I've noticed in some pictures and videos that people have damsels and in one a maroon clownfish. I'd like to keep a few small fish with my bimac to add some color to the tank. Are their any small fish that are recommended or to be avoided? Any advice appreciated.

Usually, not for very long...the fish that are in those pics were likely used for cycling...damsels have to be removed, as they will actually pick on the octopus,and can cause damage...of course, a slow fish is an eaten fish...
For colour, I would recommend some live algaes, and perhaps some very nice live rock...the octopus should be enough to draw attention!
good luck!
greg

Thanks, that was pretty much my thought. I'm going to stick with xenia and some other soft corals I have in my main reef that I have to cut back all the time anyway.

i also noted a maroon slowfish with an anenome in a 75 gallon takn. all was in there was live rock in the center. then the anenome was on the left of the tank with theclown in it. i know the octo was a bimac in with the clown.
i just got a clown and an anenome for the tank just for color. i think im gonna try putting a bimac in with it for sure. i still have a month left for the tank to cycle. but i hope it will work out. any input will help.
thanx everyone

greg

I'd never have an anemone in a tank with an Octo, as much as they can be described as "intellegent" they are pretty dumb when it comes to self mutilation!

They wander quite randomly and your octo WILL get stung.

~A

i will never probably put a anenome in my tank , however they are in the ocean all over the place, so what happens when an octo goes over one of them in the wild, thye just die , i dont think so lol

hey you said you had to cut back your xenia all the time, can you grow me a big sized rock of it and let me buy it from you ,

i love xenia and Im wanting some more of it

i will never probably put a anenome in my tank , however they are in the ocean all over the place, so what happens when an octo goes over one of them in the wild, thye just die , i dont think so lol

hey you said you had to cut back your xenia all the time, can you grow me a big sized rock of it and let me buy it from you ,

i love xenia and Im wanting some more of it

I would suspect that in the wild an Octi has more chance of avoiding an anemone, but a tank is a very enclosed and unnatural environment and many "normal" behaviours of an octi may well be modified.

J

also, autotrophic anemones really are one of the hardest marine inverts to keep and need perfect water, cephalopod water is often not ideal for anemones due to the high waste levels.
The light situation is not ideal either, octos prefer subdued and anemones need it bright or they will wander. As Andy said, they wander randomly until they get sucked into a powerhead, overflow or simply die in that bit of the tank you cant get to and turn to mush!

I also never advise fish and cephs together

I have 2 damsels in my tank with my octo for a month with no problem