so i go to get an urchin, and this is what i come back with...

[codybug]

They seemed to be more popular when I entered the salt water hobby in 1993. Most Tropical fish stores had them. Now most fish stores will only sell you a Blue Ring on special order. I guess the LFS's do not want the liability.

I think you should start off with a regular octopus first.

 

[AnimaliA]

Ok ok...granted I am somewhat new to socal...but I heard rumors of earthquakes....they move things around dont they?...like 10lb books or weights...

Since I cant lend any experience or personal knowledge here, best of luck and this may be helpful to print out and tatoo somewhere visible :

---------------------------------------------------
http://www.earlham.edu/~sheedjo/blue-ringedoctopus.htm
---------------------------------------------------

What to do if you get bit!

The bite of the blue-ringed octopus may be painless but it is definitely deadly. Its venom contains some maculotoxin which is more violent than any animals found on land. This poison is 10,000 times more potent that cyanide. Upon being bitten, the victom's nerve conduction is stopped and paralysis sets in after a few minutes. Paralysis is then followed by death. Some symptoms are as follows:

*Nausea
*Blindness
*Loss of all other senses

If you do see someone get bit you should immediately call 911, and then apply compression to the wound as if it was a snake bite. Artificial respiration should also be started as soon as possible. The only way to survive is hours of heart massage and artificial respiration until the poison has worked its way out of the system. There is no anti-venom to date.

Quick Facts

* The blue rings are only visible when the Blue-ringed octopus is about to attack
* It has a tiny, parrot like, beak that can bite through your wetsuit
* The Blue-ringed octopus is only the size of a golf ball but still carries enough poison to kill 26 humans in minutes
* The poison is not injected but comes from it's saliva

 

[alohagreg]

I remember looking through some live rock in a tank years ago and my friend said "look, a little octopus". They had a blue ring loose in the live rock. Crazy!

Check this <a href=http://www.tonmo.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=4>octpus forum<a/> for lots of good info.

 

[tptp279]

haha, you can say good buy to cleaning the coraline algae off of the tank ;P

 

[818]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10001871#post10001871 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cagraffwriter
I'm just curious as to where you found that guy at? Pretty rare to find one in a LFS

Not really. They are hitchhikers that come in the live rock... They usually come out in vats and they sell em to make a quick buck.

 

[Onesaltydawg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10001970#post10001970 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Super NooB
I love this forum...

Time to grab a beer and check back to this thread repeatedly

I just got my beer in hand... :beer:

 

[Jimbo327]

:wave:

 

[Cagraffwriter]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10004248#post10004248 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Onesaltydawg
I just got my beer in hand... :beer:

MAN...its been almost a year since I've had a beer. Gave it up last August.

 

[Bebo77]

2 words.. bad idea..

 

[Freed]

The LFS has no idea whatsoever as to how old it is. He probably just looked at it and seeing that it is so small just threw a number at you. Full grown they are one of the smallest octos in the world.

That being said, I love how most LFS will lie about anything just to make a sale to the unsuspecting buyer.

 

[MG21]

Be careful!!! You're just inviting a tragedy. Good luck.

 

[supernareg]

i just got home from work, and it was porching up on the side of the tank. perfect opportunity to grab it. entire day i was debating on whether or not i should return it or not, i came to my senses and i'll be returning it.


probably get a dwarf octopus or somethin of the sort. i'm almost never home but parents and kids are, so IF it escapes, IF something happens, i'll never forgive myself. so best return it. I scooped it up with a net, put it in a bag (which i brought it home in), but previously poking many many holes in the bag for circulation (small holes with scissors so it cant escape) i rubber banded the top and let it go in my tank. I'ma go return it for full refund tomorrow, if they dont accept full refund i'll just open the top and throw the bag at them Juuuuusst kidddding



but i'm sure they will. i've been goin there for years now.
it was fun while it lasted, oh my what a beatiful creature. but i definately want a regular dwarf octo now, a baby though.

 

[sandman450f]

Good idea i think. Beautiful creature, but probably best left in it's own environment

 

[raskal311]

man I saw this thing once at a whole seller and didn't know what it was and almost picked it up.

 

[sonnyofoster]

blue ring of death

blue ring of death

actually, it is very sad to even take it out of the ocean. octo are very difficult to keep and you will be considered lucky to keep it alive for 3 months. my guess is it will be dead within 30days. one thing you will want to keep an eye on it that other tank. I had one once which escaped a tightly closed tank and got into a tank across the room. Don't put your hands in the tank, after a week it will be confortable in its tank and will checkut everything introduced into the water including your hand.

 

[hawaiian_boi]

ive speared 3 to 4 pound octos in hawaii and put them in i mesh diving bad and they find their way out..any hole it can excape from plus those guys can live out of water for a while ands even walk on the ground...i had a buddy with a octo and a tank in the living room and he found it one day in his bedroom 25v feet away..thank god it wasent a blue ring.

 

[saltyreefguy]

damn, those blue rings...

 

[Freed]

I have read that to keep an octo in a tank all you have to do is put astro turf around the top and edges to keep them from crawling out. I understand octo can't stand the feel of the turf and will stay off of it.

 

[JownsenJesus]

Astro turf is the key around any opening they would try to get out of. Most octo's are also very sensitive to temperatures, so keeping them at 72+ will shorten their lifespan drastically. Also providing lots of enrichment, (live hermets or mithrax in a jar for him to open) will keep it happy and living longer. Octos are awesome!!

 

[tomconk]

That thing is so scary....Im glad you are taking it back