I want a small octopus for my tank

[Bibet]

Im an advanced aquariest and i am thinking about getting my first octopus. I want a small species and have been looking into a blue ring but i hear that is a bad idea please tell me what you think. And if there are any safer small species please let me know

thank you

 

[Armstrong]

Blue ringed octo's are harmful and very, very poisnous. If you get bitten, your risking your life. I would not recommend them, but if your very advanced..mabye you can. You just cant touch them.

Safer smaller octo's would be the pygmy octopus. I wouldn't know were to purchase them though. From what iv heard, there not the most commonly sold octopus. The Bimaculoides is the best choice.

 

[OCTO OAKLEY]

I would suggest possibly a bimac or pygmy but the pygmy is a little more difficult so your best bet would be a bimac and there also there alot cooler atleast i think so! so what size of tank are you thinking about keepin your future octo in if ya do get one?

 

[Bibet]

Not sure yet

I was planning on buy a tank and deticating it to the octo if i do find one that wont kill me About how big a tank would you guys recomend for the bima...... there arent any other that stay as small as the blue ring and wont kill me????

 

[DHyslop]

I was planning on buy a tank and deticating it to the octo if i do find one that wont kill me Anyway the guy at the pet store recommended a nano cube because it has a lid and can sustain a small reef environment but it seems to small thoughts?????

Your pet store guy is using fuzzy logic: "well, gee, someone can keep a reef in a 15 gallon tank, you've gotta be able to keep an octo."

The reason that blue rings aren't recommmended--besides the fact that they're more lethal than rattlesnakes and black widow spiders--is that they generally don't travel well and usually don't end up making as interactive of pets as other types of octos.

You end up with related problems with most pygmy octos. No one aquacultures them so you have to get one wild-caught. Transition to its new life might be a little stressful, plus it is probably caught as an adult without too many more months ahead of it. Add to that many of them are nocturnal and you can see why bimacs are so popular!

If you're planning on setting up a system for an octopus, why not go all the way, get a good 55-75 gallon system and keep a bimac? Yes, it will cost a lot more, but you don't need to buy it all this week. I bought and put together my 75 gallon setup over the course of about six months as I could afford it. And now, a year later, I'm still upgrading things when I find deals on good used equipment (new 30-gallon sump goes in this weekend!). If you did it this way, I doubt you'd regret it.

Dan

 

[Bibet]

Thanks for you help guess it is just out of my budget right now. All though i would like to get one so if anyone sees a way please let me know

 

[corw314]

Do you live near That Pet Place in Pa? Their tanks are very reasonable. Check out their prices on their website. I would think you maybe able to get a standard 55 setup for the price you'd spend on a Nanocube, which I think is a waste of money unless all you are going to do is a small reef setup with maybe one fish. There are many discussions on this site discouraging the use of one of these for an octopus.

Carol

 

[DHyslop]

Thanks for you help guess it is just out of my budget right now. All though i would like to get one so if anyone sees a way please let me know

You can do it on a budget if you're willing to do it over a period of time, wait for deals and good used equipment to show up. Used equipment is OK if you can get proof of no-copper (ie, fill the tank half full of DI water, let it sit for a few days and do a copper-test).

I got my tank, stand and lights in a package deal for $300.
I paid quite a bit for all my sump paraphenalia, but here's some used equipment prices from a local fish shop last week:

Aqua-medic TF-1000 skimmer (+ new pump) = $5 (+35)
30 gallon tank for a sump = $10
1200 gph external pump (too big for me, didn't buy) = $15

I paid $150, $25, $85 respectively for the skimmer, sump and pump that I already had! Would have saved $200 if I had gotten used stuff to begin with.

Look at it this way: When it comes down to it, a nano will cost you $300 when you include your sand, gravel and everything else you need to get it running. Why not take that money, buy a 75 gallon tank, and sit on it for a month or two until you can afford to set up the plumbing? I've had the equipment to set up my sump again for well over a month. Its just been sitting there. The reason is I've spent all this time researching and planning how to put it together right.

Its not difficult to do this on a budget if you're level-headed and not too impulsive.

Dan