Blue Ring LFS

[Cephdoc]

So i just decided to share this with everyone interested, its been a "issue" within some LFS... I got started in this saltwater hobby when i was about 13 years old, im currently 20 years old now. When i was about a year into it i went to a LFS and saw my 1st octopus in a fish store! I was so excited and it was almost my birthday. Little did i know of the immense amount of care they needed, i just saw it and fell in love. My father refused to let me get it and take it home in its little gerbil container they had him in. Long story short this started everything for me and my love of Cephalopods. I have recently went back to this store to get things for my new tank, and knowing they have had them in the past i asked if they could still get them?.... The manager said something to me about he can get them once and awhile but the selection is varied. The 1st species he told me he would order was a BLUE RINGED OCTOPUS!!!! I am alittle disturbed at this. I dont know why the manager of a pet store would market these to long paying customers knowing well the danger they can pose. Im not saying anything bad about this person, i am just confused as to why they can still get them openly in trade? I love blue rings also dont get me wrong, but i would never own one. TO me its like owning venomous snakes, or a tiger. You get one chance to make a mistake and from then it can be all overwith. I know the only thing you can do in a situation like this is decline the offer of having them get you one. I am posting this for thoughts or comments from anyone. I am interested in seeing what people have to say about it.
Thanks

 

[OB]

You are quite right in your assessment, blue rings are like pit-bull terriers to some, a thing to flaunt, for reasons of testosterone poisoning. This is a thing to avoid and rightfully for you to be concerned about.

 

[Cephdoc]

Yea i didnt want to make a big deal about it, i just wanted to share with the members to show that it is alive and well in the hobby as most of you already know. I am still confused about even the status of the dog fighting or having the agressive dog? I dont see it as a status symbol at all lol... I see it as a lawsuit or jailtime to be honest in my eyes. And with a blue ring or other dangerous/ venomous animals people keep, a life is at stake... dont care what people think. To me, and im sure alot of people, its just not worth it...

 

[SabrinaR]

They are stupidly popular and I stress the stupid part lol. One of my local LFS get them all the time. I said thanks but I'm good lol. I have kids. While there are some people who keep venomous snakes for medical reasons shoot some of them keep snakes as a job and thats ok. But were not taking about a snake. Most people have the sense to leave snakes alone. What freaks me out is when people think... oh its just a tiny little octopus... it cant hurt you.

 

[Thales]

There is a lengthy discussion buried in this thread:
Blue ringed octopus - Reef Central Online Community

 

[Cephdoc]

HAHA, yea thats exactly what i said to my LFS manager, I said "No.... Im quite alright without one." People actually think they cant hurt you? I mean most, if not all octopus can and will bite you right? What would make that little beauty think twice about it? Ive also read its not a good idea to even put your hands in the water with a possible open wound? The venom leeches from them into the water and can thus enter your body? Idk the truth behind this, but i have read this. That is really disturbing to think about. It makes duties almost impossible to perform on the tank without specialized equipment...

 

[Cephdoc]

Thanks Thales, just took a look at the thread you posted, very very interesting what people had to say about it. I havent read all of it, but i will come back to for reference and further knowledge.

 

[DWhatley]

Being a rather hands on person with my aquariums, you can imagine where I stand on keeping blue rings. I worry most about what will happen if someone gets bitten and the news media gets wind of it. There could be serious repercussions and real problems for octopus keepers. There was an attempt last year to stop imports of most pet trade animals and the failure of the bill to pass is supposed to be a temporary delay. The reasons for the bill are not to prevent venomous animals but to prevent introducing non-indiginous animals that could cause problems for indiginous species.

 

[Joe-Ceph]

The idea that BRO toxin could be present in tank water and could hurt/kill you if you have a cut on your hand, sounds a bit hysterical to me. I think it's a bad idea to keep a blue ringed octopus, because a bite could be fatal. It's easy for people to be blind to the danger, and it's disturbing that they are sold at fish stores, mixed in with all the benign animals.
That being said, it's not more dangerous than a lot of things people routinely do, and I think that a serious, responsible knowledgeable adult can do it with an extremely low risk of death, and if done properly isn't necessarily a foolish thing to do. For example, a loaded gun can kill a person, but if kept locked up, and if handled using proper procedures after proper training, the risk is extremely low. Swimming pools, 220 volt outlets and prescription drugs are in many homes, and can be deadly, but if handled properly, the risk can reasonably be considered "worth it". Except for swimming pools, all of my examples serve important practical purposes that help to justify the small risk, but a blue ringed octopus simply looks cooler than a harmless octopus, which for me is not sufficient to justify even an extremely small risk of death, so I'll never keep one, but it's not necessarily foolish to do so.
(Just to be clear: I think that anyone who keeps one in an accessible area (unlocked) in a house with kids, or unsuspecting adults, is a reckless jerk (IMO )

 

[SabrinaR]

If Isis had been a blue ring when she escaped I would have let her die. No way would I have picked her up. That is reason enough for me lol. And ditto what Joe said.

 

[Tamara]

When I was in Mabul, Borneo I saw sea gypsy kids playing in the water and they would pick up flashing blue ring octopus in their BARE HANDS, they offer to sell it to you for 5 ringgit (1USD). Besides the point that having them in your house is dangerous to you and your family, you should consider the ethics of how it was captured, which goes beyond the discussion of are they rare or not is removing them from nature going to disrupt their population. Equally important is to look at if the person putting themselves at risk to capture the octo know the potentail risk or not and are of an acceptable age to accept that risk.