Beginner Octapus?

[Pazzoman]

Hey Everybody,

I'm pretty new here but not new to saltwater. I never had an octapus but I was always amazed by them. I'm getting a free 50 gallon corner tank, with an fx5 from a realitive. I just wanted to know what kind's of octapus species can thrive in the tank...most like it will just be the octapus and nothing else.

Thanks

 

[iAlex]

There isn't really a 'beginner' octopus. They all require the same amount of care.

 

[Mike Bauer]

The real question is What saltwater tank experience do you have and do you know what you are doing? Can you or have you ever maintained a coral tank? Avoid poisonous ones (blue ring)!

 

[DWhatley]

A species only tank is definitely recommended but you can add an interesting clean up crew and a some soft corals if you decide you would like a little color.

Staff members Nancy and Colin have written a book on keeping cephs at home that is a good cover to cover read (link also on the home page). There are also a number of getting started guidelines in our articles section and the List of Our Octopuses 20xx in the stickies at the top of the Octopus Care Forum shows the species we commonly keep with links to the journals of each octopus.

Unlike fish, vendors rarely know what species of octopus they are selling. Vendors that are collectors or receive animals from the local fishermen are more likely to know or have a better guess at the species but even this is not always the case. Target species for this sized tank without a chiller would be a medium warm water animal so you should be looking at either A. aculeatus(Indonesian) or O. hummelincki (Caribbean) when you are reading.