Octo behavior

[Pandora]

Hi, my little 2cm octo (unknown sp., I am suspecting vulgaris and am planning a bigger tank setup until I suspect otherwise) likes to hang out near the outtake (which is screened off carefully and partitioned from a main 55gal tank which his home circulates with). Is this normal behavior for them? I notice he seems to like to just hang out and sleep there during the day sometmes, seems to enjoy the current. He is eating normally and curious/explorative, so I am assuming he is healthy.

 

[cephalopoder]

This is very normal for most octopuses. Thy will change their hang out spot from time to time. As long as it is feeding and and there is no chance of it getting sucked into the overflow it should be fine.
chris

 

[Pandora]

That's a relief! I thought at first this meant I didn't have enough current going through the tank maybe, but I think he's fine. Thanks.

 

[Pandora]

Sorry, just one more question for now...

I am right now setting up a 33gal half-hex tank for the little guy when he gets bigger. The tank is just FW right now and I want to convert it to SW eventually. I only have a tetratec filter (HOB type that has internal heater module) that goes with it now. I know octopi put out high amm/nitrites/nitrates, will I need to get a protein skimmer if I only keep the little guy (with lots of LR/LS)?

 

[cephalopoder]

I recommend a skimmer for all octo set ups. It helps keep the water quality high and provides oxygen. By the way the correct plural of octopus is octopuses or octopods. Pi is a latin form of plural and octpuses is a greek word. So es is the greek plural.

 

[Pandora]

Thanks for the info as always, cephalopoder.

And haha, thanks for the correction. I thought octopi was the plural for many individuals of octopus in a group, whereas octopuses was saved for pluralizing types... as in "many people live in my town", but "the different peoples of Asia Minor". LOL