Bimac Availability

**tjohnson** · Oct 01, '08, 6:26pm

The thread all seem to be out of date, does anyone have a source for baby bimacs, bimac eggs, or wild adult bimacs...

Any divers able to harvest eggs? I know the perfect spot in San Diego... were Octopets got their wild caughts from, the lagoon is packed with octos, cause the babys only had to make a 20 foot crawl to the water, which happened daily I was told.

**Nancy** · Oct 01, '08, 7:44pm

As far as I know, no one is breeding bimacs right now and making them available to hobbyists.

Several Tonmo members have found them in tidepools along the shore of Southern California. It's also possible that some of the California LFSs carry bimacs, but we have no report right now.

In the past, Octopets and later Zyan Silver had bimacs for sale, and we're hoping we see a supply again sometime.

In the meanwhile, there are several other species available, such as A. aculeatus, O. mercatoris, and one we've tentatively identified as hummelincki.

Nancy

**Keith** · Oct 03, '08, 2:12am

I heard about Octopets and tried to check out the site. Couldn't find it. Is it not up anymore?

**Animal Mother** · Oct 03, '08, 10:42am

Not for quite some time now unfortunately.

**tjohnson** · Oct 03, '08, 6:32pm

Yes Octopets has been closed for a long time, now they just supply shellfish to local restaurants.

My friend was fishing in the same lagoon this weekend and told me he saw a full grown bimac within arms length from him... I told him next time that happens grab it!

**SanClementeEric** · Dec 04, '08, 4:18pm

http://store.fishsupplyunderwater.co...ttle-fish.html

**SanClementeEric** · Dec 04, '08, 4:37pm

So... I bet it was the regulations on bimacs (that was added with the help of "longtime TONMO friend Eric Hochberg") that put Octopets out of business then.... Right?

**monty** · Dec 04, '08, 5:01pm

Originally Posted by SanClementeEric

So... I bet it was the regulations on bimacs (that was added with the help of "longtime TONMO friend Eric Hochberg") that put Octopets out of business then.... Right?

I'm not sure we know the details, but my understanding was that it was a combination that octopets was never profitable and that the main person running it decided to quit. Since octopets already had a breeding stock, I don't believe that they had any need to take further wild animals.

I think Nancy knew a bit more at some point, although my recollection is that the main octopets contact pretty much "moved and left no forwarding address."

**SanClementeEric** · Dec 04, '08, 5:06pm

Bummer either way.

**Nancy** · Dec 04, '08, 5:21pm

A couple of comments -

Note that Fish Supply no longer ships. You can buy in the store only. A number of Tonmo bimacs originally came from there, including my Ollie.

I iinvestigated the demise of Octopets. It was not run in a profitable manner - I always felt he did not charge enough - just $35 for a bimac.

Then the octopuses escaped and other problems ocurred.
Finally the man running it just closed down, owing some money.

Nancy

**SanClementeEric** · Dec 05, '08, 10:02pm

Oh, yeah, well, Travis' info says he's in San Diego and Fish Supply is in Huntington Beach, so I figured it wasn't too far for him.

The demise of Octopets as you describe it sounds like a horror B-movie! LOL!