I'm getting a Bimac!!!

[simple]

Yes! after much persuasion my mom has allowed me to get a bimac octopus!!! (I'm in high school)She wont pay for anything because shes not too into it, so all the money i made working in the summer is going into this. But, i am just so happy she has "allowed" me to have one. These will be the specs of my tank, i just want to run it by you guys since this will be my first octo, though i do have a reef tank thats doing great.
Here are the specs:
55 gallon tank
15 gallon sump (with refugium including chaeto, LR and live sand)
c-360 canister filter
60 lbs of live rock
20 lbs of live sand
protein skimmer (havent decided on what model..)
Aquanetics 1/4 hp chiller

Thats all i can think of for now, any suggestions or advice is welcomed
thanks.

 

[Nancy]

Nice that you'll be keeping a bimac! Since you already have a reef tank, you know that you'll have to cycle your new tank for three months before getting your bimac.

We're looking for sources of bimacs - check the Octopus Availability thread. There are other species that can be kept as well. You don't say how large your tank is.

Where do you live? Near a coast or inland?

Nancy

 

[simple]

i mentioned that the tank is 55 gallons, which i was told would be enough. The tank has been set up and running for four months by a friend who planned to use it as a fish only with live rock tank but never did so i gladly bought it from him, thus im guessing it should be more than cycled by now, I just dont know if the move would make any levels unstable. I am currently searching for a source of bimacs, and i heard marine bio guy will send out some on monday so i PM'ed him though im not sure if i'll have everything ready by then. I also asked an LFS who said they might be able to get one. I live in Miami Florida about 2 and half miles from the beach, so i am planning on biking (im not old enough to drive yet) to the beach a few times a week to collect crabs, though i would love to get him to eat uncooked frozen shrimp too.
Like i said any suggestions or advice is welcomed..

 

[Nancy]

The tank sounds fine, just make sure no copper treatments have ever been used in it, because octopuses are very sensitive to that. I would imagine it would remain stable after moving, but test it to make sure.

Almost all bimacs get used to eating thawed frozen shrimp, but giving him a couple of crabs a week is a good idea, too. Your bimac will be very small when he arrives. Maybe have some small blue-legged crabs and snails available for him. He may still be eating amphipods, too.

If you aren't ready in time for a bimac, maybe you could find a briareus locally (like Fluffy - look at that thread). Pretty much the same to keep, except briareus needs wamer water temperatures.

Nancy

 

[simple]

yea i know there's collectors near here that sell briareus, but i read they were nocturnal, and i would much rather have a diurnal one, though the guy that was selling me his chiller backed out and i dont have the money for a brand new one at the moment so i might have to go for a briareus..
I was also considering a Fliosus or Hummellincki (however you spell that) as it is now called but i keep hearing about them mysteriously dying, so im not sure what to think of it. I would much rather a Hummellincki than a Briareus because they seem very playful and diurnal but the mysterious deaths keep me away...or was this only from the batch from Saltwaterfish.com?

 

[Nancy]

Have a look at the Pics of Fluffy thread on Journals and Photos.
Pics of Fluffy

A briareus is not so very nocturnal, like a mercatoris is. You might get along just fine, and then you wouldn't have a chiller to worry about.

Nancy

 

[simple]

yea i've spent the larger part of this day looking at literally everything posted with fluffy in it, including pics posted of her on other websites. I also contacted Tom the diver who should be able to get me one. Seems like everything might work after all =D Cant wait!