• 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.

Interested in buying an octopus

Guerrund

Pygmy Octopus
Registered
Joined
Jun 26, 2005
Messages
8
Hello!
I am someone interested in buying an Octopus. I have read up on them, and fully understand that they are not easy to maintain. I am up for the challege and from what i read its worth it! Few questions though..

Im trying to think of what type of octopus to buy.. any suggestions? Would like something that catchs one's eye, actually they all do, but maybe a particularly bright or intelligent one? I understand that they are all intelligent creatures.

Having more than one octopus in the tank (male/female combination or something) good or bad idea?

I see that they like to eat crabs and such, are fish okay to have? Im sure some are good and some are not.

I would welcome any information you might have, any websites for buying squids or octopi would be MORE than welcomed! Email addy is [email protected]. I would love to recieve some good links for buying an octopus or some good information about them. I don't want to get into this and later on think "what was i thinking?!". I would like to do the research in other words =)

Thank you
 
:welcome: to Tonmo!!! Be sure to read the Ceph care articles by the staff, should answer most of your questions...if you have any that aren't covered, just ask !

glad you found us !

greg
 
ok, i have a few suggestions,
i would recommend a bimac,witch can be purchased at http://www.octopets.com/ they are very friendly,and a good size,thats the octo im going to get(they should be in atleast a 55 gallon)if you are more into smaller octopus,then a pygmy would be best, they can live in a 30 gallon.
im pretty new to octos and such, but i kno so much just from these boards,MAKE SURE YOU KNOW ABSOLUTLY EVERY THING YOU SHOULD KNOW, BEFORE YOU EVEN CONSIDER ADDOPTING AN OCTo
any ways bimacs are very intellgent,and are probably the best kinda octo you can get.
putting to octos toghther is not a very good idea, unless you have a large tank.
if you want more info, you should e mail nancy, shes got all the anserws :biggrin2:
 
also, i would say no to fish, and stick to clams and crabs, and shrimp, octopets offers live food,but the guppies are for cuttle fish, not octos.
hope that helps
 
Like Greg mentions, we have a lot of good information waiting you you in our Ceph Care articles (just click on the button above).

Many of our members own bimacs, which have the advantage of being tank bred. They are also intelligent and friendly and have the advantage of being day-active.

There's a Bimac Care Sheet on the Ceph Care page.

Two octos in one tank is a bad idea - we've had a number of people try it, and the results are never good.

If you don't get a bimac, you're at the mercy of the LFS. It may or may not be the octo you think you're getting.

Nancy
 
I see some saying its ok to put more than one in the same tank and then others saying not to. I saw 'large' tank if i want more than 1.. im only thinking 2 max. I think im going to get a 180 gallon tank (if your gonna get an octopus might as well do it right and get a big tank from what ive heard). Think 180 gallons would be enough for 2? Im not dead set on the idea just want to have a possability of them having babys (even though i know its hard to identify male and female)

Also, when the octopus dies and lays its eggs... I heard from a friend that the new baby octopus that come out of the eggs eat the mother.. is that true? or will i need to flush it? (j/k little fish humor). Ive been reading all of the stuff you all have sent me.. thanks! I think that with the exception of a few things, i should know what to expect.
 
ok,octos die cause they starve themselves after laying there eggs, its also very hard to hatch the eggs, so by breeding, your gambling your octos life.
also, its hard to breed, cause octos dont do well together.
if u wish to hatch eggs(as hard as they are) go to octpets, and they sell 10 eggs together.
i would say its best to start off w/ 1 octo, thats wut im doing.
 
Okay, your right nini i should start small and then when i get the hang of it maybe try something different. When i get the money ill start making preparations and make sure i have my stuff in order. Ill start off with one Bimac. ive read through the forums and jeez everyone and their grandmother is saying to get a Bimac.. they must be something special!
 
Some of what is written below is not exactly correct and I have more info on egg laying and keeping two octos.

Octos die about the same time whether or not they lay eggs.

Octo mothers may continue eating after laying eggs - some of our Tonmo octo mothers have done this. This has kept them in better shape but hasn't extended their life for very long.

Octos are solitary creatures but do manage to breed.

We've not had a single case of the babies eating the mother. What has your friend been reading or watching?! However, they can be cannibalistic and eat each other.

Most people freeze their dead octos and do not flush them. Many have given them a burial, either in the garden or at sea.

I don't personally know of any attempt to keep two octos together that has turned out successfully - even in 200 gallon tanks. Sooner or later, one becomes a little larger and turns on the second one, killing and eating it This has happened with very young octos soon after arrival and has also happened after the two octos have been in the tank together for some months.

Nancy
 
ahh ok thank you Nancy, its great to see the moderators in the action! with your experianced help i think i know what ill be doing! Yea my friend said later that he didn't listen too well in his biology class, it shows =P. Ill stick with one when i get the funds nessicary to buy the tank and all of the nessicary equipment (overspec of coarse).

Thanks again!
 
Ollie is an Octopus bimaculoides - we sometimes refer to these octopuses as "bimacs" for short. Many people on this website have kept bimacs.

Another common name is the California Two-Spot Octopus.

Nancy
 

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