• 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.

Lot's of questions......

5 days and still not eating. I'll be going on a hermit crab search today. I am assumming that the normal small reef crabs like blue leg and scarlets are too small for an octo with nearly a 2 foot span.

A question concerning captive bred octo's. Are they already trained to accept frozen food? If this guy doesn't make it maybe I'll try a cb octo.

Spring
 
Bad news........My octopus is dieing. Upon closer observation this morning I noticed the octo didn't withdrawl when it saw me, like it had been doing. I moved a rock to get a better look and it did not move. I don't think it is totally dead yet as I saw some eye movement, but it will be in a few hours or sooner. What a bummer..... :frown: I always feel so bad when I loose one of God's creatures, but I feel like it had a better chance with me than some newby to marine life. Other than the sg being off a little, the tank parameters are very good. Who knows what it went through before it got to me. I guess I'll try again, this time with a young captive bred Bimac. I'll be sure to keep the sg at 1.025. I have had good success with seahorses which are very delicate, and see no reason why I shouldn't have the same good luck with Octopi, given a healthy animal to start.

Thanks to all for your advice,
Spring
 
So sorry to hear that. Must have been something wrong with your octopus that it wasn't eating.

The captive bred bimacs can be ordered with the food they were raised on: amphipods and baby clams. Then you can get them eating other food. Small live crabs would be good, as well as fresh seafood like scallops. They learn to eat frozen food later (usually - some will accept it right off).

Nancy
 
for all you know it was an adult dwarf that had mated.. laid eggs.. hatched eggs and was ready to die which is why it got caught!!!!

Captive bred is the way to go
 
Thanks guys. Since it was so large, I'm thinking it may have indeed already laid eggs/mated. When I removed it from the tank I noticed some tissue necrosis on the legs, that wasn't there the day before.

Concerning Bimac's, what temperature range should they be kept in? Aren't they a temperate species? I really don't want to invest hundreds in a chiller.

Spring
 
Hi Spring,
Do you use an air conditioner in summer? If so, you will be able to keep a bimac without a chiller. I kept mine at 72 degrees. Normally the tank will be above room temperature, about 74 degrees, because of the heat from the pumps, but I use a fan blowing onto the sump. They can tolerate a range of temperatues. Lower temperatures promote a longer lifespan (like 65-70 degrees).

Nancy
 
Yes Nancy, I have air conditioning, but sometimes in the hottest part of summer my tanks can reach 82 degrees. But the intense lighting is responsible for a big part of the heat. I too keep fans blowing on my tanks, which by the way are all open, no covers. Of course I couldn't leave my octo tank open. I'm thinking I'm gonna' get another tank, Probably a 54g bowfront corner tank(sure are expensive!) to set up for an octopus. I have a birthday coming up in march, I'm gonna' start hinting now! Until then, I'll keep on researching.

Spring
 
right, i think that 82 would be too hot... the big lights wouldnt be necessary in an octo tank and that will lower the temp
 
Colin is right, 82 degrees is too hot for a bimac. Try to have the water termperature no higher than 75 degrees. a bit lower if possible. Lower temperatures mean a longer lifespan.

I have a bowfront and I ended up liking it a lot. It enables you to see what's in the tank better,and to see angles that would be difficult with flat glass. Plus, it makes the landscape a bit more interesting. You do have to experiment when taking pics because of the curved glass.

Nancy
 
So, do you guys use a heater at all? What about tankmates, like brittle stars, do they handle the cooler temps ok?

I have an empty 90g tank but I really don't want a tank that big, don't have the space for it in my living room which is where all but one of my tanks are. I like having them where I can enjoy them most. We've even gotten used to the sounds of overflows gurgling as we watch TV! That empty corner is crying out for that corner bowfront tank!

Spring
 
well for a bimac i would probably need a heater cuz normal room temp here is only in the 60s and cab drop.. but im in scotland :smile:

i have had brittles... reds and greens down to the 60s
 
Room Temperature?

Colin,
Your heating is obviously not controlled by a female of the species. They seem to have metabolic economies (mine is always cold) but not financial ones!?
Admittedly we are further south than you, but I have had tropicals for the last 15+ years without tank heating.My main problems have been overheating - when the washing was drying on a radiator, and when the windows were not opened in a hot summer! (On the latter occasion I dropped a couple of 2Kg ice cubes @-20 in a marine tank to help, but only lost 0.5 degrees C :lol: )
 
Hi Mike... yes I understand... there is actually a constant small battle which revolves around the dial of the thermostat... as much of my work is outside i am used to the cold and dont need it turned up to approx 1,000,000 degrees C :smile:

Even with 2 x 150watt metal halides above my freshwater tank i still need to have additional heating, not during the summer but in winter time i can normally see the wee orange light on!

As another example my Xenopus frogs have an external thermostat which is easier than the combined aquarium type to control, and if i leave it to room temp it will sit about 66... i have them hotter than that to encourage them to breed soon.

Room temp right now at 7:30 AM is 68deg C
 

Shop Amazon

Shop Amazon
Shop Amazon; support TONMO!
Shop Amazon
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Back
Top