Questions for the experts

[Kevomac]

Ok, I'm hooked. My 120 recently lost everything except for a coral beauty angel, some stars and two condylactus anemones (Some d*** parasite choked my clarks clown, my large tennenti tang and my last addition, who probably brought it with him, my volitan lion).

I have been looking for an octopus species larger than the little ones I have found locally over the last few years (no more than 4-6 inches maximum length), and the thread suggesting www.fishsupply.com seems to be my solution. I have a few questions though.

How long do the Bimaculatus live?
How large do they really get in captivity?
Should I order small so that it will live longer?
Will my condylactus anemones need to be moved to another tank (not a problem if yes)?
Will my angel need to be moved (I have had him for four years and he has survived several plagues and a couple of crashes, so I hate to mess with him. If it's move him or watch him get eaten, though, he would look good in my 70 gal reef or in my 29 gal banded eel tank)?

What do they eat? How often? (I've had a small octo before who lived happily for about four months on frozen shrimp before he stopped eating and died).

How many would you recommend for a 120? I would like two or maybe three on down the road.

Sorry this is so long, but thanks for the info!

Kevo

 

[cephalopoder]

Hey Kevo
I would recomend one bimac from fishsupply for your first octopus in that tank with nothing else in it. No fish! If you have luck with one then you can experiment down the road but I only reccomend one if you have never kept a ceph before to start. As far a larger octos bimacs get to be nice size, but also ask for a small one brcause they will be younger and live longer. O.vulgaris gets larger, O.cyanea is a beast but you will have a hard time fiding either especially o.cyanea unless you contact a collector from hawaii. I think a bimac is the best first time octo though.
Check the back posts there is a ton of info on feeding and stuff.
Chris

 

[Kevomac]

Cepahalopoder,

I am not looking for a giant, but would like to find something a little larger. I have kept a small octopus for four months before he stopped eating and died, and I kept him with some fish. ( I have no idea of the species, but he was about 5 inches long.) The only time he bothered my fish was when he went after a dying juvenile passer angel who was no more than 2 inches long. I could move my coral beauty angel, but after all he has been through, I don't feel right about it. He's been so hearty where he is, that I can't bear the thought of something happening to him elsewhere. Are there any other species of octopus that might leave him alone who might be a little bigger, and might be obtainable? I would be happy with a small species, but happier with a larger one. Any feedback or suggestions on where to look would be welcomed!

 

[cephalopoder]

Your old octopus could have been, O.mercatoris
a pygmy octo species. If you want to keep the fish in the tank you take the chance of stressing out your octopus. So that choice is yp to you. Some species of fish can be agressive and peck at your octos eyes. Or you octo will just eat it if it can catch it. Some species of octopus are know to capture sharks and eat them! I would go with a O.bimaculoides, they get to be a good size with a head the size if a lemon. And are day active.
Buying a octopus is not like buying a fish, some times you never know what you will get when you order one, but fishsupply is your best bet, os some place like tampa bay saltwater who can collect a native species for you. The usually get O.meracatoris, O.briareus, and maybe o.vulgaris.
You woulod have to call richard and talk to him and see what he can catch.
chris

 

[TNeal]

Hi,

I don't think you are ready for a cephalopod yet. They are much harder to keep than standard marine animals. Don't even try cephalopods until you have mastered marine keeping.

TNeal

 

[Rudiger]

i disagree tneal, I am far from having the aquarium hobby mastered. I just did my research and was very careful. My first ceph keeping experience was successful.

pat

 

[TNeal]

well if you condome the constant killing of innoscent cephalopods by those who are not qualified to keep them then you must not love them as much as you say.

TNeal

 

[Rudiger]

tneal, actually my octopus keeping has led to the advancement of science, as is your attempt to breed your nautilus. My octopus laid about 50 eggs and I gave them to chris (cephalopoder) and he is attempting to rear them. We will see how it works out.

pat

 

[Rudiger]

hey i just noticed you are from new hampshire. Wow, that makes 3 of us ceph people from NH

 

[cephalopoder]

I have to agree with pat on this one. I don't think you need to have 5 years of salt water experience or be a expert on marine aquaria.
You do need to do your research, talk to people,plan ahead and make sure you have a decent well cycled set up. Salt water is not rocket science, but you do need to follow certin rules.
I do agree cephalopods are a advanced aquarium animal, but with research, it can be done.
I don't think there for every one too keep, but the ones who are interested, dedicated and take the time to learn will be well on their way to achieving that goal. This message board is one of the best places to start as well as places like tonmo.com and the cephalopod page.
If I had listend to all the so called experts in the news groups when I started I would have never even attempted keeping cephs. They were the most discouraging bunch of un helpful people I had ever met. I quickly gave up on their ill advice and started doing my own research and joined ceph list and talked to the people that really knew what was going on.
I don't think the people that are out here asking for advice condone the constant killing of innocent cephalopods. They only seek to improve the nature of their science and their own knowledge that will lead to being a better aquarist.
chris

 

[OctoMonkey]

well put chris.

I would never have achieved half of what ive done if it wasnt for the core people on this site either.

But having previous experience is always a benefit, especially with marines.

I do think tho, that perhaps some species are too easy to get a hold of

Colin