[Octopus]: Ripley - Abdopus sp My 'cephalopodic' journey-a beginner's progressive notes

[KD5054]

Update:
I have ordered some larger and longer life rock (which I was recommended by a fellow salt water enthusiast) to help get more height and more hiding places I can set up. I also have a couple large shells I am going to add to the tank for hiding holes. I am also planning and looking into the purple barnacles-just haven't made my mind on which one I like best.

I am starting to have trouble with my salinity (or to be frank-still battling this). My tank keeps wanting to run high. Not sure yet if this is a small tank issue, a new tank issue, or a typical tank battle.
Currently I have taken out 2 gallons today and yesterday and added pure RO water. My levels are reading at 1.026. I believe my goal is to get it around 1.023? My plan is to continue taking out 2 gal. each day until I can get it back to its target level.

Any tips?

 

[DWhatley]

1.026 is perfect for an octopus and is considered full saltwater. Often fish only tanks will keep tanks lower to minimize problems with parasites but inverts and corals need full salt.

If you are replacing your saltwater with saltwater and topping off with fresh (distilled or RO/DI water) you should not be seeing a change in salinity, particularly not a rise. It is possible to see a decline if you have salt creep. You will see a rise during evaporation but replenishing with freshwater should resolve this (be sure you test AFTER the new water has had a chance to circulate (next day).

 

[KD5054]

Oh great! Then I have it right where it should be. I am not exactly why it was reading so high-a little unsettling as I was using premixed salt water and then only adding distilled water. I do know at one point I was not adding enough of the RO water and it seemed almost from that point that it had trouble.
I am hoping it will settle now and I will be able to keep it where it should be.

 

[KD5054]

Here are some updated photos of the tank. I ordered some rock called 'life rock' that will turn into a form of live rock after about a month in the tank (so I read) and it is man made into shapes. Making it so I can hopefully make lots of hiding spots but still be able to see some of my octopus is the thought.

I do have a toadstool in front that is small and I know it will eventually get big so I know I need to keep some room for it. But how about the layout-tips?

I also added a larger shell in there that is large enough to maybe use as a home.

I also just ordered a 3-5 in purple barnacle for the tank.

 

[DWhatley]

I can't be much help with esthetic layout advice as I think my tanks get rearranged with each new animal . What you do want to strive for is stability so that the rocks do not fall when the octopus wanders over and under and inspects cracks for food.

 

[KD5054]

Yeah-lucky for me I have plenty of time to play around with it to get it to look the best and be the perfect safe home for my future many armed friend.

 

[KD5054]

What a crazy weekend!-my tank suddenly started overheating itself. The only thing I can think of to cause it, as the weather has been cooler then many of the other days where it stayed the same, is that there is something up with my heater. I had it set to 72 but it kept heating. I put an internal heater into the tank to double check my level and while that read in the 80s the heater was thinking it was 76. All day Saturday it was adding ice and a quick partial water change to try and cool things off. Which in turn also caused my salinity to go crazy due to all the evaporation. My poor mushrooms. Luckily a few of them fared alright but at least two of them turned inside out, luckily I caught it soon enough so they were only like that for a few second to a minute at the most. Now I am trying to baby everything back to being happy. My poor coral. I have the heater off and currently my temperature is at 75. I am trying to get it down and back to the 72 range. The salinity is 1.023. I am going to try and take it easy before I change that too fast either as everyone already is stressed out, me included. -_-
Snails and the single hermit crab all seem to be doing fine. Glad to be taking this task of salt water learning slow. Would have felt terrible if I lost any life.

 

[DWhatley]

Heaters can be a problem if the water gets too low, if the temperature sensing probe (sometimes external to the heater) is out of the water or if the heater is defective. If either of the first two cases don't fit, replace it. I unplug my heaters in the summer.

 

[KD5054]

Heaters can be a problem if the water gets too low, if the temperature sensing probe (sometimes external to the heater) is out of the water or if the heater is defective. If either of the first two cases don't fit, replace it. I unplug my heaters in the summer.

Neither one-so yep, looking to replace it.

What is a good basis for me to vaguely go by in knowing external weather wise around the year of when to have a heater on and when not? I am used to the freshwater side of this but not the saltwater aspect.

 

[DWhatley]

I don't plug my heaters in until the room temperature will be below my desired low for more than 1/2 hour (then I leave them plugged in for the winter). For a desired temp of 72 you may not need one at all (depending upon where you set your AC/Heat).

 

[KD5054]

So far everything seems to be recovering. But I am going to see about changing one of the pumping systems to make it easier to get into the tank and for it to pump smoother. I have been working with one of my local hobbyist to figure out the best way to succeed here.
Some other updates: I did find and join a local coral club which is exciting! One of the members even saved aside a sinularia finger leather for my tank.

 

[KD5054]

Someone directed me to this cave Rock for sale- will this be a good addition for an octopus tank? It weighs about 10 lbs.

 

[DWhatley]

It does look interesting but check the dimensions (length, width AND height) to be sure it will fit in your tank.

 

[KD5054]

I will check the sizing. What I heard was that is should be able to fit in my tank. But will double check.
Another quick question-can you have live barnacles in with octopus? Someone saw my shell of one for them and offered me one.

 

[DWhatley]

I don't know how well the barnacles would do in the tank (I wanted to try some of the giants several years ago but they died in shipping). Since you don't have much to worry about if you get an ammonia spike if they die, you could try them at this point. I would not experiment with an octo in the tank just for the concern of a mass die off.