Hope

[DWhatley]

I use only Koralias to move water with my octos (not in the 15 gallon merc tank). Puddles had a small ding on one of her arms once and the only thing I could think of was the Koralia and there have been a couple of other nicks and one arm tip that may have been attributed to them so we are still learning and experiementing but they seem to be safer than other uncovered water moving pumps. I have seen my octos play with the water flow from them and KaySoh used one to help her shed suckers but they are still a use with caution piece of hardware, especially for the smaller octos (Puddles was about the size of a mercatoris but with very long arms).

 

[snowmaker]

I have covered the Koralia grills with a thin (worn out) felt filter bag w/ hole cut in base the size for the Koralia's output. At times, the cuttlefish like to set right on top of it. I think this mod made the pump virtually harmless.
When turned off for a water change or to clean, I have to remember to check inside it in case one decides to go in there while it's off.

 

[Jocephus]

Tried a crayfish the other night (ran out of fiddlers) he took it very quickly. I may try another tomorrow to last us until the crabs get in on monday.

 

[DWhatley]

From everything I can find crayfish seem to be an appropriate additional choice for live food (added to crabs but not sure about in place of) and I would like to add them to my routine but I can't seem to find them locally. You would think it would be easy living on a lake that has lots of fishermen but "stripers" (bass) are the game fish here and they like good sized live fish. I keep looking for someone near by that stocks them but have had no luck (except the time I walked into a bait shop and the guys in the backroom said crayfish loud enough for me to go running back there and acquire the two hitch hikers that they were feeding to the bait fish - talk about senedipity!). They are likely in every creek around but I have yet to find a kid I can con into getting me some. If I have any success with the briareus, I may write to the one on-line supplier I found (that will ship a small count at a reasonable price just for the purpose of feeders) to see about getting some with eggs but for now, Kooah is taking only dead shrimp.

 

[SabrinaR]

If you want... I live in the Houston area and there are literally TONS of crawfish out here. They sometimes carry them in the grocery store still kicking. If you want I could look around and pick some up then mail them to you. Also if there are a few people interested I can buy 10 to 20 lbs for a good price and ship them. Most crawfish sources, not the grocers, only sell large ish amounts.

Let me know if you are interested. I dont know what shipping would be but we could find out.

 

[DWhatley]

I WILL be interested in trying something later in the year if I cannot find them as the summer progresses. However, at this moment, I have no octopuses that will eat them. If Kooah's eggs hatch I will be looking for just about anything with live eggs but I think I am still some weeks away from having any little hatchlings. If none survive, then I will PM you to see if the offer still stands as I cannot imagine I will go very long with no octopuses in the house.

 

[Nancy]

Actually, a good source for live crawfish around here is the Mexican grocery stores.

Seafood stores carry crawfish, but they tend to be as big as small lobsters.
Make sure you buy the females, with small claws. Offer them as treats, not in place of what you normally feed.

Nancy

 

[DWhatley]

I just talked to Paul Sachs about trying to find hatchling food ideas and discovered that at the very bottom of the Freshwater invert page is a very reasonable listing for crayfish

 

[Jocephus]

My LFS gave me a bunch (five or six) of camelback shrimp, so I threw them in with Hope. Seems to have REALLY freaked him out, do you think he just needs some adjustment to not being the only animal in the tank? Or is the intimidation going to keep him from eating them? He inked for the first time tonight when I turned the lights out. I'm a bit worried.

Joe

 

[DWhatley]

I have seen peppermint shrimp intimidate a briareus and I know when there are a group of them they can be vicious to small fish. I am not familiar with the camel backs so I would watch them to be sure they don't gange up on Hope but otherwise, like the peps they will either learn to stay away or get eaten (the octos don't seem to stay intimidated long). Most of my peppermints have out survived the octos and learn to stay out of reach. There are three in with Kooah and I need to move them soon (not a fun thing to do) I think as they will attack the hatchlings.

 

[Jocephus]

Hope has not eaten in a few days, and today I thought I saw some corkscrewing of his arms. I hope that I am just being paranoid.

 

[SabrinaR]

I hope so too. Good luck.

 

[Jocephus]

R.I.P.

R.I.P. Hope.

I went to check on him this A.M. and he was under his rock, white. Must have passed in the night. One day short of the two-month mark. This has been an amazing experience, I don't know if I will get another. Thank you all, for your encouragement and advice.

Joe

 

[CaptFish]

RIP

 

[kpage]

I'm sorry, it never gets easier. That's the thing about ceph keeping. Don't say you might not get another one just yet, give yourself sometime. I said that last time and here I am, back on hunt looking for another one