So I added some snails and some smaller hermit crabs and a fiddler crab to my tank and my octopus is still not eating any of them. Is there something that I am still doing wrong or another food that I should try? This is pretty frustrating and I am concerned that it is not doing very good but since it never comes out (even check periodically through out the night with red light) I cant really seem to tell whats going on. Sorry for all the questions but any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ryan

Sorry if this has been asked before, but how old is he to the best of your knowledge. Also have you tried shrimp or scallop pieces on a stick? Also if you haven't already try placing the hermits as close to him or his den as possible.

I have had it for about a month and it was in the lfs for about a week before I got it and thats about all that I know. He is very small and was sold to me as a dwarf which according to the ID forum he is unfortunately not. He is about the size of a silver dollar. I am going to try pieces of shrimp today probably and everything that I have tried to feed it so far I have put right in front of its last know hiding spot with no luck.

You may have mentioned this in the other thread, but checking your water params and doing water changes is part of the "standard advice" for the "octopus isn't eating" question (we should probably put that in the FAQ.) The other "standard answer" to "shy octopus," though, is to try to be patient and let your octo get comfortable, and it's likely to come out more when it's ready...

Yeah I already checked the water parameters and have been doing weekly water changes. I am not really too concerned with the fact that it wont come out but rather that it seems like it has not been eating.

what is the temp of your tank running at...

It is usually between 78-80 which is the same that the lfs was keeping it at and told me to keep it at. Is that the wrong temperature?

I would keep it around 74 to 76.Unless its a Bimac,than mid 60s (I think).

ok I will turn off the heater and see if I can lower the temp. Any other suggestions? I also tried shrimp and scallops on a stick with no luck to that as well.

I would change the temp slowly.Try not to make it a rapid change in temp.What kind of lighting do you have?

I have a 70w MH light that is on for about half the day and then I just use my LED moon lights for the rest of the day and nothing at night except for a red flash light periodically.

I believe any mh is too much light.I have a 45w fluorescent on mine.

Do you think that the bright light during the day would prevent it from coming out even at night? Should I try to leave it off for a day and see what happens?

Not only do they not like bright light,It can harm their eyes.

I would use less light.But you may want to wait for someone else to chime in.

Ok I will see if anyone else has anything to add. Thanks for all of your help so far though. I have the light set towards the front of the tank so the whole back of the tank where it hides out is all in the dark/shade and it does not get any direct light if that helps at all.

Yes, any metal halide is too much light - octopuses really don't need any extra light, but we usually put a not too powerful light on the tank. This is so we can see, our coralline algae will grow, etc.

Blue moonlights (which are the standard) may be agitating, too. You could use red, but not blue.

Nancy

I have blue and white moon light so would having just the white ones on be just as agitating?

I would have been more worried that the temp was too low... lowering the octos metabolism... but that sound fine...

I think the light could effect him not coming out... but I think the real problem is him not eating... but if he is as small as I am thinking my guess is that he is eating pods...

Yeah thats what I am thinking that he is eating because I used to have a whole bunch of pods and I do not see any pods anymore. I had ordered some fiddlers from aquacultures.com but the ones that they sent me were way to big. They were bigger than he was. He has a bunch of hermits and snails to eat if he runs out of pods and gets really hungry. Will he eat something that he may not necessarily prefer rather than starve? I am going to have to leave the temp at around 80 because I cant get it any lower and I cant afford a chiller right now. Hopefully it is the right temp. Thanks again for all the help.

I wish I lived near you if you can't get your tank lower than 80 in February.LOL

Yeah I dont exactly understand why it wont go any lower. Even with the MH light off and no heater and we only keep our house at about 70 degrees. I guess it is just from the power head and skimmer. I cant think of what else would be keeping it so warm. Southern California is not all that warm as it is cold and raining.