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I done a bad thing. My confession.

krakenorca

Hatchling
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Jul 3, 2009
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2
This is my confession and testament.

I have successfully kept a couple of Octopuses for at least a good chunk of their natural lifespan (9mos on a Bumblebee, about 6 on a an unidentifed Pacific breed, not at the same time) in an Octo-proof tank, with a couple of other fish that are learned in the art of not being seen.

After the demise of both the aforementioned, I had the opportunity to try and hatch a banded cat shark from an egg, which I accepted, and waited about 4mos for it to come to fruition, which it did, unexpectedly, the day before I added another (wonderful) Hummelienki(sp?) to the tank. The shark I planned to keep for about a year, before transplanting to a friend's much larger tank which is species appropriate.

My experience has led me to believe that what's in the tank on an Octo arrival, has a better chance of surviving (as long as its not egregious). I was correct until today.

Both have been successfully fed a combination of live/frozen food at the same time for about three months without bothering each other. I was duly impressed with myself.

However, today, I came home from work to find the little banded cat in the arms of the Kraken, which I fought for.

Now, I doubt many of you have ever fought an octo for food before (I haven't) but for the record, It's damn near impossible. Pulling as hard as I could, dislodging the shark wasn't going to happen without hurting the Kraken. We fought for about five minutes, he (or she) jetting me, inking and generally protecting her/his catch with a passion common only to the world of undersea dezinens.

Realizing the poor little shark, that had gotten along so well, was dead, I gave up, and let the meal commence, which consisted of only the eye, and a good gut shot.

I got the body back about an hour later, and the Kraken was still hungry enough for a couple of fiddlers.

On the larger front, I knew better, but thought my marine expertise and lucky streak could buck the prevailing wisdom. I lose. As does my little birthling shark.

I am sad, like Dr. Frankenstein exulting in a success that should have never been, and then hanging his head as he comes home to realize the bride has eaten the groom, happily.

And the Kraken has just begun a new patrol.

Had to tell someone...
 
It's is alright, so long as you post and journal your results to your experiments. Now we know that we cannot keep that particular species as a baby with a hummelincki. also, just wondering where did you get kraken?
 
Thank you for posting as we really need a lot more of this on record. Would you consider having Monty change your title to something like Hummelinck and Bamboo Shark NOT Compatible so that the experience is more easily located?

I am very surprised that the hummelincki attacked the shark as mine have been extremely gentle (but always kept singularly in a species only tank). If the shark did not die before becoming octo food then it would be likely that a larger (baby bamboo's are realtively large) one would face the same fate. It is interesting on how little was eaten. I noted a similar comment on one of the sites that reported the GPO killing the dog sharks in the Seattle aquarium. It might suggest a killing as a protective measure rather than an interest in food.
 
Good point D, I guess it is better to take them out before they can have a chance to take you out. besides, He said that afterwords he ate a couple fiddlers, so he is well fed, therefore the octopus wouldn't need any other reason to kill it.
 
Yes, thank you for posting this, so that others can learn from you experience. When you mix species like this, it's sometimes the octopus that wins, and sometimes the octopus is the victim. That's why we advise people to keep their octopus in a species tank, a tank just for the octopus, with a few exceptions.

You can't blame your hummelincki, it was just being an octopus. So I hope you repair your relationship and continue to enjoy being an ceph keeper. We'd like to hear more from you in the future.

Nancy
 
Like other (and much more experienced than I) folks here have said, it's good that you posted this experience. And you really can't blame your octo for doing what he/she is hardwired to do.

I had mine in with a large lionfish at first - by default. The lionfish's tank cracked like the day or day before I got my octopus. Well, the two seemed to make friends almost right away along with a clown (the lion would let him nuzzle his fins as if they were an anemone), a lawnmower blenny and a blue spot goby. I pulled the lion out though at Nancy's suggestion and concern. Both my lion and my octopus sulked for weeks! They also seemed like they were looking for each other for a long time. My lionfish is still acting like he is mad at me and either won't take food from me at all or has to be starving to reluctantly take it. My neighbor comes over to feed him sometimes and he'll take it from her no problem. :mad:

I think you just never know who will get along and in a captive environment, strange friendships/bonds can happen. I think the reality is that it rarely happens though. Or, because of strange circumstance, we just find out by chance...

As a side note, my octopus inked the lion once but I believe by accident. Goo, (my octo) was just gliding along and crashed into the clear glass wall. No one was chasing him nor was he going away from anything in fear - it was just a fluke. However, the lion was perched on a rock right about where Goo crashed and inked. The flow caused just about all of it to go into his face. The lion didn't panic - or even move at all really but it seemed like it affected his sense of smell for a very long time.
Goo, on the other hand, popped out from the rocks almost immediately to assess the damage and looked like he was embarrassed as I began to scoop large amounts of water through the sump/carbon filter! Everyone else in there just looked clueless. :roll:
 
even we professionals occasionally do stuff like this. We had a baby blue shark given to us and we thought we'd keep it for a bit then release. It was quite big (around 50 cm long) so we thought it's be OK in the tank with some of our adult fish, who had happily co-habited with young carpet sharks of similar size for many years. Well shortly after we put it in the tank we saw the hind end protruding from the jaws of a much smaller black cod (Paranotothenia angustata which is a relative of the Antarctic Ice Cod)......... we felt awful! We will never make that mistake again!

J
 
The postnote...

Many thanks for not flaming me, all, as I expected. My experience with Hummel Octos is similar to many of your posts, gentle and interesting.

However, I am posting this now in fear for my life. More in a moment.

In terms of the questions asked, I found this particular Hummel. in my local FSD (though admittedly a cool one, more variety and quality than most) with a sign indicating "Hold Octopus" for Joey $%^.

I quickly identified this particular animal as being 1) an extrovert 2) healthy 3) likely about to be put in an environment in which he would likely die quickly 4) a 'two spot/bumblebee/hummel' species that I grew to love with my first experience keeping another, similar animal.

So I put cash down, and took it home, nullifying poor Joey's hold inscription.

On the compatability front, I have kept Octo's, including this, with Gobi's, Starfish, feather dusters, small reef fish, and some snails without a problem. However, my fire scallop, and anything basically crawling was toast, as expected.

But I did notice a strategic stalemate behavior between the bamboo shartk and octo on may occasions that I hoped would flourish. But this particular octo is becoming more aggressive by day. Noticed too late.

Back to my earlier comment, this one's become a monster, hence the name Kraken. After eating the shark, he constantly walks the tank in search of something about twice his size to kill, and maybe eat later if it suits him.

I decided to delight some guests by feeding him some fiddler crabs tonight, and he took advantage of the lid opening by crawling halfway out, battling me gleefully with arms winding halfway out of the tank, and shooting jets of pulse water out over the fleeing children. He is now winding his way about, one eye always on me, waiting for the next opportunity to eat or make a point. I am afraid. But it's enormous fun to have such an active an interesting octo, vs. some that I've seen basically retiring permanently to live rock .

Anyway, to answer the other questions, I wouldn't necessarily discourage another attempt like mine (interspecies) since mine is so deliciously aggressive. Just don't name anything you put in there for a few months.

If this is my last post, you know what happened...
 
Keep your lid on when you are not looking! Octane started climbing the hinged lid and was sometimes a pill to coax back into the water. I caused his early demise by leaving the lid open one afternoon. He survived the escape but was aging and died a couple of days later from the exposure. It was one of those experiences that I sadly relive too often (I found him in the middle of the floor and I swear he was staring at me. His one other escape had him climbing walls and being chased and I swear this time he was accusing me of not being there to chase him and put him back into the tank). You are sure this one is a hummelincki, right? Male perchance?
 
So you need to work to regain your octo's trust. He's probably a little more agressive now than is usually the case.
Good food and attention will probably do it!

Nancy
 

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