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I know this isn't good. Please help

Eagleray

Blue Ring
Registered
Joined
Sep 14, 2003
Messages
47
My husband and I have had our octo Smedley for about 2 weeks now. He is very active and adapted well to his new tank. He comes out with the lights and then goes to sleep pretty much all day. When he is out, he walks around the glass, slips through his little walk ways, hangs out on the rocks, and seems to be very happy. He is eating well, and has not shown any signs of stress. He is in a 30 gallon tank while the 55 gallon is maturing. It should be ready soon, although I don't want to stress him out by moving him, but it will be better in the long run. He has some toys, which he doesn't want (leggos) and any brain teaser we have used to feed him, he has figured out in no time.
The problem is that he has run into the sides of the tank a couple of times. I know that this is not a good sign. I have tried to look back in the archives, and I can't find anything about why he would do this. He doesn't do it constantly, but I know I read somewhere that this is not a good sign. We did a water test, and everything is where it should be. Our salinity was a little high (1.024), We do a 20% water change once a week. Can anyone help and tell us if this is a major issue and how to fix it. We don't like to see him do this. We don't want him to get hurt, and we want him to be happy. PLEASE HELP!!!
Thanks
 
First of all, 1.024 is not high salinity for an octopus. I try for 1.025 - the salinity of sea water is 1.026, and octopuses seem to prefer salinity near that of natural sea water. Some people keeping fish in salt water aquariums prefer a lower salinity because they believe it keeps their fish healthier. But that's not for us octo keepers!

As for bumping into walls, I don't know that I've encountered it connected with a specific disorder - maybe someone else can help here. I've noticed that sometimes the reflections of lights in the aquarium glass can be confusing and and could cause an octopus to bump into the glass. Does Smedley bump into the glass at specific times or in association with anything else?

I have to confess that Ollie, who is quite a big octo now, is bumping into walls on purpose as part of his routine - he jets backwards, bumps into the side wall, jets down and does a backflip, etc. He does things like this on purpose and seems to enjoy them. So far he hasn't been injured - he doesn't hit very hard. He is in a 46 gallon tank, and I don't know whether he would do this if he were in a 100 gallon tank.

Nancy
 

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