help!, help!

[henrydrph]

Hello everyone, I am in need of some advice. My intrest in keeping an octo started about 1 month ago when I purchased some live rock. (came from Florida). To make a long story short an octopus was hiding inside one of them and I now have a new friend.
I think he is an O. briareus since these are common in the florida keys. (where my rock came from). He is about 4-5 inches long from the end of one leg to the end of the other leg, and he only comes out of his rock at night. (I know where he hides). I have seen him several times at about 4 AM. I have never feed him so he must be eating something (snails) inside my tank.
Will it be necessary to wake up at 3-4AM to try to feed him? Is there any way to make him come out of his rock at any other time? Is the frozen shrimp at he supermarket a good idea? What is the best thing to do?
Thanks for the advise.

 

[Colin]

Welcome to TONMO.com!!!

Lucky You!!!

The octopus may be feeding on snails but if it is a well established tank there wil be a lot of amphipods and so on to keep it going.

Dead shrimp like defrosted frozen shrimp wil be accepted by a briarues and its just a matter of trial and error but you set the feeding times not the octopus! Feed at the same time every day and it may get into a routine...

best food would be live crabs/hermit crabs.. try that to start with.

I would expect briareus to be more active... perhaps you have got mercatoris or jouhbini? They are more secretive and nocturnal.

All the best
C

 

[tonmo]

Welcome henrydrph! Would live to see a picture of your tank... got any? I'm interested in seeing the live rock your octo was hiding in... if I were to get a tank it'd definitely have the live rock... so cool. 8)