Some cool info for octo keepers

[RyanMcLaughlin]

I recently went to the montarey bay aquarium and took a behind the scenes tour. We went behind their octo tank and had a canopy line w/ astroturf. The tour guide explained that they do this because it is impossible for an octopus's tentacles to stick to it. Just a cool little tip for anyone having trouble w/ a houdini.

 

[Animal Mother]

Yeah, this is possible in the very large tanks that public aquariums use but not quite as practical in home aquariums.

The turf has to be wider and higher than the octopuses arm length, and considering most people try to get away with the minimum tank size requirements or sometimes even less (shame on you) it wouldn't be practical to use on a tank with an octopus that has a 12 inch or longer arm length. My 75 gallon for example is 18 inches tall. My O. briareus in that 75 gallon has almost 24 inch arms. I'd have to build a 30 inch tall canopy lined with astroturf to make it work. Just not as practical or easy as taping the lid shut. Plus imagine having to pull that thing off EVERY time I need access to the tank.

If the turf is only a few inches, the octopus can reach over and grab the glass on the other side and hoist itself over the turf.

I tried lining the top of my tank with rigid velcro to achieve a similar effect. It didn't work for long, and it tore my arms up every time I did maintenance inside the tank.

 

[ctenophors rule]

couldn't you just usedouble sided astro and halve the length?

then leave the tank open for easy access

 

[Animal Mother]

If you have really long arms or a really short stand, sure. I still don't understand why anyone would go to the trouble of making a canopy like that when all you need to do is secure the regular lids.

 

[Koshmar]

My aquarium in Dallas did the same thing when we had a gpo. I always wondered why that was. Thanks for the info!

 

[Thales]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14393843#post14393843 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Animal Mother
If you have really long arms or a really short stand, sure. I still don't understand why anyone would go to the trouble of making a canopy like that when all you need to do is secure the regular lids.

Almost no home ceph keepers do. In public aquariums, the exhibits are often comparably huge and lids don't make much sense. Our GPO on display has an astro turf barrier around the 3000 gallon tank. Our GPO in holding is going to have a lid.