cuttle fish

[clownfish]

hello all I have been over in the octopus section for a few months and have a 30 gallon with an octopus. I was wondering if I could keep an s bandensis in my 30 gallon wonce I get a 55 for my octopus would that be ok or should I shoot higher? also I can feed him crabs and shrimp wright? finaly is it ok to feed him goldfish I have herd they art good for octopus but what about cuttles

thanks

 

[Colin]

Hi Clownfish

I think you should really work on the experience of owning an octopus first. You need to concentrate on one cephalopod at a time until you become a more experienced aquarist.

That's a 'no' on the goldfish issue too

 

[Mikey]

Echo Colin firstly, but then... (for others to read too)

The Bandensis should be ok in a 30, but only singularly. I would alway say get as big a tank as you can so if you can "shoot higher" then do so.

This tank needs to be fully cycled and appropriate for the cuttle (ie, no sucking powerheads etc) but if you have set it up properly for an octo, it should be ok for a cuttle.

Food wise, crabs, and shrimps are fine - variety is the key. They will take frozen food too with some persistence.

Dont feed goldfish however - they aren't natural to cuttles, therefore nutritionally are a bit off. In addition to this, and more worryingly, they can contain levels of (lead or copper - cant remember which??) which obviously isn't good for the cuttles.

Read as much as you can on this forum about keeping cuttles (not just Bandensis), take your time, read again - ask anything that you do not know!

Good luck!

 

[interways]

Stop!

clownfish, you just got your octo, which, IMHO, was extremely unwise, given your obvious lack of experience in and dedication to reefkeeping.

Be aware that keeping an octo should in no way be easier or cheaper for you than keeping a reef aquarium. The octopus will only be as happy as he can be if you provide him the water quality a coral reef needs. If you can not provide that (and that takes some experience and lots of filtration etc.), then leave him where he is from. Same goes for cuttles. I keep an octopus in a separate 100G tank which is directly connected to and cycles the same water as my 300G reef tank. That way I can give him perfect water and filtration (using an aquamedic turbofloator 5000 twin skimmer designed for a 1200G tank). The reef is running for 7 years now, corals are growing at an incredible rate (especially the 'hard ' corals as some here call them). You see, that is an environment an octopus will be happy in. Anything less is just not enough for me. An octo is a living creature you have taken out of it's environment. It is your responsibility to give him the best you can! (That naturally goes for all animals you may keep...)

Anyways, stay away from cuttles, concentrate on the octo!!!

Sorry for the harsh words, but it seems to me that you do not really care to follow the advice given to you in this forum...

 

[[email protected]]

thats a bit harsh saying clownfish doesnt care when they havnt replyed back yet probably because they was busy researching, ive always found octopuses easier than other marine fish, they seem to suit the life of being looked after with no predators and having their food brought to them, surely keeping fish that swim in mass shoals like tangs etc is more cruel?

 

[DocFrye]

I don't think interways was suggesting that Clownfish doesn't care, just that he doesn't care to follow any of the advice offered on this forum... or that he doesn't care to take 5 minutes and read care sheets... or that he doesn't care to take the time to properly cycle his tank... or that he doesn't care to spellcheck his posts.

Am I "Wright" about that, interways?

 

[interways]

DocFrye, you definitely are "wright"!

clownfish ignores any suggestions anybody makes, strangely enough.

And, [email protected], I think you (or, for that matter, anybody else) are doing no good to an octopus if you keep it in conditions that are far worse than where it came from. So, if you can keep a reef with all those corals, fish, etc. in it, then you should be able to keep an octo. If you are NOT able to keep a reef, then, in my opinion, you should NOT keep an octopus! Just having it barely survive the dirty water in a tank does not mean you are doing it any good...

 

[Thales]

I have successfully kept a single bandensis in an 18 gallon high for its entire life. No problem.

 

[a rabid squid]

Jeez interways you're brutal to clownfish. He just asked a simple question, hes not ignorant, just misinformed. if he didnt care why would he be on this website in the first place. also, im with righty that cuttle could easily live in a 30 gallon tank. and im pretty sure the octo could live in a 55 gallon tank, i've seen people put them in smaller tanks than that. just be sure to cycle your new tank for 3 months and youll be fine. and i dont think the goldfish are a good idea... i learned the hard way.

good luck,
kevin

 

[interways]

No, I'm not brutal to clownfish. Just have a look at his other posts and you will begin to understand why I have to choose harsh words. A normal discussion has no effect whatsoever. He has huge problems even cycling his tank, let alone keeping such trivial things as fiddler crabs. Now he got himself an octo and is immediately thinking about buying another one or even a cuttle.

What nice words do you have for that?