ok,
well i got this octopus yesterday... he ate a half dead shrimp last night..
then i tried to feed him tonite (frozen krill and frozen silversides) and he chew them up and spit them back out!!!
im paniking now.. .. should i be?
Is it because he is new and stressed out??

He wants live food...:grin: He could be rejecting your food because he doesn't like the way it tastes, or he wants more cleaner shrimp...

oh.. great..... um... i need cheap live food.. where can i get it??
i can go to the beach but the largest shrimp i will find there is a few maybe the size of small ghost shrimp..
.... theaquaculturestore is expensive... 10 fidlers for 13.95...
so if i want 20.. then that cost me like $27. and 20 wont last long...

20 would probably last over a month. Fiddlers, I would think, would keep him fed if you fed every other day. Get a mesh net and get down to the beach. I'm sure if you try for long enough, you can get some larger ones. Even the smaller ones would probably work.

will do... i am going to see if i can get to the beach on saturday...and i wil try to get some ghost shrimp before then to hold him over..
i can also try and catch my peppermint shrimp if he needs extra nutrition or something...

I don't think it would be worth tearing down a whole tank for a small shrimp, lol. I'd go buy another one for $5.00, or just gutload some ghost shrimp. At least that's what we do for seahorses that won't eat frozen mysis...

You said his mantle was the size of an egg right? Do you have a reef tank? Any other tanks? See if you can harvest some hermits from your other tank (if you have any). They love hermits!

Where are you in Florida? The Aquaculture store is in Florida also. Paul Sachs (the owner) is really helpful and friendly. Maybe you could call him and get some advice on where to find shrimp and fiddlers in Florida. You should be able to catch your own fiddlers...

And most LFS's carry fiddlers, ghost shrimp, and...dare I say it...feeder guppies...NOT the best food, but may be ok for a day or two while you get some suitable octo feed.

are you defrosting the food in seawater? sometimes octos can be funny about their food if it's not....if he's young too, he probably does want the live food....but as said, most LFS carry ghost shrimp and crabs.
Also, I know you just got him yesterday, but octos don't always have to eat every day.....you can go every other day, if need be. :grin:

i am in west palm beach.. a good 45 minutes away from any beach.. and far far far far far away from mangrove swamps.. which is wear im pretty sure fiddler crabs are....i do know of one place a looooong time ago when i was catching fidller crabs at a beach.. which isnt too far.. maybe an hour away.called red reef park... but i would collect food to last for a while.. but i have to make sure i dont make a dent in population.... i dont remember it as crawling w/ them....
there are hermits in his tank.. they have gone unoticed..

are you defrosting the food in seawater? sometimes octos can be funny about their food if it's not....if he's young too, he probably does want the live food....but as said, most LFS carry ghost shrimp and crabs.
Also, I know you just got him yesterday, but octos don't always have to eat every day.....you can go every other day, if need be. :grin:
it was defrosted in his own tank water... maybe he is just full.. it was a pretty large cleaner shrimp...
he cant be that young b/c of his size...he is pretty large.. maybe a 2-2.5 maybe even 3" mantle and arms like 15" long

Then he is probably just not hungry. I don't think i've ever seen an octo not eat a hermit, lol. Take a census.

Make sure the defrosted food is the same temperature as the tank, your octopus may not take it if it is too cold...

thank you very much for the quick help.. i will try again tomorow.. if he doesnt eat i will run out and get him something to eat.
its hard for me cause im 14.. which means.. 1) i dont drive
and 2) my parents can say either Yes.. or No
but they wont refuse to get food.. they arent cruel...

I'm 14 too.

Then he is probably just not hungry. I don't think i've ever seen an octo not eat a hermit, lol. Take a census.

hahaha ah! I beg to differ! Hehehehe I had "tester" hermits in my tank before I got an aculeatus. I did not get attached to them, thinking Beaker would make dinner out of them. I can say I still have all the hermits but one....must have been emergency food. He ignores them completely....which could be a blessing, they make an excellent cleanup crew for his mess.....

Lol, wow. Was he a large octo?

I'm 14 too.

yeah.. i saw you on RC.com.. you were the one who had the LFS or online store right??

Yes.

Lol, wow. Was he a large octo?

Eh, he's about midsize for an aculeatus, maybe 2" mantle?....I think he's just lazy. He worked hard to eat that one, and he knows eventually I'll give him something to munch on, so he pretty much ignores his tankmates....he'll even climb right over them. I saw him let the crabs eat fiddler remains in front of his den once....totally floored me! Hehehe

.... theaquaculturestore is expensive... 10 fidlers for 13.95...
so if i want 20.. then that cost me like $27. and 20 wont last long...

Why did you expect live food to be inexpensive?

i didnt think it was going to be $14 for 10 fiddler crabs...
but.. if i do the math.. its actually is really cheap.. its about $0.71 for a fidller crab.. i used to pay $10 a week for my leaf fish (3 damsels a week... a ghost shrimp and mollies)its really isnt that bad after thinking about it

It's cheap until you figure out that he is a vulgaris, and will eat 3 fiddlers a day...

lolol^
anyway..today i am almost positive he ate... if he didnt he sure did fool me!
He came out and sat on the back wall... so i put some krill on a stick and offered it to him.. he grabbed it with 2 tenticles and then brought it towards his mouth... since then he has been sitting there.. just looking at me.... for about 10 mintues... and his colors are a little pale w/ a blue shine... and some brown in them.. i dont know if he is stressed or relaxed... his breathing is normal...
here is some pics for you gus.. help w/ an ID would be great.. his arms are about 15" long and his mantle is 2" (does the mantle count the eyes to?.. if so then his mantle is 2.5" maybe 3")
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a100/Fishfreak218/OctopusTank016.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a100/Fishfreak218/OctopusTank015.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a100/Fishfreak218/OctopusTank013.jpg

Not sure what species, but you've got a very cool, and interesting octo. Maybe he IS a vulgaris...

well.. he ate 3 peices of krill tonite.... so im VERY happy. last night i got all freaked out :) lol.. ill keep you guys updated...
also he better NOT be a vulgaris!
but he doesnt look like any i have seen... so im not too woried

well. today he ate a peice off the stick and then a different peice dropped off the feeding stick so i went to get it and he must have goten excited... he turned brownish red and started chasing my hand around the tank.. im not sure if he was curious.. but i only let him touch me once with one tenticle... next time should i let him investigate?
Im afraid he will bite me and i will have an allergic reaction or jerk back and scare him into not liking me or something.. lol

he isnt eating again!!

is it bad if his arms are curled up? almost like when u take scissors and streak it across a ribbon and the ribbon curls up..
(maybe im thinking of stingrays.. when there disk curls up its usually bad news)

Hmm...maybe he is actually a she, and full grown? Is it being shy, or still active?

is it bad if his arms are curled up? almost like when u take scissors and streak it across a ribbon and the ribbon curls up..
(maybe im thinking of stingrays.. when there disk curls up its usually bad news)

The curlycue/corkscrew arm shape is not good... what are your water parameters? Generally octopus who have the curled arms do not make it :sad:

Yeah, that is a fairly typical stress display...check everything asap.

Hmm...maybe he is actually a she, and full grown? Is it being shy, or still active?
EXTREMELY SHY!
... could be

also i checked all params... the worst thing there is, is nitrates are 5 maybe a little over...
everything else (ammonia, nitrite, phosphate) is at 0 and my Ph is 8.2
salinity is 1.025
idk wat is wrong!! now im sad..

Do a water change! How long was this tank up and running? How big is your tank?

Hmm...i've read that octopuses can tolerate nitrates up to 20 ppm or so, so I don't think it's them. Maybe it is just old age...have you checked for any eggs?

Do a water change! How long was this tank up and running? How big is your tank?

i already did one tonite.. my tank is 30g. and has been running for about 5 months

i havnt seen her tending to any eggs.. so no....

is the curling arms a sign of them dieing b/c of old age? or ussually just bad water quality?

30 gallons is waaaaaaay too small for an octopus that has arms of 15 inches +, and a mantle the size of a lemon, as I remember you saying. Please tell me you have a skimmer on this tank? Not that it really matters that much. It is probably feeling very cramped...

i already did one tonite.. my tank is 30g. and has been running for about 5 months

i havnt seen her tending to any eggs.. so no....

is the curling arms a sign of them dieing b/c of old age? or ussually just bad water quality?

Did you test the water before or after the water change? You might want to do another water change...

Curly arms are a result of stress - it could be anything, water quality, stess from capture (depending on how the octopus was collected) and possibly old age. Although sometimes with old age, you will see them eat less, and slow down (like getting old).

I believe he's had this octopus for at least 1 and a half weeks now. I don't think it would be stressed from capture when it seemed fine in pictures a few days ago. Have you tested your water for copper?

it hasnt come out much.. so i dont know how it could feel cramped.... he is mostly staying in his cave...
i do 2 waterchanges a week (well i havent even had him a week... but thats what i have been doing and im getting a Skimmer come X-mas).....
he is a big octopus so he could be at then end of his life cycle... my water is fine except the nitrate and from my understanding they can handle a little nitrate

Did you test the water before or after the water change? You might want to do another water change...

Curly arms are a result of stress - it could be anything, water quality, stess from capture (depending on how the octopus was collected) and possibly old age. Although sometimes with old age, you will see them eat less, and slow down (like getting old).

i tested before waterchange... and then i did the WC....
i have had him since last sunday...

there is NO copper in this tank..

What type of filtration are you running? Skimmers are also very ood at aerating the water. Without a skimmer, what would you have done if he had inked while you were away? The minimum recommendation for a bimac is 50 gallons, and this sounds like a larger species that bimacs, so a 30 gallon would not suffice. Research, and THEN buy your octopus.

i have researched.. im not new to aquariums either...
im running a Aquaclear 110 and a HOT Magnum 85... i keep cheato, caulerpa, and Codium in the tank to help.. and LR.....
and i know that ocotpus need alot of airation (more then other things)

:bugout: oh boy:roll:

What type of filtration are you running? Skimmers are also very ood at aerating the water. Without a skimmer, what would you have done if he had inked while you were away? The minimum recommendation for a bimac is 50 gallons, and this sounds like a larger species that bimacs, so a 30 gallon would not suffice. Research, and THEN buy your octopus.

:roll: oh boy:roll:

Were the rolling eyes directed at me?

Fishfreak,

If you researched, and are not new to aquariums, then surely you came accross information stating that skimmers are a necessity. As I am sure you did, why did you think your octo could go a few months without one? That's like buying high light SPS corals before you get your MH's. Doesn't work. The algaes don't help unless you regularly take portions of them out. If they are in the main tank, they can lead to pH swings when the lights are off. I'm sorry if it sounds like i'm attacking you in any way, but we all always here excuses like "well, I was going to upgrade when they get bigger", or "i'm young, and couldn't afford a skimmer". If you can't afford the equipment, then don't get the livestock. I am also young, probably the same age, maybe even younger than you. I'm 14, and have been putting off getting an octo for nearly (if not exactly) a year now, because I didn't have a large enough tank, or a decent skimmer. Nor did I think I could dedicate myself to live foods if need be. Now I have a proper sized tank, decent skimmer rated for over twice the tank volume, and a source nearby for live foods. Also, did you buy this tank used? Have you tested for copper? I'm not asking if you think there is any copper in the tank. I'm asking if you've tested your water for it. If it was use,d someone could have used a copper based ich medication in the tank, which will stay in your tank virtually forever, in the seams, filters, etc.

ok,
first i dont buy stuff i cant afford b.c (and this has become a problem on another board but people dont attack me im not trying to be snobby)
i can afford anything i buy.. i have 'undrestricted' funds as long as its spent on something reasonable...if need be i can go and get a skimmer this weekend.. or go and get a larger tank.. or buy live food every month..
ok now,
the tank was not used.. i dont buy used equipment for reasons like this..
i know for a fact that there is no copper
and i have never heard they are a necessity they are simply "strongly suggested"
nothing has gone in this tank that has touched copper

They are a necessity in most people's views. If your octo (at the size it is) would ink, then it would most likely suffocate before you would know it. Not attacking you, but wouldn't it mean more if you earned the money?

wat do you mean?
I get alot of enjoyment from my tanks....
and really i dont think i would enjoy it any more if it was my money... actually my tanks would decline.. i have quite a few.. and to pay for all of them..
YEAH RIGHT! besides spending my money is painful
and i dont have a job.. and dont have time for one

I don't have a job either. I have 4 tanks right now. 2 mixed reefs, and 1 octo tank.

Well, obviously you get enjoyment out of your tanks, when something dies, it wasn't your money to begin with.

I still don't understand why the lack of a proper environment, especially if your parents are willing to buy you anything you so wish. You've read (I thought, maybe you haven't though) the ceph care articles in the library. If you saw that most cephs (unless a dwarf) requires a tank of at least 50 gallon, with a skimmer, etc., then why not do it right the first time? If your parents are buying, then why would you get a 30 instead of the recommended 50, and go skimmerless instead of the recommend skimmer rated 3x the tank volume it is on. How long have you been keeping saltwater tanks?

Please understand that I am not trying to attack you in any way. Just trying to understand your situation, and see your reasoningfor providing a less-than-suitable habitat for your animal.

i have quite a few.. and to pay for all of them..
YEAH RIGHT! besides spending my money is painful


I'm sorry, but that is an awful attitude...

you'll get richer by not spending your money.. i save my money.. and spend my dads while i can...
you dont get rich by flaunting ur money around..and i know some kids parents make them pay for everything but i am fortunate and mine dont.. and im going to take that opportunity to save my money

I don't think that providing a suitable habitat for the animals that YOU took out of the ocean is flaunting. If you save your money, and are getting richer, then you should be able to buy your own stuff. The kids that parents make them spend their own money on everything learn the value of hard earned cash. When you want something, you ask daddy. Ever heard the ld saltwater phrase "Sometimes a lack of funds is a blessing, it makes you wait for your tank to mature rather than stocking it right away"? Maybe this is why your octopus is dying. If you would have done things right, you wouldn't be in this situation.

How long did your tank cycle?

:chillpil:

Ok, time out. Let's concentrate on what can be done for the octopus, I don't think ripping into each other about attitudes about money is going to help much (although it is possible that money can be leveraged to help the octo).

:yinyang:

I honestly don't see what can be done. It seems to me that he is stressed because he is in such a small tank. I just measured my step-dad's 30 gallon FW, and it's 30" long, and 12" wide. Not much room for an octo that's around 18" total length, not to mention not having a skimmer. I alsodon't see how you can go out and buy a new tank and expect that to be successful. Takes 3 months to cycle an octo tank. That's about 2 months and 28 days you don't have.

i love how your accusing me of doing things the wrong way..
basically what my point was...i dont spend my own money b/c i have my dads money and im not some spoiled brat kid...
and my animals certainly dont suffer!
and like i said before my tank has been running for around 5 months
the actual "cycling" doesnt last that long... the cycling lasts about a week... maturation is wat you get by waiting months...and i had an eel and a cherub angel before the octopus... they were moved out the day before...
aslo as i said before im not new at this therefor i dont rush things to quickly
also monty is right and i can spend as much as i need for the octopus (which was something i was trying to say in my first post concerning money)

I honestly don't see what can be done. It seems to me that he is stressed because he is in such a small tank. I just measured my step-dad's 30 gallon FW, and it's 30" long, and 12" wide. Not much room for an octo that's around 18" total length, not to mention not having a skimmer. I alsodon't see how you can go out and buy a new tank and expect that to be successful. Takes 3 months to cycle an octo tank. That's about 2 months and 28 days you don't have.
LOL!! cycling an octopus tank
its the same thing as cycling a normal tank!
lolololol plus i would use only cured rock.....
its not like the cycling lasts for 3 months anyway.. wat happens in that 3 months? can u explain it to me, why those 2 months are needed? As long as im using LR that is able to sustain a high bioload (its used to being in a high bioload tank.. therefore more bacteria.)
besides keeping the tank stable.. but i would be using all cured LR

Just because you have experience with saltwater in general means nothing about your experience in keeping cephalopods. If your octopus' arms are curling up, and everyone is telling you that it's a sign of stress, that is a pretty good indicator that it's suffering.


i dont spend my own money b/c i have my dads money and im not some spoiled brat kid...


Wow, love that line.

Bottom line is, there are a few things missing in your tank setup. I suggest you get these things ASAP. If you wanna get technical, then fine. The MATURING process is what takes 3 months. You could use a spell check yourself there bud.

Doesn't make a difference what kind of live rock you're using. The bacteria has to colonize your filter, glass, sandbed, other rocks, etc.

yes, i know that^ but i would try and outway that with amount of water, cured LR, and a protein skimmer
as of right now.. we know my water is fine
im not denying that my octopus is stressed... i believe that b.c i am being told it by people with experience...
also i use LR as my main filtration.. the other stuff is mostly just to airate the water.. and yes sorry im not spell checking.. i dont really care if its wrong on a website..as long as people can read it... im fine....
aslo is my octopus suffering because i dont have a protein skimmer? not neccesarily... for all we know he could be 11 months old.. the tank could be to hot... he might not like the rock arrangement.. its not just "you dont have a protein skimmer.. go get one"

NOW,
does anyone have a clue as to wat the problem could be?
based on my water quality and anything else i may have said that might stick you in the eye..

I also said tank size, which you are completely ignoring...

oh, sorry
i wasn ignoring that on purpose..
yes my tank is a little small but im not the only one has tanks of this size.. i looked at the page where it says all the ceph. tanks of people on here and info about them.... there are also other people who have 30g's
also he isnt acting cramped..how could something be cramped if it isnt utilizing the space its given.... he doesnt come out.. AT ALL.. i checked on him at 1:30 in the morning thinking maybe he is more secrative and is nocturnal.. nope..he was still in his den.. sitting there....

Maybe he isn't coming out because he feels closed in, and doesn't know why someone put invisible walls around him. If you will look closer in the tank owners database, most of those tanks don't even hold octopuses yet. Some of them aren't even designed for octos. And the ones that do have octos in them, most likely arent 18+ inches. If everyone else jumped off a bridge...well, you know that one ;)

lol, i can switch him into a 75g. that i have sitting in the garage... but i dont think that will do to much except stress him (the move into another new environment)

Hmm...I would leave him for maybe a day or two, and if he improves, then move him into the larger tank (and get a skimmer! ;)). JMO though.

ok^
anyone else have a different opinion or is this pretty much what i should do??

Hi Fishfreak,

Sorry that you are still having problems with your octopus. I would do another water change, buy a protein skimmer and leave your octopus be for now. Secretive behavior sometimes means it is building a den and it may be old age. Good luck, I know you are trying to save this animal.

thank you cuttlegirl
i am going to get a skimmer and i will do another water change.... also i will keep trying with the feedings......

i was going to say the same get yourself a skimmer, but first do you 10% water change everyday for the next 5 days, try and get as much ammonia detrus etc. out of the tank. dont disturb the rock in your tank our you may create a mini cycle and will have to start all over again, very well maybe that you have an old ceph and if its lived all its life in the ocean it may not be able to adapt to living in such a small enviroment( hence the stress) thats why we advocate CB ceph's over WC good luck! and keep us posted.

I would like to emphasize the need for new octopus keepers to read the Octopus Care articles written up by Tonmo staff members.
The information contained in them is gleaned from decades of experience, and when followed, results in a happy and healthy octopus.

If you are thinking of keeping cephalopods, realize that you are in for a sizeable investment, both in time and money, before you place an animal in what is not a good environment. Bad environments lead to stress, lack of feeding, and of course...death.

Here at Tonmo, we try to get people to take the very best care of their cephalopods as is possible. Now and again, someone will post that they have a "new" way of keeping cephs that isn't so difficult, or isn't so expensive, yaddah-yaddah. The truth is, that is how people used to keep octopus and cuttlefish in aquaria...nothing new at all, and time has proved each and every one of them wrong.

Case in point: Octopus not feeding and stressed. No protein skimmer? Hmmmm. While some hobbyist's say that skimmers are not necessary, I find that within a year or so, they all have purchased one...simply because they work. They help keep the water within the necessary parameters. Ceph tanks require them at the hobbyist level. Perhaps institution tanks don't, as they have constant flow systems...this is not true of a 55 gallon tank that gets a bimonthly water change.

Please don't feel that I am attacking new octopus keepers in any way...new ideas are what keeps the hobby going. But, I am a very loud supporter of captive animal husbandry and ethics, and believe that their needs should dictate how they are maintained in our little boxes of water.

Fishfreak, I hope that your octopus pulls through...but please read the mentioned articles, they were written by people who started out just like you, and over the years boiled down the necessary information needed to maintain cephalopods in a captive environment.

best,

Greg

i have read the articles on this forum..
the water quality isnt that bad! 0's on everything except nitrate which is between 5-10ppm
so i really dont think that is the problem.... i have even heard that they can tolerate it..... not saying its good for them and i will strive to get that down to 0... but i dont think that, that could be making him this stressed...

I'm usually a pretty direct person but I've been passing on the opportunity to put in my 2 cents in this thread since I'm a new octo keeper and lack the experience to feel like I have the right to give advice.

You're asking for advice from experienced people. You have been given advice by experienced people. For the sake of the living creature that you are now responsible for, take the advice and quit making up excuses to avoid it. Good luck.

im not trying to avoid it.. i understand that i should have a skimmer.. but i honestly DONT think that, that is why my octopus is so stressed
5ppm of nitrates isnt horrible....
for all we know it could be the way he was caught or stress from getting shipped or something (albeit a little late for him to stress so much now...) maybe he doesnt like the tank layout? i honestly dont know... IS it the 5ppm nitrates?

im not trying to avoid it.. i understand that i should have a skimmer.. but i honestly DONT think that, that is why my octopus is so stressed
5ppm of nitrates isnt horrible....
for all we know it could be the way he was caught or stress from getting shipped or something (albeit a little late for him to stress so much now...) maybe he doesnt like the tank layout? i honestly dont know... IS it the 5ppm nitrates?

Keep doing water changes to bring down the nitrates. While it has been said that octopus can tolerate nitrates, it does actually stress the animal. Protein skimmers remove oils and proteins from the water that other filtration does not. At this point, I would still recommend a protein skimmer.

10 % water changes EVERYDAY for the next 5 days get the levels to ZERO you MUST have pristine water conditions, however he is still alive i take it? what is the behavior today? is he he taking food? is his tentacles still curld? is he digging a den? stuck to the glass in a corner of the tank? give some info on his behavior

Yeah, give us a general update, and if you can, shoot a quick movie showing his behavior, or take some pics.

Well,
he is just sitting on the sandbed against the glass doing nothing... and sometimes he will move to the back of a large rock.. no eating... he pushes the food out of his den... His tenticles are not as badly curled up...but still curled up.. not much moviment besides breathing... maybe moving to a different spot every few hours.... he never comes out....
WC tomorow!

have you offerd him LIVE food? or are still tryin to give him frozen? remember he is a preditor( sorry about the mispekkings i just woke up)

I live in fla and i can send you all kinds of live crabs,snails,and shrimp to feed your octo.
Contact me
Danthemarineman

What's your tank temperature? Have we identified what species you have?

Nancy

Nope.. no Id yet..
i have tried Live food...(Ghost Shrimp)
thank you Danthemarineman, as of right now i dont need any but thank you very much for the offer.....
themps are 78.6 (i know a little warm.. should I try getting this down?)

I hope you mean live saltwater shrimp and not the freshwater ghost shrimp you can get at the local fish store. My octo wont eat the freshwater shrimp. You live in fla, try a local baite shop.
good luck

I hope you mean live saltwater shrimp and not the freshwater ghost shrimp you can get at the local fish store. My octo wont eat the freshwater shrimp. You live in fla, try a local baite shop.
good luck

Also, freshwater shrimps (and crayfish and whatnot) don't have the proper nutritional balance for a healthy long-term food for a ceph, although they're OK as an "occasional treat."

lol.. i know that they dont have the proper nutrition.....first i used the FW kind... then
i used a peppermint shrimp.. and he is still in there... i thought i saw an egg sack but i cant really see back there...the pep shirmp is RIGHT infront of the octopus...

do you have the ability to post up pix?? if so can you please :)

pics of what? the octopus? There is pics on this thread... if those dont suffice please let me know what you want pics of and i'll try and get them.....
the egg sack lol that was his arm BTW lol.. i was looking through a coral skeleton and i thought it was maybe some eggs... whoops..
anyway he STILL hasnt eaten the peppermint shrimp and the Nitrates are down to 5ppm

Ok,

More water changes please... Did you get a skimmer yet? Have you offered hermit crabs? Is the octopus spending most of its time inside a den? Good luck.

the ocotpus is spending literally ALL of his time in his den... i took my skimmer off of my Seahorse Tank and hooked it up to this tank...
hermit crabs have been in the tank since Day 1... I think he is to big to notice hermit's.....

ok i found the pix that you posted earlier it looks to me like you have a healthy happy octo, perhaps 0.bimac, find him some live crabs or hermits and get that skimmer on your tank

yeehaaaaaaaaaaa posted at the same time

Thanks for getting that skimmer on the tank! My guess is that you have a female and she will be laying eggs soon. Try to get the nitrates lower and you can continue to offer a variety of foods, although she may not be interested at this stage of her life. Some octopus species do continue to take food while they are brooding eggs, so keep trying. Good luck.

he will eat when he is hungary

or she??? maybe eggs in your future

:( eggs.... i JUST got her... baby octopus.. is there an article on raising octo's??? I have read the article on keeping, breading, rearing S. Bandensis.. and there is an article on Cephbase (which is laking) about raising O. Briareus...
also.. its not an O.bimac.. it has no eyespots...

Wait, you found a baby???

no^ i thought i found eggs... but i didnt

Ok,
well from what I can see she is laying eggs..
if what i am looking at is infact an egg than it is a large egg laying species so i am deffinatly going to give raising them a try.. my guess no an ID is O. Briareus.... i'll let you guys know when i find out for sure if they are eggs or not.. in the meantime.. som raising octo info would be helpful.. so far i have read this article:
http://www.thecephalopodpage.org/rearing.php
and the article on keeping/breeding/rearing S. Bandensis which might help a little..

Two years ago we had an experiment with raising briareus hatchlings. Debbie (dbbga) kept a briareus that had eggs. She would take most of the hatchlings, letting them live in the same very large mature tank where the mother lived. She also added mysids to the tank.

Another person took 20 or so, put each one in a small cup with saltwater, a sprig of macoalgae, and always a mysid or two.

I took 6 and put them in a very mature 19-gallon tank, full of small food such as copepods and amphipods and I added mysid shrimp.

Debbie ended up having no survivors, the second person had one live for two months, and I thought I'd lost all of mine. However, after 4 months, my husband was scraping algae off the side and out came a young briareus! I was astounded - I had intended to transfer any survivor to my larger tank after a couple of months. (Little Pod, as she was called, survived only a few weeks longer - I think she was attacked by something in the tank that I never found. ) But this does prove that you can raise an octopus in a mature tank with plenty of food.

I'd also suggest giving away some of the hatchlings - maybe that will raise the changes of having some live.

Nancy