Bimac or Briareus

[Hayek]

I have a 46 gallon tank (as some of you already know.) I have a very good LFS which I recently found out can order both bimacs and briaeus.

Which one would you recommend and why?

I think I am going to go with a briareus just because I like how they look, but people claim bimacs are more friendly. What do you think?

[DWhatley]

Can't help too much. I have had my first briareus for about 3 weeks. She came missing 2 + arms and has been very recluse but CuttleChris' Shiva (http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16004)was much quicker to adapt. HOWEVER, the briareus has much longer arms and will be very cramped in a 46 gallon tank. Read some of Animal Mother's comments on Kalypso (http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12145) (he was kept in a 65 gallon tank) about tank size for an adult. The bimac has been a very popular species when available and comparable to the hummelincki in interacting with humans but requires lower temperatures. It is best kept below 70 but can tollerate 72ish full time.

It is odd that they can get either species and you might inquire more about where they come from. Briareus is found all over the world but the ones we see are from the FL keys area. If a single supplier is furnishing both, there is likely a misidentification of one or the other species. Hummelincki (my favorite so far) makes a terrificly interactive octopus and can be kept without a chiller as long as you can keep the tank under 78. It has eyespots like the bimac and we have seen confusion from several suppliers. If both animals are of Caribbean origin, I would go for the "bimac" as it is much more likely to be hummelincki and will be happier in your tank (barely) than a briareus.

If you want to check out some journals on the hummelincki, read the journals for Karl (http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16416), OhToo (http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14696) and Octane (http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12191)

[Hayek]

It is a ridiculously large store, apparently rated one of the top five fish stores in the country. They can get pretty much anything by species. The clerk even mentioned that they could order me a mimic for $299 though I declined and scolded him a bit.

[DWhatley]

The clerk even mentioned that they could order me a mimic for $299 though I declined and scolded him a bit.:grin:

Just be warned that unless you know where it is coming from, there is a high chance it may not be what you ordered. What is on the list from the wholesaler and what comes in more often than not do not match. Several of our members have access to wholesalers' lists through differing connections and have stopped being amazed at what shows up. Colin, however, is still fuming over the receipt of a quantity of blue rings he received in stead of the single intended species he ordered.

[DHyslop]

+1 what D said.

They're going off what's listed on inventory sheets from their distributors. I promise you that their distributors can't tell the difference between a bimac, a briareus or a hole in the ground. Which is probably good for them, given that it is more or less illegal for them to sell you a bimac.

Ordering an octo through your LFS is like roulette. There's not a lot of other options though, just don't be fooled into thinking they know what they're talking about with octos.

Dan

[Hayek]

Well, I'm heading up there tomorrow. Apparently they have over 12,000 square feet. I've heard from all of the LFS owners in my town that if this store can't find a particular species for you then it doesn't exist. They have a very good reputation.

[sedna]

I wanna come! For a 46 gal you could see if he can get you an aculeatus or other abdopus complex member, they are diurnal and SO much fun! If you make a choice today, try to get as much info as you can about WHERE it's collected from to make the ID easier.

[Hayek]

Well, I went up there today and bought a ton of live rock. It was much better than I'm used to buying, and the 28 pounds I bought filled twice as much space as the last 30 pounds.

It didn't look like 12,000 square feet, but I was impressed nonetheless. They were selling liverock by the pound for $7.99 with coral attached. I bought a piece with 100+ featherdusters on it. They wouldn't let me buy some of the pieces with high light corals because "they'll be dead in a day" with my lighting.

The staff was extremely knowledgeable about octopuses and even mentioned that so and so octopus researcher frequents the store. I again questioned how they know what species they are getting, and he said they have five suppliers yada yada yada. Another staff member told me they could get blue rings and wunderpuss octopuses.

We'll see. I wouldn't believe anyone who worked at any of my LFS in the past, but this one I do. Their tanks were the most impressive I have seen outside an actual aquarium.

[broken__dori]

My LFS has said they can get blue rings more than other species, but don't they have a short live spand of a few weeks to months because of being captured already at adulthood in the wild ?

[Animal Mother]

My LFS has said they can get blue rings more than other species, but don't they have a short live spand of a few weeks to months because of being captured already at adulthood in the wild ?

That's correct, but their lifespan is no different from any other commonly found octopus species in the pet trade. Most of them will be mature when collected and/or purchased. It's the luck of the draw, and almost always a gamble. Just a part of being a ceph owner.

[bluespotocto]

What is the stores name?

[cheesman]

What is the stores name?
Ya and where is it?:confused:

[Hayek]

The store is Wet Pets in Upper Saint Claire, PA outside of Pittsburgh