flamboyant cuttlefish

[joel_ang]

I saw what looked like a flamboyant cuttlefish in my LFS, was quite small ( ML about 3-4cm ) . It had a reasonable price and the owner says it was from Indonesia.
Do they need any special requirements? I might consider getting one

[Colin]

Hi Joe

Good find!!!

I don't know anyone who has first hand experience at keeping the flamboyant cuttlefish (Metasepia pfefferi) but that they were on sale in the West last year for $200!!! And that was for an adult with only weeks to live as it was fully grown!

So, I'd asume that they will require care similar to Zoidberg.

If the ML is 3 - 4cm then that is ideal! The species only reaches 8cm.

It is asumed that the cuttlefish is poisonous (not venemous) and that the colours are advertising this fact.

Also, this cuttle is said walk on its arms rather than swimming so much.

So good luck on it and keep us up to date, I'll try not to be too jealous! 8)

[joel_ang]

I havent actually gotten the cuttle fish, but i might try to trade it for Zoidberg :twisted: $200?!!!! :shock: , maybe the supplier here didnt realise what species it was :P It was priced just like any other cuttle (S$10-12) I'll try to get my hands on it if it is still there tomorrow.

[mikeconstable]

I believe that there is a strong discouragement to keeping this type (on Dr Woods cephalopod site) as they are difficult to maintain and also poorly understood - also too much collection may threaten their survival.

[Colin]

The big difference here is that Joe actually lives near where the cephs are located. So a species like S. bandensis or Metasepia that many people have problems with are going to get a much easier ride because the ceph hasn't had to travel to the UK or USA.

So, his chances of getting a healthy specimen are greatly incresed.

There is no actual evidence to date that the specimen is endangered but if Joe wasn't in Singapore I would strongly advise against trying to get or keeping one purely because the survivability of transported cuttles is so low in the trade.

So I totally agree with Mike's comments and with JBW's views but that Joe's circumstances are slightly different. However, it's one of the sticky bits of the hobby again.

[joel_ang]

:( Ok I failed to get it, some other guy reserved it before me, I placed an order with the owner, he'll try to get another one on friday.

[mikeconstable]

Would it be better to try getting eggs to Europe or US and hatching them? - could be temped if there was a source! ( I have hatched 3 or 4 batches of Sepia Officinalis from eggs washed up on the beach). How much more difficult would they be?

[Colin]

I dont think that apart from a warmer temperature it will be too difficult...

We need to get Joe his diving license and start him posting eggs :)

heh

[lawrence]

hi joel i'm in sg too, would like to know which LFS you saw the f-cuttle?? i just bought a common cuttle today at liquid design, still sourcing for other LFS who has nice octos and cuttles,

[joel_ang]

Hi Lawrence, seeing this is your first post, :welcome: to TONMO.com

A good place to get cuttles/octos is @ Reborn Aquarium and supplier ( don't check yellow pages, they are moving to 235 lavender rd and will reopen on wed). Before they moved, they usually would bring them about 6 cuttles in every wed, so its a good time to check.

I saw the flamboyant cuttle at Orchard Rd ( can't remember name or address :? ).

[joel_ang]

The owner says that the species he's gonna bring in on mon is a bandensis (sp?).

[Colin]

Hi Joe

there is a lot of information about bandensis in past posts, unfortunetly most of them are very negative. remember they are a dwarf with a max size of about 5cm ML so chaces are they will be adults with a very short time to live... I'd only get them if they were about 1-2cm and probably I'd get 1/2 dozen to try to breed them but you'd need at least a 100gal tank I'd think

[lawrence]

ya i use to patronise reborn but never could get really nice octi from them, is the LFS u referin to in orchard (pet shop boys ) at far east?? i just got a common reef octi today from a LFS in hong leong gdns, still hopin to see if my cuttle n octi could fit in together as my tank has lots of hiding spaces for the octi

[Colin]

Don't think they'll do too well together Lawrence!
Been tried and the octo ate the cuttle! :(

You able to post some pics of your octopus?

PS i removed 2 of the posts that you duplicated :)

[joel_ang]

So, are the two getting along?

[lawrence]

crap both died, looks like its gonna be a few more mths wait til i find some more octi or cuttle

[o.vulgaris]

looks like its gonna be a few more mths wait til i find some more octi or cuttle
:?: few more month's?

[lawrence]

ya aint easy gettin octi here in s'pore

[joel_ang]

Not easy?!! :?: :!:

[joel_ang]

Well, check reborn(you do know its moved rite?) on wednesdays after 6pm, they should have plenty of octos

[o.vulgaris]

ya aint easy gettin octi here in s'pore
singapore???

[joel_ang]

yes....see the location?

[o.vulgaris]

yeah, I see it lol, so you got another ceph then??

[joel_ang]

Yes I do ,I have a nocturnal species of octopus living with my bandensis

[Sleepingfingers]

Hi Joe


It is asumed that the cuttlefish is poisonous (not venemous) and that the colours are advertising this fact.

8)

Its muscle tissue is certainly poisonous. It however poses no threat unless ingested. I don't believe that anyone has died from these little buggers.

[monty]

Its muscle tissue is certainly poisonous. It however poses no threat unless ingested. I don't believe that anyone has died from these little buggers.

:welcome: to TONMO, but I'd very much like to know what grounds you have for making a sweeping statement like this. The first I've heard of any research on the potential toxicity is on the Nova TV show this week, as far as I can tell, this is otherwise unpublished research. Can you cite a study that shows that there have been cases of Metasepia biting humans that have not caused any problems?

I don't mean to be harsh, but this is your first post on TONMO, and people do come here to find out information about these animals, possibly because they are interacting with them. If someone has bought a flamboyant cuttlefish in a fish store, I think it's very important that they get accurate information on the possible lethality of the animal.

If you have inside knowledge of the details of the toxicity of metasepia, please share; I already put my foot in my mouth a bit on this topic in another thread because of the Nova show that reported this in a vague and confusing way, and just went back, re-watched it, took notes, tried searching in google and google scholar, in an effort to find solid answers about this. However, if you don't have hard evidence to back up your claims, please do not claim to have the absolute truth on topics that could result in someone being killed.

Thanks, and I don't mean to be unfriendly, just to make sure that we err on the side of caution in areas that may be life-or-death.

[DWhatley]

Monty,

I am glad you mentioned the Nova thing and what you found (or didn't find). I was dumbfounded when they said it had an unknown, lethal toxin and felt that they implied ingestion but couldn't find anything online either.

[magikceph]

i dont know if you know but a recent study has shown the flambouyant cuttlefish to be poisonous. its skin and bite are poisonous so don't be touching it, or playing eat the human. just to let ya know.

[Thales]

Do you have a link to the study? No one can seem to find anything but the Nova show mentioning the toxicity of the flamboyant flesh. If you could link us to the study, you would be a hero.

[Michael Roth]

If you could link us to the study, you would be a hero.

I tried to be the hero, but after much reading, its all speculative.

[Thales]

I think we all tried to be heros! :grin:
The only thing I can find referenced is the Nova program.

[Michael Roth]

The Nova program, 4 pages of speculation, and a couple on how they communicate. So here's a thought... someone get hold of a respirator, and get bit!


Just kidding. It would be a quick way to solve it though :>