After finding out that cuddlefish has a very shortlife span I was reeealy bumed out. :cry: So ill settle for a octopus, so pleease tell me that there a large lifespan on a octopus for a 55-65 gallon tank

Hi and welcome to TONMO.com! :welcome:

I'm afraid that octopuses don't have a very long lifespan, either. A dwarf octopus might have a few months, a bimac might have as much as 10 months in your tank.

Nancy

Just out of curiosity - what is the lifespan of a Pacific Giant Octo? Because I know that the Vancouver Aquarium has had one for years. Unless they've been switching it out and I just haven't noticed.

:welcome: GPO I believe can live from 5 to 7 years.

Just out of curiosity - what is the lifespan of a Pacific Giant Octo? Because I know that the Vancouver Aquarium has had one for years. Unless they've been switching it out and I just haven't noticed.

Hi Toren,

In the Strait of Georgia/Puget Sound region a GPO's normal lifespan is about three years. There is a school,of thought that a male GPO that doesn't breed may live as much as a couple of extra years. OTOH: experts such as Jim Cosgrove of the Royal British Columbia Museum tell me that there is no concrete eveidence that this is so.

It's also possible that GPO's from Alaska or the Sea of Japan might live somewhat longer than B.C./Washington animals due to lower temps but I don't think that's been confirmed either.

It's pretty common for public aquariums to change out their GPO's every year. The reason is that they really aren't all that "giant" until the last year of their lives. Further, when they do reach an impressive size it's just about time to mate and that's best accomplished back in the natural habitat. Some aquariums do breed them in captivity from time to time (the Seattle Aquarium for one) but I suspect that they don't devote public display space to a brooding female.

Visitor: Where's the octopus?

Docent: Well, you can't see her because she's been hidden in her den for the last five months.

Visitor: Can I have my money back?

Agedly yours,

Alex

would a gpo live comfortably in a 150 gallon tank? let me know
thanx
greg

Sorry, they need a very large tank - like 800 gallons. Also, GPOs come from a cold water area and need a chiller. And if you think your little octopus eats a lot, just imagine the sizeable crabs a GPO has for dinner.

Nancy

But don't captive animals usually live a lot longer as there's (at least) a very reduced danger of predation and competition and the like?

Graeme

But don't captive animals usually live a lot longer as there's (at least) a very reduced danger of predation and competition and the like?

Graeme

It all depends at the temperature at which you keep them. Lab studies have shown that you can significantly increase life span of octopus when you keep them at lower temperatures. Also a 2-3 degrees decrease in temp can increase 15-20 days the embryonic dvmpnt (for Sepietta oweniana) and result in larger hatchlings. This varies btwn geographical regions.

I don't believe captivity alone can be accounted to increase lifespan. In captivity, feeding rates may be increased, which might have an effect on size and time at maturity but will not increase lifespan rather the opposite.
For cephs, it all depends on temperature!!

eups