I just got my octopus today and after five minutes in the tank he went in the filter and went under the pumps box. I dont want to use a stisk and crush him and I am not putting my hand in the water.do you think he will come out in the tank. I just hope he is ok. :sad: pleas i need help very very very very bad. :boohoo:

Ok...so, you have turned off the pump, I hope ???? Which type of filter has he wormed into???

.....have not turned off the pump (didn't want him and everything
else - the live rock to die...?....)
...as we're new at this, don't know what type pump it is..it's whatever
came with the 24 gallon nanocube ...
...we do have all the lights turned off....just now took a flashlight
to hopefully see.......he is moving down there at the bottom...
..there's like a pump that's hooked up to a box that's at the bottom..
of course he's under that box...he got his arms wrapped around the three cords......again, at least he's moving so I know he's alive...
.....I had tried putting a stick down there thinking that he might wrap around it and I could pull him out..that didn't work and I got concerned
about jabbing him......hopefully he'll get hungry and come out on his own.....

Okay, can I ask...... you say that you are new to this. How long has your 24 gallon Nanocube been set up and been running (i.e. cycling?)

:confused:

so, you got an octopus why?????? It sounds like you have an awful amount of groundwork to cover here...but, let's solve the immediate problem.
The octo is going to have to be removed from the bottom of the filter. This is probably going to require some dismantling of parts and pieces, as well as a late night trip to your nearest fish store or friend with a salt tank to provide a home for the octo when you do get him out, until you can proof the tank completely.
Unless it is a dwarf, a 24 will be too small of a tank, so you might want to rethink the whole octo-purchase thing now.
best, and keep us posted,

greg

Where are you located, scully54? Maybe someone on the board is local and ready to house your octo (possibly temporarilly - or long term if you are not prepared for the tremendous amount of work needed to keep octos.)

whats your problem with putting your hand in the water? seiously dude, its not that big of a deal just do it and save your octo. if its that simple

ditto, if you live near me, ill stick my hand in there and get it out, i promise you, unless it is a blue ring, which i hope its not, then it should not hurt you

Turning off the pump for a while isn't going to hurt your live rock. What's going on since you last posted?

Nancy

That poor octopus. . . . . .

You do seem very new to this.

I wouldn't ever recommend keeping an Octopus if your new because they require so much knowledge and responsibility before ever keeping one.

For your problem, of course turning off the filter would do best for now. And then trying to get him out. There's nothing wrong with sticking your hand in the tank. If you think an octopus is poisonous or dangerous to touch, then you need to study more their biology. There harmless, and saving your octopus would be best. 24 gallon tank is much too small for an octopus. I doubt you have a Dwarf. I hope you return this animal to a nearest pet store before it dies and think about them more often before getting a new one. You need to study more. And also, try to get a filter that an octopus can't climb into. There very curious.

....hey all....for some reason he came out on his own...hungry I guess...
I got him out with a net and he's now safely back at the pet shop...
....as to some of you, thank you for the helpful tips and good advise..

..as to a few others of you - thanks for the critizism and bashing, like
I'm a total loser for attempting to try to keep him....
.....I'm glad it worked out for him that he's now safe....believe me,
before I attempt it again, I will be an expert like the few of you who
bashed me......

Hey Sculley,

Glad all this had a happy ending. I hope you go on to learn more and set up a nice octo tank where your little bimac can have a nice life. Be sure to let us know when that happens.

Hope you told your LFS what you learned. They shouldn't have been selling the octo to someone with a nanoreef - they should have advised you better.

Nancy

Sculley, I don't think anyone meant to "bash" you...but Nancy is correct, why did they sell you something that you weren't ready for? It might be time to switch shops.

Honestly, the whole program that is listed under "ceph care" is from those of us that have had problems in the past, and had to solve them, before a site like Tonmo was around...read the articles by Nancy, Colin, and the others...it will only help you out in the end.

Once again, best,

greg

....hey all....for some reason he came out on his own...hungry I guess...
I got him out with a net and he's now safely back at the pet shop...
....as to some of you, thank you for the helpful tips and good advise..

..as to a few others of you - thanks for the critizism and bashing, like
I'm a total loser for attempting to try to keep him....
.....I'm glad it worked out for him that he's now safe....believe me,
before I attempt it again, I will be an expert like the few of you who
bashed me......

Well, just incase...

I wasn't bashing you, just giving you some advice on what you should do before ever keeping an octopus again. Just do lots of research and you should be fine nextime. I recommend reading the "ceph care" section of this site. Your not a loser, you've just learned from a mistake. And a little help wont hurt.

Scully don't shoot the messengers! In many cases they were giving you advice based on experience and a love of the animal. In case I was one of those you thought were "bashing" you, my qualifications are as follows!

12 years working in a public aquarium holding 2 species of octopus, 1 species of sepiolid (plus inumerable other inverts and fish), Nearly completed PhD where I held live ommastrephid squid in captivity. Supervision of grad students holding sepiolids and octopus, research assistant to Dr George Jackson, where we held squid and sepiolids. Many of the other people on this list have similar (or better!) qualifications including those who held octopus/cuttlefish at home for longer than their natural life span.

You asked for advice and got it, sometimes advice isn't what we want to hear...especially if it's different to what we have done! For eg Steve O'Shea advised me that the tanks I was holding my baby squid in were all wrong (after I'd spent a considerable amount of my research budget on them :hmm: !) so we got them changed!

Sorry if I upset you but............your wee friend needs the best possible care he can get, after all a tank of any sort is not a natural environment for them and it's our responsibility to get it right. Do keep visiting here and asking questions (we all do!) this is a fun site with HEAPS of info and experience to be shared....you are :welcome: here....can you post pics of your friend????

Cheers

Jean

Totally agree with you Jean, and in my opinion...keeping an animal such an octopus which IS an exotic sea creature requires as least a month of research on their biology, and capivity. But, you've out-done me with the research, lol. I havent had 12 years experience yet, but iv done enough research and experience to give some advice to new users or new pet-keepers which im sure many others on here have also had...mabye better like Nancy and Colin. I don't know when im getting my octopus, hopefully in another 6 months or so.

Hi Armstrong,

Slow and steady wins the race every time!!!!

I was very lucky I joined an aquarium attached to a University research facility, where they have now been keeping octopus (etc!!) for 74 years on display to the public and 101 years for research..........mega quantities of what to do and more importantly what not to do :lol:

Cheers

J

I certainly didn't intend to "bash" you, but if that is the way you want to take it, I won't argue. Pets are not toys. They are living creatures. How one plays with one's pets shows a lot about one's character and comitment.

David M. Frye, DVM

sry didnt mean to bash, glad the octo is safe

Scully,

There's no reason you can't keep an octopus successfully if you want to. What distinguishes you from the next person who buys that octo is you realized you were in over your head and found some people to help you. Additionally, you were willing to give up the octo as soon as it became clear that you might not be creating a safe home for it.

If you want to keep an octo, you sound like you have the patience and concern for the animal. Just do some research and realize it will be quite a commitment, both in terms of the time and the money.

Dan

...Dan...thank you for the kind words....briefly, as you have figured out, I went into this over my head....I relied on my local aquarium shop.....they felt as a beginner, the nano cube would be my best bet, since you just plug it in, an it's all set to go. I did fully go through the whole cyle time - about a month, and even threw in an extra week
to be sure - doing all the right steps. I have live rock and 4 Damsels - no problems
at all.
...I then checked out another aquarium shop - they said an octopus would definately go
overboard into the back....but unfortunately, by then, the tank was almost all set to go...
....given to to over: I should have:
1. completely done my homework as everyone has said, meaning not rely only on one
store for all the information.
2. as soon as I realized from the other shop that the octo would have the ability to
crawl over, I should have lined the tank with mesh, as another person did in the
forum - he is putting his octo in a 12 gallon nano (I noticed no one commented
on that), BUT he did have a plan..as soon as the octo grows, to move him to a
larger tank...
3. use the 24 gallon nano cube for something else...do my research, then get the
right home for the octo....

....Doc Fry....yea, you sounded a bit rough - sorry I asked...
....this was a tough lesson.....I only know rare birds...I have 12.....mostly Macaws.
...yes, it's COMPLETELY different....but I know my limits when I "play with my
pets" as you say......I didn't know that one could "play" with an octopus...
....even though you are EXACTLY right about everything you said...I won't raise
my hand to ask you anything again.....

Hi Armstrong,

Slow and steady wins the race every time!!!!

I was very lucky I joined an aquarium attached to a University research facility, where they have now been keeping octopus (etc!!) for 74 years on display to the public and 101 years for research..........mega quantities of what to do and more importantly what not to do :lol:

Cheers

J

Completely agree with you. Iv noticed a lot of new users who come on here and want an octopus, but ask questions that clearly point out what knowledge they have had. Im very passionate about learning and educating myself to the maximum degree before EVER having an animal, or anything. But something such as an octopus...is meant to be takin care of by an expert aquarist as said by numerous pet stores, or aquarium shops locally or on the internet. Octopuses should be purchased only by aquarists or scientists/biologists...however, you can purchase them yourself once you obtain the same level of knowledge that the aquarists have. I know im fine for now. Iv been interesting in cephalopods...mostly octopuses since I was about 3 years old. Iv been learning about them since I was 6 years old and iv been studying there captivity pruposes for almost 2 years now. Iv also had some experience in keeping water-related animals. Freshwater and saltwater.

And Jean, im kinda jealous that you have had experience in the aquarium!!! lol. Your soo lucky. My local aquarium does have an octopus. I posted its pictures in the "octopus den" section..however, I would DIE if the aquarium staff and workers would let me at least work there to feed it, and make sure everything running ok. Like I told my mother, if they would test me for the job...I could easily pass it. Theres all sorts of activity's though at the aquarium were you could swim with the sharks, feed the turtles...touch some stingrays...but the octopus remains a mystery. lol. I would love to stay after and take care of it. However, I think you would need to have marine biology education first coming from an educated source such as a college, or school. Im not sure. Iv taken Marine Bio in school though.

Doc Frye and his bedside manner !!! Actually, if you go over posts, you will see why we come unglued sometimes...so many octopus and cuttle deaths that were preventable, if someone had just done some more research. It can get frustrating.

Dan points out some very good things though : you recognized the problem, and solved it quickly. No one can ask much more than that. Using the Nano as a starting tank isn't a bad idea, then bumping up into a 55 or larger (our recommended size). But, also, how did the tank cycle in only one month? It usually takes three or so...did you put in a lot of live rock or live sand? Just curious.

greg

Yea, the tank should always be matured for at least 3 months before an octopus can be put in there. And just out of curiosity...how old are you? Because you mentioned homework being done. If your in high school, mabye you can take some marin bio courses in science if you would like and learn some neat things while your in school. I know I took Marine Bio in high school.

Armstrong, I don't think he means actual "homework" - he means he researched the topic. :smile:

Scully, you could start with a small octo in the tank you had, but soon you'd need to move it to a larger tank. This larger tank would need to be cycled and ready at the time you buy your octo. It's too late to start cycling the larger tank at the same time you buy your octo. Some people do take this route - start with a smaller tank but have the larger tank ready and waiting. More people are using small containers within the larger tank for a baby octo - you'll see this in the posts and pics.

Nancy

well just a thought if the store sold it to inexperinced fish keeper what will stop him from sellling mr octo to a 2 year old?

Always be ready to accept the conclusion that everyone at a LFS is full of crap. Pet stores are often staffed by teenagers who don't know what they're talking about and whose job it is to sell critters. If the critters don't survive, GREAT because then maybe they can sell you another one!

Dan

SOME lfs's...I worked/owned one for a number of years, and never gave out advice that was meant just to sell stuff.
My advice? Find another store where the people staffing it are true hobbyists as well as salespeople, and buy everything you need from them, not the cheapest, so that they can stay in business !!!!

greg

However, I think you would need to have marine biology education first coming from an educated source such as a college, or school. Im not sure. Iv taken Marine Bio in school though.


Not Necessarily, our senior aquarist has no formal qualifications but she is from a fishing family, where the whole family is very concerned about fish health/conservation etc and she does a FANTASTIC job!!

We take on volunteers as do many aquariums (some call it an internship!) 'tis a really good way to get experience!

J

Not Necessarily, our senior aquarist has no formal qualifications but she is from a fishing family, where the whole family is very concerned about fish health/conservation etc and she does a FANTASTIC job!!

We take on volunteers as do many aquariums (some call it an internship!) 'tis a really good way to get experience!

J

So...just out of pure curiosity, do you think I would ever be able to one day...join my local aquarium to help feed the octopus they have there or any other sea creature animal? Either that, or just be a part of mantanence or taking care of it? Im sooo anxious to have an experience with the octopus they have there besides watching it in its tank all day. Even though I don't have professional marine biology education...only from school and basically knowledge on cephalopods of what iv already learned throughout years, I would love to help them there.

Hi Armstrong,

You would need to contact your local aquarium amd find out what their policy is on volunteering. We prefer that they're over 16 (although we have taken younger if they're extra enthusiastic...even one of 11 although we asked that her Mum came too.....for health and safety reasons) we also ask for a mimimum committment of one day a week for at least a month (can be for a shorter period if you do more days eg grad students often do every day for 1 or 2 weeks) It has to do with the amount of time we need to take to train people.

So I'd give them a call and find out. Aquariums like volunteers especially those who don't mind cleaning tanks!!!!!

J

Hi Armstrong,

You would need to contact your local aquarium amd find out what their policy is on volunteering. We prefer that they're over 16 (although we have taken younger if they're extra enthusiastic...even one of 11 although we asked that her Mum came too.....for health and safety reasons) we also ask for a mimimum committment of one day a week for at least a month (can be for a shorter period if you do more days eg grad students often do every day for 1 or 2 weeks) It has to do with the amount of time we need to take to train people.

So I'd give them a call and find out. Aquariums like volunteers especially those who don't mind cleaning tanks!!!!!

J

Ya, actually I just searched there website and they do offer volunteers. Sadly, im not over 18 yet and you have to be over 18 in order to do the type of volunteer work that I want...which is caring and feeding for the invertabrates including the octopus they have there. I dont know. I'll either wait, or get lucky and be accepted for the amount of enthusiasm I have.

Hmmmmmmm....... wax enthusiastic, tell them you'll do anything (even if it's NOT exactly what you want to do!) You may find yourself doing a bit of floorwashing, glass polishing etc but if you can get a foot in the door and show that you're a hard worker no matter what you're asked to do then maybe they will let you work earlier!

J

Hmmmmmmm....... wax enthusiastic, tell them you'll do anything (even if it's NOT exactly what you want to do!)
J

Hi Armstrong,

Jean is 110% right on! Not only will a willingness to do anything help to get your foot in the door, you may find that a job other than the one you have set your sights on to be surprisingly valuable.

Another thing to consider is volunteering at a small facility rather than a large one. Here in Washington state we have the Seattle aquarium, which has a rather long waiting list for volunteering, and a number of small facilities that are usually starved for volunteers. Further, the workload at a small facility tends to be less compartmentalized than you might find at a large aquarium.

I'm a docent (actually, they've started to call us "Volunteer Naturalists") at the Fiero Marine Life Center in Port Angeles, WA. Fiero is one of the small, volunteer starved, facilities. I'm something of an extrovert so my preference is to work with the public but I've also helped clean tanks, tend the grounds, collect specimens, feed the displays, and sweep the floor. BTW: If you're mainly interested in learning about the octopus or any other animal there is (IMHO) no more humbling or exhilarating way to do so than to spend several hours a week answering the public's questions - you'll be surprised by how much you do know and stunned at how much you don't. Every week I come home from my 'shift' and dive into the reference books and the web looking for information on a question that I couldn't answer for someone.

A large aquarium will probably supply more formal training than a small one but, if the Seattle Aquarium is any example there is less opportunity for much informal mentoring to fill in the gaps left by the formal stuff.

I suspect that, in a large facility, the care of specific individual animals (Octos, seals, sea otters, etc.) is a pretty high seniority job for a volunteer so take Jean's advice and get your foot in the door with the willingness to do anything - besides, just about any job they have is going to be fun!

Voluntarily yours,

TPG

Hi TPG,

You are soooo right, for all we're an old facility attached to university we are a small volunteer starved one!! And you're right we expect our volunteers and staff to be able to pretty much handle anything!! This includes cleaning toilets (at weekend when there is no cleaner on duty) emptying rubbish bins (in the building and carpark!) :yuck: emergency plumbing, husbandry, front of house (although volunteers are not usually on the till!) and preparing resources for education programmes. We had a volunteer just last week who got assigned the task of sorting NZ's octopus species (all 42!) into locations where they can be found and comparative rarity. He also helped in a shark dissection class, because the young students were unable to cut through the pelvic and pectoral girdles and I could only get round so many!

We try very hard not to give volunteers only the icky jobs (although one arrived and informed us she didn't want to get wet or dirty :shock: so we took perverse pleasure in asssigning her to clean out the mudflat tank, with all the lovely anoxic mud :twisted:) We do try to get them on collectig trips etc if there is space on the boat etc etc.

So Armstrong, if you're prepared to do anything you'll be an asset!!

J

ThanX for the all your useful information. When I get the chance, Im hoping to just be go back there soon and ask them if I could fo anything they would like...as long as its volunteer-related to get myself in there. It's actually a small aquarium. Only 2 floors. The second floor is very small with the first floor being the largest. Compared to the Seattle aquarium, my local one is very, very small, lol.

However, they do have 1 octopus there. Im hoping in the future...they get another one when this one eventually dies. In the past, my aquarium has failed to keep octopuses extensively. However, this is the very first time they have actually have a large and healthy octopus...the best iv seen so far and its caught my attention immediately. I did talk about being a spokes-person of some sort...such as asnwering questions and giving useful information about the octopus for any visiters or the public around the tank. I always talked about doing that job and even if I could do something like that...I love it. I remember asking the security guards near the octopuses tanks...who feeds her and who manages her tank and such and he had no clue. But he was only standing there to make sure everyone was leaving, lol. There aren't anymore spokes people in my aquarium. The only spokes-person is the people who tell you about the Sharks. Of course its the sharks though...there the most attractive scenes in any aquarium and they are by far...one of the most interesting to people to watch and see anywere. People love sharks and sharks have the most maintence in the place I go to.

I dont know though. I can email them about it or see them in person. Mabye seeing them in person would be better...sometimes image means a lot, lol...no matter how shallow it may sounds. Presentation in relation to your appearance might mean a lot so next time I go, ill ask. They offer some cool programs though like swimming with the sharks of course...experiencing the hippo's in person, feeding the sharks and fish in the main tank...and im like "what about a program with the octopus?" lol. I hope they have something like that one day. Cuz im just crazy about this particular octopus that they have now. Im eager to get an open spot...I dont want this one dying off soon cuz it already looks grown and healthy and aged. If it's a giant pacific octopus, it still has a ways to go...if it's a Common octopus (Vulgaris)...it may be dying sooner or later. I hope not.


Incase you guys are interested...here's the link to my local aquarium. Its about a half hour away from me located in New Jersey:

ADVENTURE AQUARIUM:
http://www.adventureaquarium.com/

THE OCTOPUS:
http://www.adventureaquarium.com/index.cfm?sectionID=10,66,0,0
http://www.adventureaquarium.com/index.cfm?sectionID=3,23,0,0

(check out my topic in Octopus Den to see more images)

If it's a giant pacific octopus, it still has a ways to go...if it's a Common octopus (Vulgaris)...it may be dying sooner or later. I hope not.

THE OCTOPUS:
http://www.adventureaquarium.com/index.cfm?sectionID=3,23,0,0


It says at that URL that it is a GPO... so hopefully it'll be around for a while for you to enjoy!

Well Armstrong...'tis bigger than ours!!!!!!! keep trying good luck.

to check out our aquarium try http://www.otago.ac.nz/marinestudies

J

Neat, I like your aquarium. The octopus visibile in the photo's look a lot bigger than the one we have at my aquarium.

As I stated before, although it says that this octopus is a GPO, it might not be. It's not a big octopus really and doesn't look like it could be a GPO. It looks more like an O. Vulgaris. Pictures add 10 pounds to anything, lol. It made the octopus look 6 feet across, but its very small and it could be held in my hands easily. The aquarium probably makes it seem like a GPO to attract non-educated visiters with excitement in seeing a giant...octopus, lol. It's not as big as the photo's and niether is the tank. I still love it though and wish it had more attractions. Everything is sharks at my aquarium. The factual-index cards shown on the sides of the octopuses tank held some wrong information. I wish I could correct those.

HI Armstrong,

The octi in the Pic was Harry (if I remember correctly) He was a Pinnoctopus cordiformis which is quite a big species....certainly can't be picked up in your hands......much too large and heavy. Officially they reach about 10Kg in weight but Harry was actually closer to 18Kg and had an armspread of about 2-2.5m. He was released shortly after the pics were taken. We tend to release all our octis at about 18 months of age (they live for approx 2 years) so's thay can go mate! The tank he is in is 3600L (~951 US gal) not huge but it doesn't seem to bother them.....after all they can always go exploring when they feel like it :lol:

J

....Doc Fry....yea, you sounded a bit rough - sorry I asked...
....this was a tough lesson.....I only know rare birds...I have 12.....mostly Macaws.
...yes, it's COMPLETELY different....but I know my limits when I "play with my
pets" as you say......I didn't know that one could "play" with an octopus...
....even though you are EXACTLY right about everything you said...I won't raise
my hand to ask you anything again.....

Was I as rough on you as you are sarcastic (and self-pitying) to me? Tough lesson? Was this a tough lesson for you or the octo you put through it? Or was it a tough lesson because you got your feelings hurt and everyone didn't blow sunshine up your tailpipe?

Wait a minute.... most people did congratulate you on catching and relinquishing your octo. They even pointed out that if you learn a lot more, you will be ready in the future.

You on the other hand, didn't even take the time to type in your location. Many of the members of this board have a tank set up and waiting for an octopus. Like I pointed out earlier... they might have been able to help you, and they might have had the chance to acquire a creature they were prepared and waiting for. You waited 16 or so hours to even answer our concerned questions, and to let us know you returned it to the pet store. Good idea, but was this the same one that sold it to you?

As for playing with octos.... it can and is done all the time. Try the search function of this forum.

Sorry, all. I was away all weekend and just had a chance to catch up a little.

Totally agree with DocFry 100%. ThanX for tying things up.

Was this a tough lesson for you or the octo you put through it?

In all fairness, that octo has probably already been killed by the next person who bought it.

Dan

It pains me to hear or see stories of any cephalopod dying just because of an un-educated keeper or individual. Their lives are so precious.

DHslop, what if Scully lived down the street from you or me? Or one of the other board members on a waiting list for an octo.... I agree the next owner probably killed the octo. That is why I asked if Scully returned it to the same LFS that was willing to sell it to an inexperienced, unprepared thrill-seeker in the first place.