Octopus campatibility

[FishyMel]

I have a 150 gallon aquarium with a 9 inch mappa puffer, dwarf yellow milliaris eel, large purple tang, large lionfish, 4 inch bluespot puffer, 5 inch yellow stripe maroon clownfish and a large hairy red hermit crab of some sort and was intrested in and octopus do you think an octopus or a cuttlefish would be compatabile in this setup and is it possible for a cephalopod to bring disease into the tank? Do you think that Octopets is a realible source for buying cephalopods?

 

[DHyslop]

Your octo would be prone to be eaten when its young, and if it grew older it would be prone to eating the clown and/or the big crab. I can think of few worse setups to put an octopus in.

If the little guy survived, you'd never see him because he would be holed up to keep from being eaten and would be very shy.

Octopets is probably the most reliable source because they're the only captive-breeder of cephs for pets. Any place you buy a different species of octopus it is wild caught. Any place you buy a bimac its ultimately from Octopets. I would not be worried about disease from Octopets.

If you're interested in keeping an octopus succesfully, consider setting up a 55+ gallon specimen tank. They really are best kept alone. Check out www.tonmo.com for a number of articles about ceph care.

Dan

 

[fishgk]

all of those in a 150 gallon is more than enough...octopuses and cuttlefish are best kept alone. they are also extremely sensitive to water quality and the bio-load in your tank may kill it, that is if the stress from all of the other organisms' activities don't kill it first.

 

[FishyMel]

My bioload is fine I have no nitrates or ammonia and have a large euro reef protein skimmer and 20 gallon refugium.

 

[FishyMel]

I am not worried about my water quality for the octopus because I know that they can not handle nitrates or ammonia and right now my nitrates and ammonia are both at zero. I am just worried about the compatability of the animals.

 

[fishgk]

sounds like your bioload is in check....i still would steer clear of an octopus with all of those fish though, wouldn't want them to get eaten or vice-versa! your lion fish may deem an octopus a tasty morsel if he is big enough or if your octo is small enough....and that's an expensive meal! some people have good luck keeping them with fish though, so good luck!

 

[LTJGAlex]

On the basis of the octo being harmed or stressed, I'd agree not to do it.

But six fish in a 150g being anywhere close to "more than enough"? I don't think so.

 

[imbuggin]

no way

no way

you might want to get a pool going and place bets on who is left in 2 days. That way you can recover the cash you will loose trying something so foolish. That is one huge diaster waiting to happen. My bet if you start to take them is the octo gets spooked right away. Shoots ink and wipes out the entire tank.