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Strictly a Night Guy

Dools

GPO
Registered
Joined
Dec 6, 2002
Messages
135
I have had my octopus for over a month now and he is doing well. He aggressively eats freeze dried shrimp every morning, he actually took one from one of my starfish this morning before going after the 2nd one (greedy glutton). He has not touched the two hermit crabs I put in the tank more than two weeks ago, but that is OK since he is eating consistently. My problem is he hides as soon as any light is on in the room. When the aquarium lights come on, he disappears into the rocks and you would never know I even had an octopus in the tank. I can look at him using a red lens on a flashlight, but you don't get to appreciate the beauty of their ability to change colors and texture with that type of light. I was wondering if anyone with a similar situation were successful using a blue actinic light which I think would display his colors more so than a red light. My tank is a 75-gal standard shape with 30 pounds of live rock and a 5-inch deep sand bed. I also have two chocolate chip starfish (one 3-in dia, one 6-in dia), a mine urchin, two turbo snails, two conchs, a tiger tail cucumber and two hermit crabs (meant to be octo snacks). My water temp is 76 deg and salinity is 1.026. I'm happy my little guy is doing well, but if I never see him, it taints the thrill of ownership and you can newer show him off to friends and family.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated,
Dools :frown:
 
What is his species? Also what lighting do you have over the tank. How long has the other inverts been in the tank? I am surprised they have not all become snacks.
JJ
 
I am not sure of his species, but he is normally red in color. Definitely not a bimac or a vulgaris, because he is not like my previous octo. Currently the lighting I have is a Custom Sealife power-compact 96-watt half actinic and half daylight bulb. I know it is bright, but it didn't bother my other octo at all. As for the other inhabitants of the tank, I have had them for months and neither of my octos has ever shown an interest in anything but the hermit crabs. I keep this guy well fed with the freeze-dried shrimp and the occasional ghost shrimp.
 
As you have found out some octos are more diurnal than others. Its just oen of those things, but with time perhaps it will recognise you as the 'food god' and be more responsive when the lights are on. I think you should try a dimmer bulb tho :smile:

I kept several hermit crabs with my baby bimac until I took them out for another tank. They all survived. The bimac ignored them as it seemed to prefer its shore crabs... not as much hard work i suppose?

Also, even if you do have the world's most active octopus....... the little bugger will always hide when you have guests in!!!!! Even if he danced at the front glass all day... he'll dissapear 2 mins before they arrive LOL Its a sixth sense they have in making you look daft! :lol:

Colin
 
Also, even if you do have the world's most active octopus....... the little bugger will always hide when you have guests in!!!!!

Colin!!!!!

I think I have the exception to the rule!!!!!!!!!!!

Carol :smile:
 

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