What are you feeding your octopus?

[binaryterror]

Is there a website where I can buy fiddler crabs and whatnot? And for the frozen thawed shrimp, can I just buy unprocessed shrimp from the grocery store and cut it into small pieces?

What I am thinking is using the clams when I first get him, and when I start running low on clams, then I will put thawed shrimp in there every other 2 days, and then after a week or 2, I will put thawed shrimp every other day until the clams are gone. Then use only thawed shrimp until it is big enough for live feeder shrimp. Is that a good method to follow?

 

[Nancy]

You can buy fiddlers at the Aquaculture Store
www.aquaculturestore.com. It's important to give your octopus some live crabs. You can start with hermit crabs - put some small hermit crabs into the tank before your octopus arrives.

Phasing in shrimp is a good idea. Be sure you feed the little octopus enough. Give him as much as he will eat. Yes, buy good quality frozen shrimp at the grocery store, making sure nothing has been added.

Nancy

 

[bigGdelta]

I feed my octopus giganticus neighbor kids.

 

[binaryterror]

Can I keep all of the crabs in the main tank and just have him eat as he gets hungry? Should I feed him the clams and frozen shrimp after he eats all of the crabs in the tank? And then maybe put the feeder shrimp in there after the crabs are gone (if I need them). Do I even need the feeder shrimp? Or can I just use frozen shrimp? Will I need fiddlers at all? Can I just use hermit crabs and frozen shrimp after the clams are gone? Does the feeder tank need any substrate or LR?

 

[binaryterror]

Anyone?

 

[Nancy]

That's a lot of questions in one post!

You'll always need some sort of crabs to feed - fiddlers are the best we've found because larger crabs just aren't available. You don't absolutely need feeder shrimp, you can use frozen. So yes, you can use fiddlers and frozen shrimp (provided your octo accepts frozen food). But you may want to offer live shirmp from time to time because they provide enrichment for your octo in hunting them.

It's good to keep some live food in the tank. Fiddlers will last a few weeks in the tank if not eaten.

Feed the clams first and introduce the thawed frozen shrimp. Those baby clams are meant for a young octo.

Nancy

 

[binaryterror]

I thought you said to keep some small hermit crabs in the tank before he arrives? Maybe I will set up a feeder tank and every week or so, I could put a few crabs in there. I am not sure about the clams, will I need those?

 

[squall7733]

I just got mine eating frozen foods... Fed him some Oyster Meet and he grabbed it and ran away, think he is still eating it and that was about an hour ago O_O

 

[binaryterror]

So, if I got some hermit crabs, clams, and fiddler crabs... could I keep them all in the tank? And just have him eat as he feels like it? It would be much easier that way.

 

[Nancy]

Well, not quite. You can put hermit crabs in the tank - small hermits for a small octo, maybe some slightly larger ones, too.

The clams are problematic - they are very good food for when your bimac arrives, since this is what he was eating at Octopets. However, they can bury in the sand and even die in the sand and threaten your water quality - so you can't just dump them in. We advise offering them in a little plastic jar lid or a shell, so they can't dig into the sand.

Fiddlers live on the shore, usually not completly submerged, but will last a while in your tank, anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months. Some people keep fiddlers in the sump. If you dump a whole shipment into the tank, maybe 12, they will hide and bury themselves so you have no way of knowing when they've been eaten. Your octo would enjoy it, though.

Nancy

 

[DHyslop]

The Octopets clams are tiny. A quarter of an inch across or so. When you order your first octo you're going to get the clams in a little bundle wrapped in wet paper towels. Its maybe half the size of a golf ball, and you're going to think "Wow, there's 200 in there??"

They're really only suitable for baby bimacs, you're going to want to start getting him on other things pretty quickly.

Dan

 

[binaryterror]

Oh ok. I think I will Just buy hermits, and fiddlers and put them in there and just let him hunt them. BUT, then I wont be able to see him when I want to (at feeding time). He might just eat when I am at school and hide when I get home. Thats no fun. So maybe I will set up a feeder tank. But then, will he just eat it immediatly? Is that OK to do (drop one in and let him eat it, until he gets full)? Maybe I will keep 5 or 6 (hermit crabs) in the tank when I buy him, so I will be able to get him eating. Then I will get him on a schedule. After a little while, maybe I will just put 2 in there before school, and when I get home, put another 2 in there.

It would be alot easier if one of you maybe put how you feed your Octo on here, so I can get an idea of how to set my schedule up. When I order him, I will just buy 30 or so hermits. And put 6 in the main and the rest in the feeder. What will I need in the feeder tank? Will I need a heater? What filter should I use, if any. Can I just keep them in a rubbermaid tub? Maybe 15g? Thanks!!!

 

[DHyslop]

When your bimac first arrives it isn't all that much bigger than the clams! A good way to solve your feeding problem is to put him in a smaller "critter cage" inside the main tank until he grows a little bit. This way you can keep track of him and interact with him a little easier, and the hermits can live safely outside the cage, allowing you to grab them and drop them in at whatever feeding time you choose.

Check out this thread, it has a picture of the "critter cage" arrangement. A 55g or 75g tank can be a big scary place for a tiny little octo.

Introducing Ziggy

Dan

 

[binaryterror]

I see. So I should buy a little plastic "hermit crab tank"? The tanks that people keep hermits in. Thats is a good idea acually.

 

[njfish77]

would feeding an 0ctopus emerald crabs be a bad thing?