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Octo tank for fish

Wartooth

Pygmy Octopus
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Joined
Feb 12, 2004
Messages
7
I have a 100 gallon tank that is sitting empty in its box (got a really nice deal on it). As we are soon moving into a new house, I don't want to fill it yet. Would like to get an octo. for it in the future, but have a young disruptive 3 year old boy and a 100 pound nosy malamute. The old dog only has another year or so left in him. My son should mature a bit over the next 2 years. What I need to know is .... If I set up the tank at the correct salinity, gravity, pH, etc. for an octopus, what other fish can I keep in it until the time comes?

Thanks,
Richard
 
IMO - just about anything as long as you acclimate them to the higher salinity.

I just used my Red Emorer Snapper to help cycle Ochi's Tank. There are certain species that can not handle the environments. But JUST ABOUT everything your lfs sales should be fine. Research all species, but I think you will be fine with most you see. :biggrin2:

Keep in mind they have to leave the tank when your octo arrives.

Hope this helps.
 
Fish like damsels, clowns, cardinals and most things under the sun can be kept for the time being but you have to remove them when the octo comes.
 
whooaa there!!! I had the thought that all marine tanks are 1.026 on the salinity, are you sayin an octo tank is different from fish and other tanks? Please explain.

but before you do.....as i understand it 1.026 is the same as sea water and it has to be this to keep it saturated in air, or if you can over saturate like around a rocky beach were the waves are smashin an forcin loads of air in. i.e. loads of oxygen good for 3 hearts.

but am i gettin confused between salt an oxygen here? i know salt is the salinity/specific gravity in simple terms...oh dear im gettin confused its been a major long day...... :bonk:
 
Most fish tanks are kept at around 1.023-1.024 or 31-32ppt. Octos usually do better at a little higher salinity. But most marine animals can take a bit of flux as long as they are slowly acclimated to it. Natural ocean water can differ in salinity a lot depending on if there are any rivers nearby, temperature(evaporation rate), and a bunch of other variables. A lot of marine species prefer a lower salinity while young and a higher salinity when older. That's why a lot of young fish are found in estuaries or at the mouth of rivers. Lots of variables...
I'm not sure about the secound part of your question. But just so you know... salinity is measured in specific gravity (like 1.026) or parts per thousand (like 33ppt). PPT or Parts per thousand is like a fraction...
33 parts of salt per every 1000 parts of fresh water. Easy enough :wink:
feel free to quiz me if you have any other questions and I'll try to help...I work at an aquarium so I might know.
 
thats brilliant nice one!!

so basically your sayin the younger fish prefer less salty water by bein by the rivers and the older prefer saltier? hhmm thats intrestin (if ive got that right)

so i wonder why octo's prefer a higher salinity, any ideas?

p.s. i was thinkin oxygen played a part in the salinity, cause i remember readin somthin like its not just salt thats taken into account in the salinity measurements, theres sumthin else.

then i was thinkin about the way oxygen is is higher around surfy areas...put 2 an 2 together an came up with 5?!?!?! :lol:
 
Many of the LFSs and marine aquarium keepers here feel that fish get less disease when kept at a lower level of salinity - I've seen it range from 1.19 to about 1.22. Octopuses, on the other hand, need the salinity level of seawater, so should be at 1.026.

This lower salinity theory has an effect on octo keepers - if you're in a hurry, you can't just buy salt water, like the fish keepers can. You have to add additional salt to bring it up to the level you need.

Nancy
 
Scouse said:
thats brilliant nice one!!

so basically your sayin the younger fish prefer less salty water by bein by the rivers and the older prefer saltier? hhmm thats intrestin (if ive got that right)

so i wonder why octo's prefer a higher salinity, any ideas?

p.s. i was thinkin oxygen played a part in the salinity, cause i remember readin somthin like its not just salt thats taken into account in the salinity measurements, theres sumthin else.

then i was thinkin about the way oxygen is is higher around surfy areas...put 2 an 2 together an came up with 5?!?!?! :lol:

And that was just an example to show that saltwater fish can stand lower salinities...not all fish do that. But just to give you something to ponder...over here on the east coast of the US, brackish water estuaries are considered a nursery for young fish and inverts because it's a safe nutrient rich place. 90% of our seafood(fish, crabs, shrimp, clams, etc) spend part of their life in the estuaries. These estuaries range from only 10-20ppt, whereas the nearby ocean is around 33ppt. So those fish can handle salinities that low. This has nothing to do with octos, but some neat info eitherway.
John
 
neptune - suppose the temperature thing is to do with evaporation increasin the salt content...?

Nancy - thats quite intrestin about the healthier fish in lower salinities, my mate runs his reef at 1.026 but his fish dont really get chance to get ill, as the slightest little weakness an there munched by the anemone :lol:
but thats a good point i never thought of with gettin the salt water from an lfs! was considerin doin this at some point as the barrels you get em in from the one by ours are worth losin the deposit over :lol: :lol:


sideways- that is intrestin, cause i find it mad that you get freshwater fish in the thames (actually any fish !! :lol: ) but in that they are subjected to marine water aswell. littel hardy things these under water creatures!!
 
scouse mate!

many people's fish only tanks keep the sg low, like 1.019 to prevent any parasites from living in the tank, the low SG messes with their osmosis and they die... but with octo tanks and reef tanks you cant lower the salinity as this kills inverts just like the invert parasites. so really thats the only reason... :smile:
 
salinity and temp

I think the temp and salt ratio is basic chemistry the warmer the water the faster the molecules are moving creating space for the salt molecules to dissolve into the solution when the water is cooler less movement of the molecules less room for salt and saturation point is lowered. That's just my guess though :grad:
 

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