably be eaten.
LFS said 30 gallons was enough. Think she has grown since I brought her home, am looking into another tank.
LFS said 30 gallons was enough. Think she has grown since I brought her home, am looking into another tank.
Here are a few other shots. Sorry about the quality. Hope they may help you identify the species. Never heard about the damsels pestering them. Everyone I asked suggested them, partly because they are not supposed to bother her, also cause they would probably be eaten.
LFS said 30 gallons was enough. Think she has grown since I brought her home, am looking into another tank.
LFS said 30 gallons was enough. Think she has grown since I brought her home, am looking into another tank.
Animal Mother
New member
Definitely an O. briareus. Mine is in a 75 gallon, and from the center of the front glass can almost touch both sides, 48 inches apart. 30 gallons is the general recommendation for dwarf species.
Sounds like you've been getting some not so good advice. Very common problem in this hobby, especially when it comes to something that's not common like cephalopods. LFS will tell you anything to make a sell.
Please check out TONMO.com and if you can find a copy of the book Cephalopods: Octopuses and Cuttlefish in the home aquarium. Priceless information to be had in both of those sources.
As for tank size... way I see it is, my bedroom closet is big enough for my Great Dane to live in. But... I think you can get my point. Would you want to live your entire life out in your bedroom closet? It's big enough for you to fit in right? And not only is the space something to consider but the amount of waste a cephalopod produces is about 3 times more than an equally sized fish, so they wreak havoc on water quality real quick.
The damsels may or may not become an issue. O. briareus can be pretty aggressive. There have been incidents like I said though. I even know a few reefers who have scars on their hands and fingers from territorial damsels and even clownfish, who are in the same family. For treats I have offered chromis, they are much more docile than damsels.
Not trying to flame you at all. I just want to help people have the best experience possible with their pet octopuses so hopefully one of these days they will be more common in the trade and more people will keep them without fearing they are "too hard" to care for. A lot of people simply won't try to keep one because of the reputation they have for being difficult to keep, and most people get that notion because they weren't keeping them in proper tanks or feeding proper foods.
Sounds like you've been getting some not so good advice. Very common problem in this hobby, especially when it comes to something that's not common like cephalopods. LFS will tell you anything to make a sell.
Please check out TONMO.com and if you can find a copy of the book Cephalopods: Octopuses and Cuttlefish in the home aquarium. Priceless information to be had in both of those sources.
As for tank size... way I see it is, my bedroom closet is big enough for my Great Dane to live in. But... I think you can get my point. Would you want to live your entire life out in your bedroom closet? It's big enough for you to fit in right? And not only is the space something to consider but the amount of waste a cephalopod produces is about 3 times more than an equally sized fish, so they wreak havoc on water quality real quick.
The damsels may or may not become an issue. O. briareus can be pretty aggressive. There have been incidents like I said though. I even know a few reefers who have scars on their hands and fingers from territorial damsels and even clownfish, who are in the same family. For treats I have offered chromis, they are much more docile than damsels.
Not trying to flame you at all. I just want to help people have the best experience possible with their pet octopuses so hopefully one of these days they will be more common in the trade and more people will keep them without fearing they are "too hard" to care for. A lot of people simply won't try to keep one because of the reputation they have for being difficult to keep, and most people get that notion because they weren't keeping them in proper tanks or feeding proper foods.
Last edited:
Tigé21v
Active member
Thanks for the identification! Have been having a heck of a time trying to find out.
The guy can almost stretch from the top to the bottom of the tank already, about 24 inches. And like I said, seems like he has grown in the month or so I have had him. Am looking for more real estate for him. Till then doing weekly 15% or better water changes, and running a Deltec MCE600 on the tank.
Have been to TONMO.com, awesome site. Wealth of information. Most do not know how truly amazing and fascinating these guys are. Wish people would take the time to learn about them and other cephs.
As for diet, it is pretty evenly split between silversides, and fresh shrimp and clams from the supermarket. (I break the clams open for him.)
And no offense taken! I appreciate you taking the time to help me out. Have seen the pics of your guys. Obvious that you know what you are talking about!!
The guy can almost stretch from the top to the bottom of the tank already, about 24 inches. And like I said, seems like he has grown in the month or so I have had him. Am looking for more real estate for him. Till then doing weekly 15% or better water changes, and running a Deltec MCE600 on the tank.
Have been to TONMO.com, awesome site. Wealth of information. Most do not know how truly amazing and fascinating these guys are. Wish people would take the time to learn about them and other cephs.
As for diet, it is pretty evenly split between silversides, and fresh shrimp and clams from the supermarket. (I break the clams open for him.)
And no offense taken! I appreciate you taking the time to help me out. Have seen the pics of your guys. Obvious that you know what you are talking about!!
gholland
New member
AM talks about Kalypso coming out with the lights on in Kalypso's journal on TONMO:
http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?p=113296&highlight=Cyclopseeze#post113296
http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?p=113296&highlight=Cyclopseeze#post113296
Brock Fluharty
New member
I kept my bimac in a mirrored tank for about 9 months. She never seemed to take any notice of her reflection at all.
