[Cuttlefish]: Hey everyone, new here..

Matt8431

Cuttlefish
Registered
Joined
Aug 25, 2018
Messages
15
Location
Clearwater, Florida
Hey everyone,
I’ve used this site for awhile but this is my first time posting.
Today I got a new octopus and 2 juvenile cuttlefish.
I was told that the octopus was a brown Pacific Octopus? (I’ve had 2 octos before but not this kind) it’s about the size of a half dollar and the cuttlefish are the size of a pencil eraser..

I have the cuttlefish in a breeder container in their own tank..

I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to keep the cuttlefish alive since they are so small? And if the octopus was big enough for small crabs?

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Octopuses are well known for taking down crabs of even mantle size but I would remove any pincers if you decide to offer them. At this size, I would offer shore shrimp newly impaled on a small stick as well ast attempting to offer eye sized pieces of table shrimp. You can also add a couple of live grass shrimp (saltwater) to its tank but don't count on those being its primary meal. As you have guessed, brown octopus has no species meaning but I can't offer a good guess. With the mantle so much fuller than the arms and the eyes also quite large, try looking at images of O. bocki as they have been showing up somewhat regularly over the last year but this guy/gal is tinier than others we have seen.

Your cuttles may be big enough to transition to shore shrimp but I would include live mysid in your feedings until you are sure they are eating the larger shrimp. You can also try to interest them in larger frozen mysid shrimp but getting them to eat dead is often a slow process.
 
Oh alright. Thanks for the help!

I made sure to grab some shrimp of all sizes yesterday for both but I haven’t seen the octopus since I put it in the tank... but I knew I wasn’t gonna see him for a little while...

How often should I cuttlefish?
 
I cuttlefish far less often than I octopus :gigas:, but I recommend feeding the cuttles at least twice a day, three if they will eat and you can manage it in your schedule. Once they are larger, once a day will work fine.
 
Oh alright.
I fed the cuttles some small gost shrimp and they both held the shrimp for quite some time, ate half then eventually spit them out..

I went to the beach by my house at low tide tonight and caught some Amphipods and extremely small crabs. Which one do you think is best to try to feed to them?

Also I still haven’t seen the octopus since I put it in the tank yesterday.... it’s never taken me this long for one to start coming out
 
From the look of it, I would say the octo is very young. IME, until an octo is about 5 months old, it hides most of the time (I've not kept this species though). Five months generally marks sexual maturity and is about the time it is more predator than prey. DO search for it WITHOUT moving things in the environment and offer food on a stick in front of its den when you can locate it.

It is great that the cuttles are catching and eating. Feel free to offer any food to see what they will eat and how much (remove uneaten dead remains). Don't be afraid to try rejected food over and over again with a week or so between attempts.
 
I never thought about how young the Octo is could make it hide more. I found his hide out. And I put gost shrimp in his tank and I can’t find it anywhere so I’m guessing he ate it?

My cuttlefish do more sleeping than anything and they don’t really explore the breeder tank but they do eat when they want too..
Is that normal?


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Update: one of the cuttles seems to really want out of the breeder net.. it keeps pushing up against the net... is there any I should do? They are still extremely small and I think they would get sucked into the filter....
 
Is he pushing against all walls or just one? If a specific wall, is it on the side near the glass? You may be presenting some kind of reflection and might try covering the glass section next to the net.
 
Are there food items (or items that he might perceive as food floating/swimming nearby?

Cuttlefish are notorious for backing into glass walls but not for charging forward.
 
Ya I keep some shrimp in the tank below.. but there’s never anything around when he does this against the wall. He doesn’t even hunt the shrimp I put in the breeder.. he will only seem to eat brine shrimp and still has a little trouble with those..
 

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