Octopus Tank... anyone have one?

Hurgoth

Active member
I am getting a larger tank in a month or so. I was thinking of converting my old tank into a Octopus tank (I am still in the process of researching this, how to secure my tank, etc...)

Does anyone in Socal have one setup?
 
i've heard they dont have a long lifespan... like 1-1/2 years. thats a waste for me.

besides that, some known facts: Lots of LR to hide in so they dont get spooked by guests and ink the water. SUPER TIGHT lid cause they WILL escape.
 
They hide a lot and can fit through any hole larger than their beak (gotta cover everything pretty well). But once they get used to you, they are awesome.

I dont personally have one but an ex-coworker did. He had a blue ring. The colors were really neat especially when stalking its prey.

Oh, they are surprisingly strong little buggers. As strong as they are smart (which is quite a bit).
 
You also need to give them toys to play with and keep them occupied. Marks up in Los Angeles had a Mimic Octopus in a nano cube if I remember correctly about two months ago. It was very tempting! But their short life expentancy and high cost @$225, changed my mind.
 
question, so if the tank has an open top, are you guys saying the octopus will crawl out of the tank?
or are you guys saying to just keep it from going into the sump or other parts of the tank where we wouldnt want it?
 
They will actually climb out, and sometimes get shriveled up on the floor. There is even an article of them walking out of they tank, crawling to another tank to eat, them going back to their tank.

You need to make sure there aren't any holes period.
 
They are tough to keep you have to cover all intakes and returns with very small hole coverings also they have a very short lifespan 1-1 1/2 years if you are lucky they also eat a lot they need to eat over 2/3 of their body weight per day we had a few in the school tanks and we had to make sealed lids for the tanks and completely seal any opening the tanks had also they had to be kept alone since they would eat all other tank inhabitants.
 
I kept one for about 4 months before it comitted suicide in a ~20 gallon hex with a total coverage lid made from plexiglass. He climbed up through the opening for the filter.....My friend had one housed in a seperate tank next to his reef and the bugger used to climb into the reef for a nice midnight snack, he caught it on video doing it, lol. Very cool though but not worth the money....do seahorses if you want a fun challenge IMO.
 
I think I am going to go ahead with it. I think I will do a 55g, with close loop. Over the intakes I am going to put some strainers and on the outlets some loc line flare nozzles. As far as of the over flow. I think I am going to skip it and drill two 1.5" holes and put strainers over them as well and use that as my overflow. I have a similiar setup on my tank right now. I have a ton more research to do but so far this is my plan.

As far as the cover, I was thinking of two different options:

1. Something similiar to those chickenwire reptile tank covers - modified with a latching mechanism.

2. A completely enclosed canopy, with 2 fans (openings covered with screen material. I will drill holes for the wires (lights and fans), then calk the holes. The canopy will have latches on the outside.

That is all for now. Livestock will most likely be a Bimac. I plan to have this started by late may.
 
Back
Top