Journal octopus (Soul)

The condylactis is one of the lower sting anemones but I don't know if they are as common in Indonesia as the are in the Caribbean and have never kept an octo with anemones.

Without live rock your system is way under filtered for an octopus and to add rock you will need to cure it outside the tank. You will need to do large weekly water changes while you consider how to add filtration. Be sure you stir the bottom substrate well so that it does not harbor heavy nitrates and gas pockets. You also need to consider where your octo can make a den. Hopefully your rocks have a denning area (and possibly one or both boats?) They need a protected place to hide and sleep.

The top left lava rock appears to be a little less stable than would be wise for an octopus so I would consider rearranging the rock pile to both give a den and to make it available for the octo to climb (adding more rocks would be a good idea).

Do you have a top on the tank? Aculeatus is less likely to climb out of a tank than many other species but a full cover is still very necessary.
 
OctopusBoy,

You mentioned being able to give your maroon clown to your LFS. Can you trade in the anemones, too, and possibly trade them for some Texas Holey rock or similar rock? The other animals pose enough threat to an octo to stress it out in the least and possibly be harmful. Something like the Texas Holey rock can be added without importing more unknown critters and give natural den sites.
 
I also forgot to mention that the starfish you have is not a brittle star. Some of the larger stars MAY be a problem. If it is a Bahama star (as I suspect) there is circumstantial evidence that they may trap octos in their dens. The concern is based upon a single incident but is a concern.
 
Are you sure it said brittle star fish at petco and it does look like one... hmmm maybe tomarow before the octo comes i will trade the anemone's back all take some more pics of the starfish just to be sure
 
Just so we are on the same page, we are talking about the seastar (starfish) in the upper right hand corner, right? THAT does not even slightly resemble a brittle or a serpent star. We have so many common names that are used for so many very different species that it gets very confusing and more often than not chain stores have the wrong names. I looked in my inverts photo collection and find serpents but no pictures of a brittle. I know I have a video of Pesky (red brittle) but let me look again for a still in KaySoh or SueNami's collections. Well, shoot, I have thorneys and serpents but no brittles but here is a Google photo link to what a brittle looks like. A serpent star looks similar but without the "hair". Both are octo safe with the possible exception of the green brittle (and I am surprised I don't have a photo of Mr. Green Jeans, he is my oldest critter and now has to be kept in his own tank). Here are some photos of Bahama starfish (note the thickness of the body and how the arms join the central disk) and here is an Atlantic Common Star (also octo safe but may star in the tank). Perhaps you could trade the star for one that we know is octo safe? Another option would be a thorny (my favorite for an octo tank). Some are bright orange and they are diurnal (stay out during the day) where the serpents and brittles are mostl nocturnal (except at feeding time).

Shame to give up the condy but it would be much worse to loose the octo to it either from sting or directly though capture (not sure a condy could/would do either but I just would not risk it, the aculeatus are not as robust as any of the others and give the impression of being almost dainty in comparison). We will just have to infect you with MTS (Multi-Tank-Syndrome) once you get rolling so you too can have an anemone tank on the side :sagrin: Mine is a 4' tall x 16" dia hex that is a pill to clean but one of my favorites.:wink:
 
:oops:All that work for nothing :wink:. Sounds like you are getting a handle on everything. Albeit in a bit of a hurry but getting there on time none the less.:biggrin2:
 
Day 2

I received my octopus today he came in a plastic bag i noticed that the water was at 60 degrees so i quickly put him in my tank for 15min while i started making a bucket with tank water. 15min went bye i cut open a little slit the size of a nickle let some air in there i turned my head for only 20 sec looked back soul was in my tank swimming around like a squid i freaked out ran to my kitchen and got out a plastic container and scooped him up he was breathing hard i emptied the water and put him in the bucket and quickly put the bag water in it he did not ink but had heavy breathing at first luckily d helped guide me through this scary experience soul was fine i got him into the plastic container after an hour and thirty minutes and let him in my tank at first he just swam around hitting walls but then he glided to the bottom he quickly hide in my sunken ship (world war 2 airship) and hide 20min later he came out of his den and went exploring he came across my maroon clown fish (yes i know i was going to return him but pet-co refuses to return any live salt water creatures) so the fish and the octo met they did not fight just serounded each other i noticed the octopus transform into a ball with a spike on his back head then he ran away back into his ship this was the last time i saw him i put some shrimp infront of his den but i think my starfish is eating it now :o
 
Day 3 did not see him so i decided to turn off the lights an hour early and i put shrimp in front of his den 5min later it was gone found soul going through things so i watched him for 3min i moved my leg to fast and he inked i was not fast anough to catch it it went away in 5sec was not that big i got a tiny bit of it i noticed his color was black and brown and it changed to brown after he was done being scared i can barely see him only with my monitor light i can get a glimpse hopefully we can gain trust in each other soon
 
Just remember that because you don't have a skimmer (yet :wink:), the carbon will foul more easily with ink so changing it out anytime there is inking is prudent.
 
i tried but he moves to quick i got to touch him last night and he likes to hold this floating toy i got him he seems to stay at the top of the tank at night watching my monitor screen all try to day
 

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