best temperature(s) for octos/cuttles

[jfatherree]

I've seen advice to keep cephalopods in general at temperatures no higher than the mid 70's, and nautiluses much lower than that. However, I was reading an article in TFH mag and the author recommends keeping octopuses at 77 to 82.

I know that oxygen concentrations can be elevated at lower temps, but if you have a trickle filter and skimmer and don't think oxygen will be a problem - is there any reason to keep a tank any cooler than 77? Is a chiller really needed?

Any thoughts/comments would be greatly appreciated.

JF

 

[Nancy]

Hi JF,
Welcome to TONMO.com.

The water temperature best for you octopus depends on the species. The higher temperature would suit an octo from more tropical waters. Here in the US, we have access to captive bred O. bimaculoides which are used to slightly cooler temperatures off the California coast. But usually we can get by without a chiller.

People keeping species like the Giant Pacific Octopus and other cold water species will need a chiller.

So it would wrong to say that all octopuses should be kept from 77 to 82 degrees - it depends on which ocotpus you're talking about.

Nancy

 

[jfatherree]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, this is why I was surprised that the wording said "an octopus" as in "any octopus".

I was just reading some more - the page on caring for a bimac - and have looked at quite a few other things, but nowhere can I find anyone saying that temps. in the 80's are acceptable. Maybe it won't kill anything outright, but will just shorten their time considerably...

I'll wait and see what anyone else has to say.

Cheers,

JF

 

[Colin]

Hi JF

I think that tropical species liek cyanea and brierus would be okay up to 80 -82 but certainly a species liek bimaculoides would be very uncomfortable... warmer water makes them stressed and jumpy. More likely to ink and does indeed shorten their lifespan
cheers
Colin