Complete newbie requesting help with first octopus setup!

[djkaty]

Awesome pictures! And somewhat re-assuring.. but how come it is so much lighter now than when I got it? Originally the whole base was deep red/brown and the tentacles were deep brown (see the other pics I posted links to).

 

[CaptFish]

I'm not sure. Mine have always looked as they do now, well just a lot smaller.

 

[cuttlegirl]

OMG D DON'T SAY THAT!! I am so clumsy and accident-prone... if something can be set on fire, I WILL set it on fire lol.

I think that is for advanced aquarists - you're safe for now .

 

[cuttlegirl]

Any near drownings?
You people scare me

Oh, I've fallen in a tank before (it was big), I just didn't want to scare anyone...

 

[DWhatley]

I think that is for advanced aquarists

You are in rare form today Jenn!

Any near drownings?

I almost pulled a 4' tank over on top of myself when my stepping stool came out from under me while my arm was fully inside the tank. Does that count?

 

[djkaty]

The anemone has moved today up towards the light instead of languishing in the dark behind a rock:

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(also click Previous twice to see two other shots)

I feel much better for seeing that. I hope he gets some of his colour back if he stays in the light.

 

[snowmaker]

Have you been feeding the 'nem? I had an RBTA once that liked silversides, or dried krill hydrated with Selco or something highly nutritious. I remember hermit crabs could somehow detect when the anemone was getting ready to eject waste (out it's mouth....yum ) as the crabs would gather around it and then fight over the skeletons, shell, and crap that come out.
I think I use to feed the RBTA 2 or 3x per week.

 

[djkaty]

It has refused all food I have tried to feed it Had it for almost 3 weeks now.

However it must be eating something, I have seen it pooping twice.

 

[djkaty]

A quick update then just in case anything bad is happening since I'm still getting my footing in all of this.

The water parameters are still ammonia 0.03ppm and nitrite 0.3ppm - no change over the last 9 days. I have only had to clean up the algae off the glass twice, about once per week.

I have done two water changes of 10% two weeks ago and about 20% today (I had a hard time last week as some of you know and didn't do anything except feed the fish). I have also added calcium 3 times according to the instructions over 2 weeks but the calcium level after the first addition was only up from 300ppm to 305ppm, I have not tested it since.

The discolouration of the anemone has stabilized, I _think_, although it's hard to tell. It seems to have settled at a light pink colour on the tentacles. The base had gone almost entirely white but it has now returned to a light-to-medium brown colour. The anemone moves occasionally; after one day in full view near the top of the tank it retreated back into the relative darkness, but the last week it has slowly inched its way up again, but still isn't properly exposed to the light yet. It still won't eat what I give it, but I have finally found a source of mysis and brine shrimp so I will go and pick some up on Monday.

Any feedback welcome!

 

[cuttlegirl]

I was wondering how your tank was progressing, so thanks for the update. The anemone sound like it is fine, they are pretty hardy creatures.

 

[djkaty]

Yes I haven't posted much because I have been having some major issues over in 'real life'.

Well... hrm... too bad you said that about the anemone because I just screwed up (maybe, maybe not). He was in a place that was impossible to feed him so rather than prising him off the rock I put a powerhead nearby to try to get him to move. He started moving in the desired direction but after about half an hour (I watched constantly) he fell off I quickly reached in and put my hand underneath before he hit the sand and moved him to a place with more light, but he didn't stick and just wanted to float around

Eventually I put him on a rock and held him there gently with my hand for a while until he stuck, now he has found a place I think which is upright and in view thank goodness, although still at the bottom of the tank he is in a brighter area now and although he's somewhat shrivelled up from stress you can immediately already see the tentacles which are inflated are more pear-shaped and less stringy now. I hope he stays there and I didn't upset him too much.

The clownfish is livid, he is swimming where the anemone used to be (first time I have seen him away from it except when feeding), kicking up sand with his tail and spitting little stones. But, it's probably good he leaves the anemone alone for a while.

 

[cuttlegirl]

I'm glad you didn't pry him/her off of the rock, you can really injure anemones by pulling or scraping them off of the surface. You should probably just leave the anemone alone for awhile, the clownfish will recover from it's temper tantrum...

 

[djkaty]

The anemone walked all the way across the tank and is now upside down on the sand. I'm regretting trying to get him to move now

 

[djkaty]

Ah not to worry, he's attached to a rock now, in a reasonably good place for him and me.

 

[djkaty]

Today I found where I can buy mysis shrimp (but they didn't have any, they have to order it), brine shrimp, krill and cyclops... so I'm happy, I got some krill to try (not on myself :P). But what is cyclops? Is it the same as Cyclop-Eeze or what?