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Can't believe I'm the first to post on this new board.

O. Eye

Cuttlefish
Registered
Joined
Nov 22, 2002
Messages
22
First off...I consider it an honor to be up on the board numero first-O. Second, thanks to all who make this site a place I go to more than once a day. Third, the new layout is tight and very classy, great job.

OK - questions. I have a 5 year old (girl), a 4 year old (son), and an 8 month old baby boy. I wanted to put the Octo tank (65 gal AGA 18 x 24 x 32 I think) in a corner that is the heart of the house (kitchen, TV room, living room). Is a bimac going to be freaked by all of the foot traffic or no problem if I give him a whole bunch of places to lay low?

Anyone else in here have an octopus tank setup like this...with kids? Problems? Great memories, "Remember when Dad tried to get us to stick our hands in the octo tank with some shrimp?" - stuff like that?

I was telling my mom about this board - about how cool it is to have Dr. Steve O'Shea himself popping in here and helping out every once in a while. She thought it was pretty great. I showed her all the little movies I could find on the net with pet octopuses. Post some more movies gang and maybe I'll convince her to set up a tank (or sponsor mine - or both).

Thanks Again!
 
:oops: LOL - a fan; that makes 1!!
Now what on earth is 'aggressive art' O-Eye?

I fear I'm already corrupting Colin's board with such a question; sorry C.
Cheers, O-O
 
Hi!

I have a 5 year old, and have my tank in the bedroom, so I can watch my bimac and my 5 year old!!!! She does feed Herman, but sometimes I get worried she might spook him when she rushes the tank to see him. Ya know, the ink thing!!!!! Anyway, he spends alot of time watching us on the front of the tank, so I'm glad I have him in a spot where I can separate him from my child if she's in a wild mood!! My tank is a 44 Gal Pentagon that fits in a corner!

Be interested to see others opinions!

Carol
 
corw314,

Thanks for your reply. That's so cool that your daughter actually feeds him. She's going to remember that forever and tell people about it and they'll call her a liar. But she'll know in her heart it really happened and she'll know that her mom was a pretty amazing person for caring for such a beast.

So, Herman's never been freaked - or has he ever acted a little spooked?

I'm really anxious to hear what others have to say about this kid/octo mixture.

Steve!

Of course I'm a fan. You're a TV star with a brain. I'll bet Chasing Giants did really well viewer-wise as far as most Discovery Channel shows go - am I right? I've heard a bunch of people make comments about it.

About the aggressive art thing...it's so funny to me that someone actually even read my profile, let alone you commenting on it - I typed that art thing and thought, "This isn't going to make any sense to anyone...ahh...nobody reads these anyway [clicked DONE]." I like art, but not little country apples and farmer figures - the kind of 'art' that one might find in our Mid-Western kitchens. I like art that looks like it was created by some artist (man or women) who sports tattoos, drinks lots of coffee, and always smells like they've been welding. :twisted: Can you picture that? It's hard for me too. I'm picky but I know what I like when I see it.

Steve, if you're ever in the Mid-West, come to Clinton, Iowa and we'll have you over for dinner. You can tell my kids stories of your adventures at sea, I'll grill some steaks to perfection, and then we'll feast on Grandma Simpson's Yummy Bars. I'll light a fire in the fireplace and it will be a nice time. I'll bet Mom and Dad would drive in from Wisconsin to visit with ya (if not just to see their grandkids again). This place in town has the best micro-brew (a special treat for the wife and I from time to time)...heh, the picture I've created in my mind is so perfect I might just go ahead and do it without you. Private msg me if by some freak-out chance you're near here and I'll set it all up.
 
Hi all

LOL steve, I'm sure I'll get you back at some point! :twisted:

Anyways...
My bimac tank is at present underneath a larger tank in a stand. That means that this guy is only about 4 inches above the ground and nothing has made him freak at all. In fact as soon as we start walking about that's when he comes out of his goose barnacle to see what's happening. This octopus has inked once and that is all. At the time he was so tiny that it was hard to see the ink.

But as you said, you need a lot of hiding places. I think that too many people are guilty of giving their pet octos very bare tanks thinking they will see them more. The opposite is true. The more hiding places the more secure the octo is, the more likely it is to sit in plain view.

Something that myself and Nancy came across recently is the small clusters of goose barnacles that are often sold either in a LFS or in novelty gift shops. The octos use them as dens and empty snail shells are easily used as a door to close them in when they want to.

When you first get the octo it may be worthwhile blanking off the side panles of the tank to begin with. That will help it settle quicker and feel more secure.

Colin
 
Hi all,

There's another advantage to setting up your aquarium with many hiding places for your octo. By adding lots of live rock and other additions such as the barnacles, you create a much more beautiful aquascape for you to enjoy, too.

Nancy
 
Well, If you check out the next message on this board you will see Hermin freaked alittle! This is why I have him in my bedroom. I have dogs, cats, teenager, 5yr. old, Birds, now he has plenty of spots to hide in but for whatever reason, yesterday, he freaked from me walking into the room! And inked slightly. I have had other octopus's in the past that were smack in the middle of my livingroom, with 3 kids at the time, (One is now 21 and moved out!) One I had for almost a year. Never inked! Guess it depends on the personality of the Octo!! Now Hermin is very social, but he did freak yesterday. Who's to know!!!!!!

I am soooo glad I took the advice, and put a protien skimmer and carbon in my tank!!!!

Have a great day!!!
 
Hi Carol

any idea what your other species were? Any pics of them and how did you get on last time with them????

I think that certain species seem more prone to inking than others....

Colin :smile:
 
So...how do you have your carbon set up? Now that I think of it, do you have any pictures of your tank you could post, corw314?

I simply ache to have an octopus. I can't believe how much I've learned and how much my "things I need to pull this off" list has changed since I started reading. No more crushed coral bottom. No more cannister filter, etc... Not that these things are bad, but now I'm angling on a DSB in a refugium/sump and skimmer. Anyway, octo tank pictures are always helpful because it really is a unique setup from what I gather. It can be very different (in looks and in function) than a standard reef tank.

Some of the octopus homes that I see look sad and stark - not because they aren't beautiful, but because they look lacking in cubby-holes.

Thanks for the replies so far!
 
Hi there!!!

Colin -

What kinds have I had??? Well, before I knew it was a bimac, I know I loved the ones with 2 blue spots because they were sooo friendly and curious! Had a few. The one I had the longest, almost a year was a bimac and infact is in my closet in formaldihide(?)! I think I had a vulgaris. In fact this one laid eggs 1 month after I got her. Not fertile though. Was sad watching her waste away! This has to be over 10 years ago. I've been fascinated with saltwater creatures since I was a teenager! My first saltwater creature was a seahorse I had in a large brandy sniffer which I went to the beach daily for fresh water. We're talking 30 years ago! Before keeping saltwater fish was so prevalent!



As far as the carbon, I have it in a simple bubble filter run by an airpump. That's it! Guess my setup is a little old fashioned, cause I do have a huge Eheim on it too.

Wish this was around years ago! I would have started it right!!!

Carol
 
Carol!

Those pics are some of the clearest octo pics...OK, THEE clearest octo pics I've ever seen.

Thanks so much for sharing them with the crew.

Kip
 
Why thanks for that invite Kip, but perhaps you should read a thread on the previous board (How to ask a scientist a question, part 1) before inviting me around for dinner. I never thought I'd ever receive an invite after that denouncement (thanks Tintenfisch :smile: ).

You just never know where I might be from one day to the next (I don't)
Cheers
Steve
 
Hi Kip

An idea regarding the carbon...
I have my carbon after the skimmer. It leaves the skimmer (hang on) and into a plastic box attached to the outlet pipes of the skimmer. That's where the carbon lives :smile:

Carol, keep taking pics and posting stuff... the more we discuss things the more we learn... great job on the pics too!

C
 
We dont all get Thanksgiving Holidays you know!!! Go on!!!! Enjoy your tasty turky dinner with your holidays!!!! Who needs them!!!!????

BAH :x


Bitter C.
LOL
 

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