• 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.

Hal - O.briareus (Getting another Octo!)

Joined
Jan 19, 2011
Messages
11
Hey guys! :smile: I've been out of the octo scene for about 3 or so years ago after my first died, naturally of course. You may remember me on the forums as squall7733; and you may remember my o.bimac Calamari.

Over the last 6 months I've been preparing a new tank; but I've found myself undecided with what to put inside it ~ thus why it has been cycling for 6 months. Right now the only occupant is a small starfish that I'm sure would become food if an octopus would happen to occupy the tank.

So anyways I just wanted to say hello, and maybe ask if anyone can fill me in on any major changes within the last three years as I've been completely awol on the octo scene. I notice that the company in california that was breeding bimacs seems to have gone out of business. Where do you guys get your octos now days?

By the way, my tank is a 125G(long) that I'm now looking at octoproofing.
 
:welcome: back!

Well you have already noticed one of the biggest changes, thats the common species being kept. due to availibilty most TONMoers are keeping one of the following Briareus, Vulgaris, Hummelincki, Aculeatus, Mercatoris, and bimacs. of course we do get the occasional odd ball spoecies but these are the ones we typically see.

Due to fishery restrictions the Bimac keepers have to catch their own animals. There is no known reliable supplier of them.

Briareus and Vulgaris are coming from Florida mostly out of the keys. A reliable source for these guys is Tom's Caribbean, www.divertom.com. He has not had many this season but this is also a reliable source for mercatoris.

The other know Merc source is on ebay, He is a liverock dealer selling his hitch hikers, i am not a fan of this guy just because he sells them for too much IMO and he advices people to keep them in 5 gallon aquariums which is ridiculous.

Aculeatus are often available from Liveaqaria.com, which is a great company that has a good arrive alive policy and great customer service,

Hummelincki, these guys are a little harder to find and are not always identified very well. I got mine from my LFS, but some members have gotten them from a Florida company but I cant remember who. Ill look for it and post it.

Keep an eye on the sources for cephs thread here:
TONMO Cephalopod Community
 
Thank you! It looks like I'll probly be ordering from Tom when I'm ready in a week or so.

I've got a little research to do on Briareus and Vulgaris; hoping for a Briareus but it looks like I could end up with either if I order from Tom.

Any new trends with tank keeping, equipment, or food? I took a better look at my octos record here, looks like I've been out of the scene for five years.
 
Thanks Joe! Maybe I'll leave him in the tank then, although it does kind of make me nervous.

Doesnt look like I'll be getting a Bimac so do you think the other species might be more picky?
 
I only have bimac experience, but I think it's very likely that all octopus share the same desire to kill and eat anything that is good to eat, and that sea stars are just too bony and not worth the effort. I wouldn't hesitate to try it, unless we're talking about a $1000 sea star.
 
The only TONMO reported possible problem (that I recall) with any sea star was a possible issue with an O. hummelincki and a Bahama star. I this case the octopus was found in a den with only one way in or out and the starfish was covering the hole and consuming the octopus. It is unknown if the octopus simply died and the star was acting as clean up or if it trapped the octopus and killed it by extruding its stomach and secreting digestive chemicals.

I keep serpent stars and brittle stars in all my octo tanks. To date, I have kept O.briareus, O.hummelincki, O.mercatoris and an unknown species in the Macropus complex. I have had a few successful hatchlings with O.mercatoris and O.briareus and the stars were in the tank while the mother was brooding as well as with the small octos. I have kept "common" Caribbean stars with O.hummelincki and O.briareus (there is one in with Cassy now) an there has never been a problem. The O.hummelincki that resided in Cassy's tank cast the common out of her den while she was brooding but without malice or injury to either.
 
Good news! Ive got an octo on its way from tom! It will be here thursday morning. Should be a briareus but who knows maybe vulgaris.

Ill take lots of pictures!
 
:welcome: back!

My O. vulgaris lived with these stars also, never had problems.

I can't wait to see what you get. It's always a surprise!

Where do you live? If you live in a cold climate make sure to request insulation and heater. It has been a bad winter for shipping. We are expecting below 0 weather.
 
:welcome:I remember Calamari! Glad to see you have returned! I have always had a resident serpent star in my tank. One lived for over 10 years with many different octopuses. Anxiously awaiting arrival details!!!
 
My girlfriend gave him his name. It is officially "Hal"; because it was labeled on his shipping box.

Poor guy has a few legs missing; but he acclimated successfully and now he's hiding in the rockwork. Were going to leave him alone for a few days.

His mantle is about an inch and a half accross; he's about the same size as my Bimac was when it was full grown; so I guess he's probly halfway through his life.

We took some low quality pictures and I'll post some later today :smile:
 
He seems to have acclimated successfully. We put him in at 11:00AM and its about 7:00PM now; I caught him roaming the tank in the dark before he retreated back into the rockwork. Upon a closer look it seems as if he had a few legs chopped off, at least 3 of them are new growth legs, and one is just a stop that is begining to grow back. I wonder how that could have happened....

My acclimation pictures were pretty crappy, I'm hoping to get some better pictures soon to show you guys.
 
I have never gotten one with all arms intact. They get them bitten off while hunting. What you are seeing is perfectly normal.
Very happy you're acclimation went well. This is the most worrisome time for me. Can't wait to see photos, I am wondering what species you got.
 

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