Many Cuttle questions

[pilotinho]

About how long does it take a baby cuttle to warm up the environment. I only have one shrimp and one NON-Damsel fish in there with him along with a star and two snails and two hermits. With the octo it took about two weeks. What about a baby bandesis? I fed him live brine shrimp today and some amphipods. When I dumped the brine shrimp in they were cycled repeatedly through the filter system and I am in doubt as to how many were eaten by the reclusive cuttle. How does one focus the eating of a baby cuttle? What else is recommended live food for him? Are they noctural or will they adjust to your schedule like the Bimac? Thanks

~Paul

 

[Paradox]

Hopw big is the cuttle? It may be more appropriate to palce it in a breeder net to ensure it eats for a while. How large is the tank?

Thier favorite food seem to be live shrimp..Marine shrimp is the best, but ghost shrimps can be used once in a while. What to feed is pretty dependant on what size it is..Give me a little more info and I can help you out....

 

[pilotinho]

update

He's only about 1 1/2 inches long. I put live brine shrimp in the tank with him, but like I said, I didn't see how much he ate and I think most of them got stuck on the live rock and eaten by bristle worms during the night. He also has amphipods in the tank but will he find them on his own? It is a 30 gallon tank. I was thinking about buying a breeder net to keep the brine shrimp in and then taking a syringe full of them out of the breeder tank and ejecting them near the cuttle. I just need a reliable way to make sure that I know he is eating. Also how long does it take for them to be more social. I am patient and I know they all have their own personalities. THANK YOU very much for the help. I was searching through the forums and I found that Brine shrimp and ghost shrimp work well but the trick for me is getting him to eat them before they all get blown into the filtration system.

Thanks again,

~Paul

 

[Paradox]

at 1.5 inches hes most likely around 4 months old. Im sure that the one you got orignated from a batch of eggs from a tonmo member here named Righty. I have 5 brothers or sisters of your cuttle here as well..=)

At this age he should be able to instantly eat anything that falls into the tank. They are quick varocious eaters. Brine shrimp is actually not a great idea for food for they lack nutritional value and are pretty small for your cuttle. Individual personality will vary, but it looks like yours is shy from the move. If you havent actually seen him eat, and its been more then a few days, I would think about keeping him temporarily in a seperator. The bigger you can find the better for 1.5 inches is a little big to hold him in a breeder. I would also double check your water parameters, because they will start losing interest in food if the quality is not up to par. Also, ensure your salinity is 1.025-1.026 and temp 72-80 F. The best food to feed them is marine shrimp or marine crabs. Fresh water foods lack all the nutrional value they fully need, but can be used intermitently. Yours should be able to eat guppies, ghost shrimps, marine shrimps and small crabs (remove the pinchers to be safe). He would eat pods and brine, but its more appropriate to feed him something bigger. I would forget about the brine shrimp all together actually..

How many days has it been since you acclimated him?

 

[pilotinho]

I will forget the brine shrimp, I just got him to eat a ghost shrimp today by sucking it up with a turkey baster and squirting it next to him. He ate it immediately. I will give him another as soon as he is finished. It has been two days since the acclimation.

 

[Thales]

Have you read this article?



BTW, it should be hosted on TONMO as well next week!

 

[Paradox]

Oh heres the link the the article Righty just mentioned =)

Keeping and Breeding the dwarf cuttlefish Sepia bandensis

 

[Thales]

Thanks! I have been totally overwhelmed lately! I can't believe I forgot the link!

 

[pilotinho]

Thanks

Thank you for the link, I had already read the very fine article. It is just making the food arrive at your tank a reality that is the problem, and keeping it alive long enough for the cuttle to notice. Her name is Sally Squirt by the way.

 

[Thales]

If the cuttle isn't going after the food right away, stop feeding it for a day or two and try again. One food item at a time.

 

[pilotinho]

Stop feeding

Ok I will stop the food for a day or two. How long are they OK without eating? I am not sure that she is not eating. As Nancy said, she may be catching the amphipods while I am at work or during the night.

 

[Thales]

If she is an inch and a half long she isn't eating pods!