Considering Octo species for the newbie

[Dobrzemetal]

After some serious thought, I have decided to take the plunge and become an octo owner. I've really enjoyed the information this site has provided me with and I thank you for that. However, I was wondering what would be considerd a beginner species of octo, I've read that the O. bimaculoides is one of the more common and easier species, although I do not know if I have other options. I would like a octo the size of a O. bimaculoides, I find the colors fascinating. I will continue to browse the site, but if anyone could chime in, I would be very happy with any info you can supply me with. Tank you for reading this.


-Steve

 

[Nancy]

Hi and welcome to the site!

You don't say where you're living, so I'll assume it's in the U.S.

What you need to consider is the species available. It's almost impossible to get O. bimaculoides now, because no one is breeding or collecting that species.

If you look at the Journals and Photos forum, including the current List of Our Octopuses, you'll find that most people are keeping aculeatus, hummelincki, or mercatoris. Maybe O. mercatoris is the easiest to keep, because it's a dwarf and requires the smallest tank, but it's also nocturnal. These are smaller octopuses, maybe comparable to a bimac, or a bit smaller.

If you spend some time studying how to keep an octopus, set up your tank and let it cycle for three months, you should understand a salt water aquarium well enough to keep one of these more readily available species.

Nancy

 

[Dustinh]

Nancy,

When are Mercatoris available?

 

[bluespotocto]

If you live in california you can go and catch a bimaculoides. You can find them in tide pools under rocks. I got my first octo that way.

 

[abate]

they sell o. birmaculiodes at www.reefscavengers.com (i spell badly so i probly spelled scavengers wrong if i did note that before going to that website)

 

[bluespotocto]

Its not a bimaculoides. They call it a blue spot octo. But is a hummelinke. They are pretty much the same as a bimac. Except they are tropical.