Octopus Availability

[Joe-Ceph]

I've got a wild caught baby bimac to give away to anyone who can convince me they know how to take care of it, and is willing to pay a shipping company to ship it from La Mesa, Ca (91942 (near San diego, Ca)). I'm willing to pack it in a Styrofoam box, in a bag with oxygen, and drop it off at the shipping location, but you'll need to find a way to pay the shipper directly, because it's not legal for me to accept any money (or anything else) in exchange for this animal, even as reimbursement for shipping expenses. If you have or set up a UPS account, I can ship it through your account, or UPS might have a "receiver pays" method of shipping.

If you plan to sell it, or breed it and sell the babies, then I can't give it to you under Ca law. Also, really, don't try to give me any money, or anything of value. I just want to give this little guy away.

I actually have two of them to give away to two separate people. One has a mantle length of about 1.25" and arms about 5" long. The other is slightly bigger with a mantle of about 1.5" - 1.75" and arms about 6" long.

If you want one, please tell me about your experience, equipment, and try to convince me that you'll be able to take care of one of these little bimacs. (either publicly, or via Private Message).

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Wow, very tempting, but as you know I think I may have my hands full in a few days with the newly hatched bimacs from Boston. Can I ask why you're re-homing them?
Sue

 

[Joe-Ceph]

Can I ask why you're re-homing them?
Sue

For years bimacs, considered by many to make the best pets of all octopus species, have been practically unavailable. Because I live in Southern California I've been able to learn how, when, and where to find them, so for me, they are available, and I've greatly enjoyed the bimacs I've kept. I want to offer other people who don't live where they can catch their own, the chance to keep a bimac. I'm not "re-homing" them because their old home was insufficient, I'm giving them away so that some people can have the same positive experience that I've been fortunate enough to have. I've been careful to isolate them from any non-native organisms, so I can release them if nobody wants them (fat chance).

Most of the bimacs I find when I explore the tide pools are large, with most of their lives behind them. I don't capture these large ones, but when I find a very young one, I'm willing to catch it and give it away. This is the first time I've tried that, and I hope it works out.

If anyone is concerned about the wild population being depleted, don't be. The primary limiting factor for bimacs (and most Southern California inverts) is the availability of living places, not predation (human or otherwise), their ability to reproduce, find food, or anything else. There are more than enough baby bimacs waiting to fill the spots where the two I took used to live. Population biology is not a zero-sum game. The more animals that are taken (eaten, whatever) the more from the next batch of eggs that will fill their spots and reach adulthood - up to a point, and we're nowhere near that point for bimacs. That's why it's legal for people to catch them and eat them, use them for fish bait, or give them away to eager tonmo people (I prefer to do the latter)

BTW: In case anyone is under the impression that it's illegal to take octopus (or anything else) from tide pools in California, there is a list of the eighteen inverts (including octopus) that may be taken from tide pools in section 29.05 (page 52) of the DFG sportfishing regulations booklet.

 

[SabrinaR]

Joe-Ceph- I PMed you.

 

[Matt_john]

If anyone is looking for an octopus in the UK the following place says they have one as far as I can tell the advert went up today but it's not the best description!:

Recent Listed & Updated Adverts - Aquarist Classifieds Recent Listed & Updated Adverts

Octopus £125

No idea of the species but here is a link to their official site with a contact number

http://www.aquatic-aquarium-tropicalfish-wrexham-wales.co.uk/

Matt

 

[Joe-Ceph]

I've been amazed to find that only one person has indicated that they want a free bimac from me. I expected that there was a large pent up demand for bimacs, but I literally can't give them away. I'll ship the one, and if nobody contacts me about the other one within the next few days I'll return it to where I caught it (It hasn't mixed with any non-native animals or water, so it's safe to release it)

 

[SabrinaR]

Question... How do you think the other bimac would do in a 50 gallon cube with a 30 gallon sump? Not really a lot of swimming room I know but could it work at least for a while? I have a 75 gallon octo tank being built now so it would be able to be moved as it got older. I also have an extra chiller. I might be willing to take both from you.

 

[Joe-Ceph]

I think a bimac would do fine in a 50 gallon tank depending on how big it ultimately gets. My tank is equivalent to a 55 gallon tank with no sump, and it's sufficient for an "average" sized adult bimac. Some are, of course, larger than average, so a 50 will be fine at least for six or eight months, and will then only be too small if this bimac gets larger than average. Just be careful not to fill the tank with so much live rock that much of the room is taken up. I only have enough rock in my tank for the octopus to hide in (filtration is handled by an external wet/dry trickle filter and skimmer).

It's easier shipping two in one box than it would be to ship them separately, so if you take them both, it's fine with me.

 

[SabrinaR]

Cool I will let you know. Once it gets down to it if no one else wants it I will take them both off your hands.

 

[CPayne]

PM sent

 

[SabrinaR]

Cool! Good to know I am not the only person interested in keeping a bimac! I knew it would only take time... most people arent prepared to take them because of the chiller needs.

 

[rkelly47]

I live in Ontario Canada and I contacted BoxOfWater about a 0.bimaculoidesis. They replied stating that they can order one in at any time, that they would come from the indo pacific...either Bali or Fiji, and they usually come in around the size of a golf ball through to the size of a baseball. What do you guys think?

 

[CaptFish]

I think It will not be a bimac if it is coming from indonesia. Mostly we see A.Aculeatus coming from there. Bimacs come from the west coast of the N.America, California and Mexico.

 

[DWhatley]

LOL, to most LFS, an octopus is an octopus and any other part of the request falls on deaf ears.

 

[rkelly47]

Aha ok, should I just get it or keep looking. I can't find much on Abdopus aculeatus.