ATTENTION ALL CEPH LOVERS!!

[krogey]

Ok guys... here it is...
I need EVERYONES help....

In Australia it is against quarantine regulations to import live molluscs which means that anyone who wants an octo (and since people have seen my two, that seems to be everyone!!) has to wait for them to be caught off the reef or come in by chance on live rock (which is generally what happens)... this is not only inconvenient but is really bad for the stocks on the reef... so.. what rick and I are proposing to do is start something similar to Octopets (they're in California I think) over here in Australia, that way we can cater to the masses and educate them properly but not take from the environment. the only trouble is dont know where to begin...

I have emailed Octopets for thier help but am not sure that they would want to share trade secrets being that they too are trying to run a business ( even though not covering our market), so if anyone can point me in the right direction or has any ideas they will be eagerly recieved!!

The first thing I think I will have to do is apply for an exception or something to that effect to allow the eggs or babies into the country... but how do you get them to breed??? Hmm... seems I have much reaserch - including how to spell that -!

so come on... bombard me with your ideas!!!!

 

[Thurge]

Good luck on your endever. The idea I had to keep two Octo's and get them to breed would be to divide your tank witha very fine screen, in the neighbrhood of .5cm2. Something they could get like half an arm through but no more. In a pond setting you could setup your partitions so that each Octo is bordered by 6 others so that sexing becomes much less necessary.

 

[joel_ang]

Good luck on this, what species do you have in mind right now?

 

[mcatee123]

yeah but import export laws in australia also helps keep it the most unique and beatiful place in the world

 

[NickA5582]

Good luck with that, Krogey!! Sorry but I can't help you, I just know that you'll need a lot of money and tanks for an octo farm.

 

[Burstsovenergy24]

Great luck Krogey!

Here's a link you might find interesting.

 

[krogey]

Thanks all for your luck and well wishes... keeping us inspired right now.. ! Spartacus (who we now think is a she ... so perhaps we should refer to as Spartaca.. ) is a Ocotpus Cyanea, and that seems to be what we can commonly get she has heaps of personality and seems fairly hardy, though curious as she is to hold my hand I have not yet worked up the courage! -

I love the screen idea.. there is so little literature etc. over here and only one doco which i have been able to get a hold of which was from BBC(?), but having the female kill the male was a big worry... but the screen may very well fix that, I suppose the only other problem with that would be stress levels of the cephs being in the same area.. but hopefully hormones will take over!

This will be a very gradual thing not big boomimg business all at once and luckily because rwe are already in the industry we only pay cost for everything so hopefully expense will be kept at a minimum... but you right as far as import export rules that is why we so luck with a beautiful country! (Thanks) - Still waiting to hear back from AQIS about exception form for eggs.. dont know how they would fare in transit though either..

Havent heard anything from octopets yet but still hoping they will be kind enough to divulge some trade secrets.. will keep everyone posted on our progress though..

Thanks again for everyones engouragement! It keeps us goig believe me!!!

 

[Andrej]

Good Luck

Good Luck at your project!
Andrej

 

[Scouse]

Good luck mate

 

[ceph]

Getting them to breed won't be your major challenge.

Raising the offspring will be much harder.

Stick with a large egg species and be sure that you have a LOT of live food (mysid shrimp or amphipods work well).

James Wood

 

[Jean]

Hi Krogey,

Good luck on this. You may want to try contacting Dr Jayson Semmens in Hobart. He was rearing octis for his research. and is on the organising committee for CIAC '06> I'll pm his email addy to you

Cheers

J