OCTOPUS

[kittybug]

Does anyone know what types of octopus are suitable to keep in a home aquarium. I am interested in stating a marine tank that would be just for an octopus but there are so many varieties i have no idea where to start looking.

 

[Navarre]

Not sure if any are to be honest. They need perfect water conditions, a tank that is completely escape proof (no hole is too small and they will investigate) and they are very short lived.

You need a tank full of holes and things to keep the Octopus happy. They get bored very easily, this enduces stress and then death.
They tend to be expensive and combine that with a life expectancy of about 18 months (that is tops really) makes me feel they are totally unsuitable for tank life

 

[Yano]

yes, do tons of research before even considering getting one. Out of the 15+ LFS here only 1 has octopi, the are about $30. I don't know of many people that have kept any, but it has been done. Here is a good place to start reading if you are up for the work...
http/liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?...d=23&pCatId=500
and even better place
tonmo.com

 

[SirMinion]

A few fun octopus facts..

An octo with a six foot span can squeeze through a hole an inch in diameter.

Octo's intelligence is on par with chimpanzees.

Octo's emotion is shown in their skin colour.

Octo's eyes are more like human eyes in function that any other animal.. even other primates.

The Blue ringed octo carries the same toxin as pufferfish in it's bite, it's one of the most venomous creatures in the ocean.

 

[Teelie]

Took some digging, but I found this very useful article on raising Octopi.

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/...p?article_id=78

 

[nutter]

As said before water conditions have to be *PERFECT* they are just big bags of water afterall but i would never keep one

 

[solojrbb]

Only ones I know of are at the sushi bar. LOL I would like to have one myself, but they do eat other fish and crabs and such.

 

[SirMinion]

they are just big bags of water afterall

Aren't we all?

 

[Navarre]

Aren't we all?

True but we dont interact with the water around us like an octopus does.
We jump in the water and are basically waterproof. (unless we go deeper down). If we jump in a pool pf mud or a pool of crytstal clear water it makes no difference to us (other than impairs sight and perhaps the smell ).

An octopus actually interacts with the water. It inflats, deflats, breaths and drinks the stuff. Water quality is vital for its survival

 

[nutter]

Yes we are sir minion but as Navarre said, we dont interact with it (pluss they live in it) as much as a octopus, hope you see what i mean

 

[Max]

pluss we dont live in water.... well i sleep in my fish ta... never mind...

 

[GuppyFan]

Here's an interesting tidbit. I'm spending the summer in Virginia beach and my girlfirend has a summer job at the pet store where they have a juvenile common octopus. She is pretty much responsible for taking care of it and I have to say it is the most amazing animal I have ever encountered. Anyway, long story short, a park ranger for the Back Bay wildlife refuge came in one day and was telling her how, if you tie some terracotta pots together with rope and weight them down, place them in waist deep water and leave them overnight, that octopii use the pots as shelter and you can come back the next day and just raise the pots and find about 5-6 a day. Granted I havent tried this yet, however if you were interested in keeping an octopus, this will save you some money (the one at the pet store is $75). Apparently the water around Sandbridge Virginia is considered semi tropical due to the ocean currents keeping it relatively warm, which is comfortable for the octupus.