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New bimac behavior

cjbliss

Hatchling
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Oct 27, 2005
Messages
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I am new to the octopus keeping hobby and have had a tank raised octo for about a week now. I was worried because I hadn’t seen him since I let him out of the bag. I resisted all urges to rip the tank apart looking for him. This morning I found him for the first time under a tiny ledge in the front of the tank barricaded by a shield of hermit crab shells. Every time I try to come eye level with him he moves the shells around to conceal himself more. Is this normal behavior? Is there anything I can do to make him feel more comfortable in his home? I have two damsels in the tank I thought he would just eat them, but is he scared of them?
 
Certain damsels can be territorial (they are extremely aggressive against A. aculeatus in the wild), so I imagine they could bug your bimac as well. The hiding behavior you're seeing is interesting, but not unusual. Normally octos have a cavernous den to sink into. When that's not available, or they're caught out in the open, octos often try to hide under or behind nearby debris by pulling it near/over them. Does the bimac have a cave, tube or other shelter it can call its own? That might help- especially if it's new and the damsels don't get a chance to consider it theirs.
 
I stacked a bunch of tonga branch rock in the middle forming a pile with tons of dark caves and crevices. So he has a lot of places to hide. Should I try to take the damsels out? Does it usually take a long time before they get comfortable and start moving about in the tank?
 
I would remove the damsels. We've had many examples before with people putting their baby bimacs in a tank with damsels. The damsels can attack the bimacs eyes and otherwise scare him. You want your little bimac to relax and feel comfortable in the tank, not worry about something going after him. That's why we recommend a species tank.

It takes a little time for them to get confident and come out more. Also, octos are individuals and have different personalities to start with - some more shy, some more outgoing. It would be normal for him to hide in a den, but be where you can see him if you look carefully.

Nancy
 
Just out of curiosity, what are you feeding it?

He has to come out sometime for food doesnt he ? ^.^;

I'll be getting a bimac in a couple months and that is my biggest concern, offering it food but he might be hiding so he wouldnt ever see the food. I want to give it clams from octopets.com for the first few weeks.... But i dont know the first thing about how to feed him clams just yet :/
 
I have about a dozen hermit crabs in the tank he seems to be enjoying them. I am getting rid of the damsels asap. do you have any suggestions on how to get them out? They are eluding the net with ease.
 
Yea they are really...really good at that as I mentioned in another post I just made lol. Best way to do it is get the rocks out, but thats not good for the octo really... Maybe you could corner them onto one side of the tank using some sort of barricade, a large piece of plastic maybe. I used a lid to one of my plastic storage bins to push them to one side of the tank one time. That seems to be the best way to do it... Get rock out of one side of the tank, move it to the opposite side and then corner them on that side without the rocks and net them out.
 
Try putting their food such as Mysis in the net. After a few days they will probably go into the net to eat the food. This trick works only a few times though, as they soon figure out that food or no food, the net is dangerous.
 
Hi Squall,
Most people don't have too much trouble feeding their baby bimacs. You can place three clams in a little plastic jar lid. THat way they can't bury themselves in the sand.

Nancy
 

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