• Looking to buy a cephalopod? Check out Tomh's Cephs Forum, and this post in particular shares important info about our policies as it relates to responsible ceph-keeping.

How much to feed?

flash02161

Cuttlefish
Registered
Joined
Feb 17, 2005
Messages
25
I plan on starting a 75 gallon Bimac tank this summer and I've done quite a bit of reading over the last 8 months. However, I've heard several different things pertaining to how much to feed octos. I know that when they are young they should be fed 2-3 times each day. Then, when they are older they should be fed every 2 days or so. But I have not heard anything about when you should start weening their feeding, or at what age they are considered adults. Can someone give me a year or so's timeline for feeding quantity???
 
Hi Flash and welcome to TONMO.com! :welcome:

I try to keep records of our Tonmo bimacs - most people feed their bimacs daily, although it is possible to feed them every other day. Most offer live food in addition to thawed frozen food.

At the end of the third month is when bimacs can go on an adult schedule. Octopets ships its baby bimacs early than three months, so you'll need to pay special attention to food during the early period.

Nancy
 
when they are adults, and they are being fed about once a day...how much should they be fed in that one feeding?? 1 shrimp, a few shrimp, as many as it will eat???
 
I wing it depending on what the octopus will take and eat and it's body size. Many octopuses will keep taking live food as long as you offer it but won't eat all of it - this can quickly cause water quality problems. If the octopus isn't eating all of what you offer then you need to cut back fast. They can be greedy. I also feed once a day.

If you want a more accurate answer, 5 to 10% of it's body weight per day for an adult is a good place to start. Of course, now you have to weigh your octopus. . .
 
G2 eats 2-3 large crabs maybe 3" to 4" shells a week. If I'm out of them then he looks for food daily. Can eat up to 10 frozen 1/2" to 1" prawn a day.
 
It's a good idea to remove uneaten food from the tank as well as crab shells, the remnants of shrimp, etc.

Sometimes your octo will even help, by placing the uneaten parts in the front of the tank.

I had a very helpful bimac, Ollie. After she laid eggs and stayed in her den, she continued eating but sometimes politely accepted the pieces of shrimp that I offered, then tossed them out across the tank.

One time the food fell into a crevice and I was digging for it with a feeding stick. Suddenly I felt the stick being moved - it was Ollie, leaning out of her den - she moved the stick away and found the shrimp. After she retrieved the it, she took the shrimp back to her den, then came out of the top of her den holding the shrimp in her front arms and handed it to me!!

Nancy
 

Shop Amazon

Shop Amazon
Shop Amazon; support TONMO!
Shop Amazon
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Back
Top