Hey y'all, my name is Walter, and I am so happy to be here! I've been lurking for a while learning a lot, but I figured it was time to make my formal grand entrance .
I was born and raised near Dallas, Texas, studied environmental science and biology for undergrad in Walla Walla, Washington, and then have been living in Austin, Texas ever since graduating. I was briefly in in Baton Rouge and Vermont, but for less than 6 months each.
I have kept reptiles my whole life (predominately Correlophus/Rhacodactylus) and so have a lot of experience building terrariums with communities of isopods, springtails, bromeliads, geckos, and more all living together. One thing I love about bioactive terrariums as well as saltwater tanks is the necessity of cultivating multiple, interconnected species relationships.
Two years ago, I went to H-mart to buy some beansprouts for our family's Christmas eggrolls, and I saw that they were selling live octopuses to be eaten. Ever since then, I have been learning about saltwater aquarium husbandry, and more specifically, coldwater marine tanks, as the species they are selling most likely live in cold water. It has been my dream to save one of these octopuses ever since, and am hopefully getting close to having a tank that is suitable soon!
From everything I have read on here about other folks' valiant attempts to do the same (DWhatley, davelin315, ACC4) I recognize I will most likely be setting up an "octopus hospice" where stressed and weakened octopuses can live out their final days alone. But I still want to try dangit! I've set up an instagram and youtube account to chronicle my foibles. Here are the accounts if y'all are curious:
https://youtube.com/@project.saveocho?si=qiBDNficfiFU6T39
https://www.instagram.com/project.save.ocho/
If anybody knows any resources/people in Austin working with coldwater species or any cephalopods for that matter, I would really appreciate any connections! A place to source live food regularly is the last hurdle I have yet to investigate fully.... Anyway, here are some pictures of what my tank looks like now (I appreciate thoughts/advice on rockscaping too) and then some of the terrariums and geckos I've built, just for fun .
I was born and raised near Dallas, Texas, studied environmental science and biology for undergrad in Walla Walla, Washington, and then have been living in Austin, Texas ever since graduating. I was briefly in in Baton Rouge and Vermont, but for less than 6 months each.
I have kept reptiles my whole life (predominately Correlophus/Rhacodactylus) and so have a lot of experience building terrariums with communities of isopods, springtails, bromeliads, geckos, and more all living together. One thing I love about bioactive terrariums as well as saltwater tanks is the necessity of cultivating multiple, interconnected species relationships.
Two years ago, I went to H-mart to buy some beansprouts for our family's Christmas eggrolls, and I saw that they were selling live octopuses to be eaten. Ever since then, I have been learning about saltwater aquarium husbandry, and more specifically, coldwater marine tanks, as the species they are selling most likely live in cold water. It has been my dream to save one of these octopuses ever since, and am hopefully getting close to having a tank that is suitable soon!
From everything I have read on here about other folks' valiant attempts to do the same (DWhatley, davelin315, ACC4) I recognize I will most likely be setting up an "octopus hospice" where stressed and weakened octopuses can live out their final days alone. But I still want to try dangit! I've set up an instagram and youtube account to chronicle my foibles. Here are the accounts if y'all are curious:
https://youtube.com/@project.saveocho?si=qiBDNficfiFU6T39
https://www.instagram.com/project.save.ocho/
If anybody knows any resources/people in Austin working with coldwater species or any cephalopods for that matter, I would really appreciate any connections! A place to source live food regularly is the last hurdle I have yet to investigate fully.... Anyway, here are some pictures of what my tank looks like now (I appreciate thoughts/advice on rockscaping too) and then some of the terrariums and geckos I've built, just for fun .