Feeding Question

[Chamkeeper]

I am still planning my Octo tank, and trying to make sure all the details are covered. My latest issue is feeding. I understand 'crabs' are a treat but what type of crab specifically? Hermits, Fidlers?

Also, how often and what quantity should I plan on feeding? My plan is for a Bimac from Fishsupply.com. They are captive bred and small, so I was planning on buying some baby clams from them to feed. How long would the 100 clams last? I can get reasonably fresh seafood here, shrimp, scallops, mussels and clams. Is that enough variety? Should I look into setting up a Mollie tank or guppy tank to provide some live feeders?

Sorry for the long post just trying to get it right the first time.

Cham

 

[joel_ang]

"Crabs" are both hermits and fiddlers. I'm not sure on how much or how frequently they should be fed but all of the items listed down are ok. Freshwater fish might be deadly if they have been treated with copper based medications.

 

[NickA5582]

You should feed it one crab or whatever food you have once a day. I'd agree with Joel, don't give it guppies because they don't have the right amount of nutrition needed for a growing octo, something about amino acids I think, plus mine had trouble catching them. I think host shrimp may be okay, but I'm not too sure.

 

[Nancy]

I don't think there's a real rule as to how often to feed. You can tell your octo is hungry when it is hunting. You could feed it once a day, or smaller amounts twice a day - whatever. Providing food is a way of establishing contact between you and your octopus.

It's better to provide a variety of food, at least some of it live. I found ghost shrimp useful for the first few weeks after my bimac arrived because they are slower and much easier to catch than shore shrimp. Hermit crabs are useful at first because the kind that are usually for sale are very small. I swiched to fiddler crabs a little later.

See how your baby octopus likes little prices of shrimp, scallop, fish,etc. Mine loved scallops for a long time, but now won't touch them.

Nancy

 

[corw314]

Hi and welcome!!

I see you're from Easter Pa! My first bimac, Hermin, came from That Pet Place in Lancastor! My second came from FishSupply via Fedex! Anyway, if your close, you may want to check out That Pet Place. They usually have the bimacs in stock, but they don't know they do!!

My bimac, Ink eats anything I give him! He's a bottomless pit! I started him on hermits also, but found he eats anything I give him! Lately, I have been keeping about 10 or so local shrimp I catch in his tank and little by little they disapear in between the crabs and local fish he eats. Fun to watch him hunt the fish as most can be pretty smart and he really needs to be inventive to catch them!

Good luck!!!

Carol

 

[o.vulgaris]

I simply just give my O. a hermit crab and he's happy and entertained for the whole day, not much complexity with feeding an octo, but you should give it different types of food. Pay your local Fish supermarket a visit lol and you'll find all kind's of good stuff, snag some squid while you're at it.

 

[Chamkeeper]

Corw,

I get lots of drygoods from That Fish Place. Mailorder prices close enough to go pick up and save on shipping, you can't beat it. Tell me more about how to find an Octo there? Do you go there and ask for one? Will they know they if have one if I call ahead (it's ~1.5 hr. drive)? I have never seen one there in my half a dozen or so trips.

Thanks everyone for the simplification. Sounds like feeding won't be too big of a deal as long as I experiment and find something he will he initially.

 

[corw314]

The octo's are in the invert room to the left of the door as you walk in. You can call and check stock, just ask for the Fish room. I checked a few weeks ago and they did have one, but usually they don't know the species. Last couple times I was out there, they had bimacs. You just need to be familiar with the different species so you know what you're getting. Ink was from Fish Supply cause after Hermin passed, I couldn't wait for another one !

Carol

 

[Chamkeeper]

I was there getting a list of drygoods, and foods/vitamins. I wandered into the Invert room and picked out a couple of corals for my tank. I did see two 'pygmy octos' for sale. I was tempted, but good judgement overcame me and I passed. I paid my $200 and went home...LOL