would this make an octo setup?

[Tommyflashlight]

im in the process of setting up a new system.it consists of a 55 gallon tank( standard dimensions) and an around 20 gallon tank ( (w-12) x (L-25)x(h-16)) running through the same 20 gallon sump. The sump is going to be running a good protein skimmer, probobly some sort of mechanical filtration, and live rock and live sand. i want to have a very bio-load in the 55..snails, crabs, shrimp,other invertebrates a few small fish......my plan is to, after the lr cures, but in the cleanup critters and maybe a few other little things. i will also put these guys in the 20 gal tank. i want to let the tank age for a while like this, then i want to turn the 20 gallon into a species tank and put some more things in the 55. if i bought a small bimac, would the 20 gal make a suitable home, at least untill i can upgrade to a thirty? if not what other guys might i consider for the 20 gallon? i have been doing steady research on keeping octopuses in aquariums and i think im up to it.
any help is appreciated
tom

 

[schmunkel98]

Hey Tom,

I have a 135 gallon setup I'm using to house two Octopus Bimaculatus. I would advise a smaller species like Octopus bimacloides or the Pygmy Octopus ,Octopus joubini, which reaches a maximum size of 4"(6" including arms) for the 20 gallon. I would advise against having any fish in there when you intorduce the octo. Mine has some damsels in it, and I think it has prevent my octos from coming out during the day. Do keep lots of snails, no-clawed shrimp, and small hermit crabs around for food. Make sure you order your octopus from a good dealer that knows what species is what. I ordered mine from Marinedepotlive.com, but they only have bimaculatus, which gets much bigger than bimacloides. Go to the ceph page(http://is.dal.ca/~ceph/TCP/index.html) and click on their live order link to find good dealers. Let me know what happens!

Mike
www.schmunkel.0catch.com

 

[cephalopoder]

A 20 might be ok, for a small bimac when its young, but they can grow fast. You better be ready to up grade when the time comes and you must have a well aged and cycled tank.
Pygmy octos are ok for a small tank but they hide alot and they are not the species they claim too sell a lot of the time. Your pygmy could wind up being a small O.vulgaris that could grow to be a large O.vulgaris. In most cases you got to ID them yourself.