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Sushi and Sashimi - BioCube as grow out tank?
- Thread starter Jabba954
- Start date
Briareus seem to acclimate funny. Many keepers (including myself) have found it hard to release them into a tank. They just sit in the acclimation container until dark (usually several hours). We have not had one knowingly die from stress so I would just keep an eye on this one (I am agreeing that it looks like stress). If the two can see each other, this may be the reason. Is the one that stays curled up the smallest (in the case of octos size DOES matter)? Can you put an opaque divider between the two cubes?
Great names. That's another thumbs up for Tap. Little Inkler is definitely briareus.
Can I move this thread to the Journals forum and combine it with the behavior posts?
Can I move this thread to the Journals forum and combine it with the behavior posts?
The two tank setups are on total opposite sides of the tank, and on opposite sides of their respective containers. I don't think they can see each other (particularly since one was in a cave all day). But I did hang some clothes over the tank on the side of the scared octo just in case it was the ambient light in the room (not much). This morning, they're both curled up in the top corner of their tanks - sort of like what you see in aquariums with the pacific octo. I'll try to snap some pics now.
Oh, food size - what's the rule of thumb? I put a couple of rock crabs that are about half the size of their mantle in with them. Some crabs have vanished already, but I didn't see them eat.
Oh, food size - what's the rule of thumb? I put a couple of rock crabs that are about half the size of their mantle in with them. Some crabs have vanished already, but I didn't see them eat.
More pics from this morning. Sushi (the more "active" octo - first pic), moved into the rock when I turned on the light, as I would suspect - he's in the first pic. Sashimi wandered around the top - it's like he's afraid of the rock, or doesn't know it's there for him. The surviving crabs are all at the bottom of their tanks.
Oh, and the tanks are 3' apart.
Oh, and the tanks are 3' apart.
Very unusual behavior. I assume you have checked your water, particularly the salt and ph?
Ok, things seem a bit more "normal" for an acclimating octopus tonight - caught both of them tentatively out hunting around 11:30pm, and Sashimi has found a nice nook in the middle of the rock, after I added a bunch more rubble, and left over mussel/clam/oyster shells. They each have plenty of small hermit crabs and snails to munch on, plus some larger rock crabs if they become so inclined.
Hopefully by acceptable ranges for ammonia and nitrite means you detect 0. They are very sensative to ammonia/nitrite and any reading should be addressed quickly. I have notice that if my salt gets a little low they will sometimes appear recluse/lazy but the two may not be related and I only notice that the salt has dropped because of natural inactivity spells that have me checking things. The clinging to the wall the first day until dark is not odd but if they continue it, I would offer more rubble. Briareus seem to move things around more than some of the others, even when they are not brooding. When they are about to start brooding they move BIG rocks (note KaySoh's failed attempts at bringing a rock through the 8" cross over tube).
Once you see them eating you are likely home free. In spite of what many others have reported, I have only known one octo to eat a single hermit. I have seen one appear to eat a snail only to have the snail crawling on the glass an hour later (but, unlike my hermits the snail population has been reduced over time in all my octo tanks). There is never a mistake about the crabs. The shells will not be broken (including any claws) and the membrane is often fully intact but thre will be no meat at all left.
It will be very interesting to see if they eat the same quantity of food we have seen a huge difference between individuals with consumption.
Once you see them eating you are likely home free. In spite of what many others have reported, I have only known one octo to eat a single hermit. I have seen one appear to eat a snail only to have the snail crawling on the glass an hour later (but, unlike my hermits the snail population has been reduced over time in all my octo tanks). There is never a mistake about the crabs. The shells will not be broken (including any claws) and the membrane is often fully intact but thre will be no meat at all left.
It will be very interesting to see if they eat the same quantity of food we have seen a huge difference between individuals with consumption.
I'm measuring 0.07 ppm nitrate, 0.03 ppm ammonia, and 2 ppm nitrate (I have a public aquarium grade monitoring system hooked into my tanks). So effectively zero - true zero would likely be a real problem, meaning part of my biological filtration is not functioning properly.
How old is the tank? 2 ppm nitrate is extremely low for an aged tank (I WISH I COULD manage that but mine stay between 30-40 measured with a not very accurate strip test) but others report much lower readings than I ever have.
It's a year old, but there's barely been anything in there the last two months. It's also massively over filtered.
My shark tank stays about 10 ppm, and that's with some VERY messy eaters - also using the same quality monitoring system, and an RK2 system rated to 25,000 gallons (only running one pump) - it's for when the BIG tank is finished.
My shark tank stays about 10 ppm, and that's with some VERY messy eaters - also using the same quality monitoring system, and an RK2 system rated to 25,000 gallons (only running one pump) - it's for when the BIG tank is finished.
What do you use for bottom substrate and how deep?
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