• Looking to buy a cephalopod? Check out Tomh's Cephs Forum, and this post in particular shares important info about our policies as it relates to responsible ceph-keeping.

Ceph Newbie questions

gzitro

Hatchling
Registered
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
2
Howdy from Texas,
Just Kidding we don't all speak that way.
To the point. I am an intermediate saltwater hobbyist. I currently have a 110 gallon reef tank and have just acquired a 75 gallon tank from a fellow club member. It is drilled but has no overflow presently.
I thought of making this a FOWLR tank but, I have been bitten by the Ceph bug again. I first attempted to keep an octo in college with some success but, after a couple of semesters or so it passed away. I do not know which type it was only that it was sold to mE as an atlantic pygmy octo. Which took forever to get from the LFS.

I was thinking of making a calfo style overflow with careful attention to escape routes but, my questions start with:
* what type of waterflow should I plan for,
*Is there a benefit in running a fuge on the system
* is southdown an acceptable substrate with maybe so carib sea floor or puka shells.

I already have plenty of live rock which I can transplant to the tank from my 110 so that is not a concern.

Finally in acquiring the animal if it is a bad idea to have more than one why does octopets have the option to sell them in groups of two or three. If that is the case why couldn't I partition my tank in half and buy two. Would I have a chance at successfully mating the specimens?
I am sure that this is pretty difficult but, I just had to pose the question. Thanks! Plenty more question will follow. :confused:
 
Howdy from Texas, too,
and welcome to TONMO.com :welcome:

You did very well to keep an octo for a couple of semesters - they don't have long lifespans - 10 months is the longest anyone we know has kept a bimac in captivity.

Octopets sells to research organizations and public aquariums as well as to individuals. Their multiple offerings are probably not for individuals - it hasn't turned out well when people try to put two together. You could divide the tank, but then they'd be seeing each other all the time. One is really the best way to go.

I've looked into Aragonite substrates and determined with the Carib Sea people that Aragamax (VERY fine), Fiji Pink and Special Grade Reef sand would be good for an octo, with no sharp edges. Most people consider Aragamax too fine,since it's almos like mud. If you choose this, better get the live sand version since you don't have to wash it.
Southdown seems to be popular with reef aquarium keepers but I don't know whether anyone has tried it for octopuses.

Anyway, that's a start on your questions. Have a look at the Journals and Photos forum, several people have new baby bimcas.

Nancy
 
Newbie Questions

Thanks for the response!

So how about the flow rate in the tank. Does it make a difference? Also I guess from the posts I have seen a fuge does make a difference since pods and other critters are beneficial for the octo. Is this assumption correct? Last question can I get some suggestions on how some people have made thier internal overflows escape proof.
 

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