Hi My Name is Kevin.
I don't have an octopus however I work as a lab tech in a secondary school :grad: in coventry and I'm kinda tryin to talk them into getting some animals in the Lab. Does anyone have any suggestions about what kind of octopus we could keep if I get the go ahead and where we could get one from. Also does anyone know where I can find some Papers on Octopus cyanea for some work I am doing. Thankyou for your help.
Kevin.

Hi and welcome to TONMO.com! :welcome:

I'll let someone from the UK answer your ceph questions. Colin, my co-moderator, lives near Glasgow and will be back from vacation in a couple of days.

Glad to have you with us!

Nancy

Welcome!

What would enjoy the attention of an entire class?

Melissa

Hi again
I'm not sure what would engage their attention most. I'd like to have a blue ringed octopus :twisted: but I don't think they'll let me :( so I'm thinking something not too large but one that will be quite active during school times so as make them think up exciting things we could give to the octo to make its life more exciting. Obviously at the moment its all speculation as to wether they will let me get one or not. I think it would give the pupils some interest in the diversity of the natural world and maybe help them understand some environmental and ecological impacts which they as individuals have on the environment and what they can do to protect other organisms on the planet, or something like that or maybe its just cos I like them and think it'd be cool to have :D
Thanks for your help
Kevin

Hi kev

why not try for a cuttlefish or two? They are native, easy to get, interactive, dont need heaters and very interesting to watch and feed.

A blue ring is a waste of time as most die within a month, partly through natural causes.

cheers
colin

I'd go with a cuttle as well I think. You can order Octos through TMC but you cann't guarentee what species you would get, it may be a blue ring (obvious H&S risk being in a school) or it may be something like a vulgaris in which case it will probably be too big.

A bimaculoides would be the ideal octo but to get one ordered from the states you have to pay about a million pounds to get it through customs and get import licences and things so I think that a cuttle would be a much more sensible option. Living in Coventry you need to make sure that you can source food as well. I may have some cuttles for sale at the moment, they are 5 weeks old and take dead mysis shrimp and finely chopped sprat and sand eel... PM me if you are looking for some and i'll see what I can do!

~Andy

Hi My Name is Kevin.
I don't have an octopus however I work as a lab tech in a secondary school :grad: in coventry

i'm originaly from Bromsgrove!! 8)

big up!!

Welcome to Tonmo...nice to have another member from over the pond!!
greg