flamboyant cuttlefish

[joel_ang]

I saw what looked like a flamboyant cuttlefish in my LFS, was quite small ( ML about 3-4cm ) . It had a reasonable price and the owner says it was from Indonesia.
Do they need any special requirements? I might consider getting one

 

[Colin]

Hi Joe

Good find!!!

I don't know anyone who has first hand experience at keeping the flamboyant cuttlefish (Metasepia pfefferi) but that they were on sale in the West last year for $200!!! And that was for an adult with only weeks to live as it was fully grown!

So, I'd asume that they will require care similar to Zoidberg.

If the ML is 3 - 4cm then that is ideal! The species only reaches 8cm.

It is asumed that the cuttlefish is poisonous (not venemous) and that the colours are advertising this fact.

Also, this cuttle is said walk on its arms rather than swimming so much.

So good luck on it and keep us up to date, I'll try not to be too jealous! 8)

 

[joel_ang]

I havent actually gotten the cuttle fish, but i might try to trade it for Zoidberg $200?!!!! , maybe the supplier here didnt realise what species it was :P It was priced just like any other cuttle (S$10-12) I'll try to get my hands on it if it is still there tomorrow.

 

[mikeconstable]

flamboyant cuttlefish?

I believe that there is a strong discouragement to keeping this type (on Dr Woods cephalopod site) as they are difficult to maintain and also poorly understood - also too much collection may threaten their survival.

 

[Colin]

The big difference here is that Joe actually lives near where the cephs are located. So a species like S. bandensis or Metasepia that many people have problems with are going to get a much easier ride because the ceph hasn't had to travel to the UK or USA.

So, his chances of getting a healthy specimen are greatly incresed.

There is no actual evidence to date that the specimen is endangered but if Joe wasn't in Singapore I would strongly advise against trying to get or keeping one purely because the survivability of transported cuttles is so low in the trade.

So I totally agree with Mike's comments and with JBW's views but that Joe's circumstances are slightly different. However, it's one of the sticky bits of the hobby again.

 

[joel_ang]

Ok I failed to get it, some other guy reserved it before me, I placed an order with the owner, he'll try to get another one on friday.

 

[mikeconstable]

flamboyant cuttlefish

Would it be better to try getting eggs to Europe or US and hatching them? - could be temped if there was a source! ( I have hatched 3 or 4 batches of Sepia Officinalis from eggs washed up on the beach). How much more difficult would they be?

 

[Colin]

I dont think that apart from a warmer temperature it will be too difficult...

We need to get Joe his diving license and start him posting eggs

heh

 

[lawrence]

hi joel i'm in sg too, would like to know which LFS you saw the f-cuttle?? i just bought a common cuttle today at liquid design, still sourcing for other LFS who has nice octos and cuttles,

 

[joel_ang]

Hi Lawrence, seeing this is your first post, to TONMO.com

A good place to get cuttles/octos is @ Reborn Aquarium and supplier ( don't check yellow pages, they are moving to 235 lavender rd and will reopen on wed). Before they moved, they usually would bring them about 6 cuttles in every wed, so its a good time to check.

I saw the flamboyant cuttle at Orchard Rd ( can't remember name or address :? ).

 

[joel_ang]

The owner says that the species he's gonna bring in on mon is a bandensis (sp?).

 

[Colin]

Hi Joe

there is a lot of information about bandensis in past posts, unfortunetly most of them are very negative. remember they are a dwarf with a max size of about 5cm ML so chaces are they will be adults with a very short time to live... I'd only get them if they were about 1-2cm and probably I'd get 1/2 dozen to try to breed them but you'd need at least a 100gal tank I'd think

 

[lawrence]

ya i use to patronise reborn but never could get really nice octi from them, is the LFS u referin to in orchard (pet shop boys ) at far east?? i just got a common reef octi today from a LFS in hong leong gdns, still hopin to see if my cuttle n octi could fit in together as my tank has lots of hiding spaces for the octi

 

[Colin]

Don't think they'll do too well together Lawrence!
Been tried and the octo ate the cuttle!

You able to post some pics of your octopus?

PS i removed 2 of the posts that you duplicated

 

[joel_ang]

So, are the two getting along?