Octopus Breeding

[critmin]

So does anyone know how to breed octopuses? I read in some threads that some people do it and I was wondering how it is done. Also can you keep two octopuses together? Do they eat their young? How hardy are bimacs once acclimated and feeding? Thanks.

 

[Opcn]

You can keep two or more together if the tank is large enought (envision one of those huge 1000 gallon round aquaculture tanks for some octopus) you need to have atleast one male and one female. Also, the fact that you asked if octopus eat their young tells me that you need to do a lot more research, since octopus are excellent parents and die after their young hatch.

 

[critmin]

Right, sorry about that. I know the mom dies afterwards but what happens to the dads afterwards? Do they die as well?

 

[Opcn]

they die around that time. Generally the habitat you want to raise the young in is not the habitat you want to keep an adult it. Also, you do realize that you will have assive death and weakness if you don't provide a wide genetic base.

 

[critmin]

Yeah, I won't be doing any incestuous breeding or anything. I am just fascinated by how they breed and also wondering because of their short life spans, it would seem logical to breed them if I got really into it. Do you know of the longest living species of octopus available in the aquarium industry? I just wish the bimacs would live longer. It's such a shame with all their intelligence that they live for only a few years. I imagine having one would be like having a dog in terms of emotional connection. So I was thinking about breeding them so that at least when the parents died I could take care of the young.

Oh and do you know how to sex them? And if you keep the parents in separate tanks when do you put them together to do deed? Thank you for all the information.

 

[Thales]

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