Hi All

[compaqh]

I have been reading through this site for some time now, and hopefully I am on the right track to successfully keeping a ceph. About four months ago I gave in and started a tank. Reading through the forums such as this have been a big help, but I would like to know if anyone has suggestions about my setup before getting a ceph. I am open to an octo or a cuttle; it mostly depends on the best match for my setup and availability. I have easy access to hermit crabs and snails for feeding.

Thank you all for the wealth of information on TONMO!

The setup:
90g (acrylic)
~100lbs live rock
3" aragonite substrate
Canister filter
Protein skimmer
Fluorescent lighting
--
1 emerald crab
3 hermit crabs
2 snails
--
SG 1.023
Ammonia, Nitrite 0
Nitrate < .5
PH 8.3

I still need to upgrade the protein skimmer and seal off a couple openings.

 

[tonmo]

Welcome compaqh! I'm glad you're here.

 

[Animal Mother]

Welcome to TONMO. Sounds like you're well on your way to being a fine owner.

 

[cuttlegirl]

Thanks for letting your tank mature for several months before adding a sensitive animal like a cephalopod!

 

[corw314]

I like to hear when people do it right!!!! You will be so richly rewarded by making sure your set up is correct in not only equipment but stability!

Carol

 

[cthulhu77]

Welcome to Tonmo!

 

[DWhatley]

Welcome aboard!

The only comment I can offer at this point since you seem to have read and followed guidlines , is to warn you that snails and hermits may not work for your ceph. Carol has had good luck with snails that she collects for her octopuses (I think even she has mentioned that Biddle has out grown them now) and several people report snail and hermits eaten when an octo is first introduced but most of the octopuses seem to ultimately eat other things and leave the snails and hermits alone (crabs and shrimp seem to be the most common). My mercs (dwarfs) don't touch either of them and a cuttle is not likely to consider them as food even when first introduced. If you are collecting these yourself, you may also have easy access to small crabs but live shrimp usually are more difficult. The larger octopuses seem to take fresh raw fish market shrimp but initially, you will likely need to provide live. Experiences have been varied with the personalities of individual cephs so you and your critter may need to experiment.

 

[compaqh]

Thanks for the pointer on feeding. What kind of live shrimp would work good? White shrimp (Penaeus vannamei)?

 

[Nancy]

Hi and welcome to TONMO.com!

Glad you are setting up your tank the right way!

When you have your ceph, be sure to post pics over on the Journals and Photos forum. We welcome ceph care questions, too.

As for feeding, many larger octopuses are fed fiddlers because they are the most available live crab. It depends on where you live and what you can get. The little shore shrimp are good food (and popular even with larger octopuses, who seem to find them very tasty) You can feed shrimp you find frozen at the grocery store, too, if you thaw them out first.

Nancy

 

[DWhatley]

I think any live SALTWATER shrimp are equally fine. The brackish water varieties seem to work well too (and can be kept in saltwater) so, as Nancy points out, availability is key. A lot will depend upon what your octopus will accept and even that may change over its life span. The general rule is mantle size or smaller (at least while they are young) and size does seem to impact desirability. Carol has had excellent luck over the course of many years by collecting much of her own food in tidal pools and presenting a variety. Those of us who are inland have a harder time finding a mix of fresh (and especially live) foods. I have been trying to get Paul (Cannot connect to MySQL server) to experiment with some small bi-valves but he hasn't come up with anything he thinks will ship safely yet (I will post if that changes). Mine can't possibly open the larger ones available at Mariculture (Brine & Ghost Shrimp, Feeder Fish, Aquarium Supply - Live Brine Shrimp) but others may find these acceptable (I ordered some as an experiment and they are doing well as filter feeders in my reef sump and feeder shrimp tank but were way too big for Merc food).