• Looking to buy a cephalopod? Check out Tomh's Cephs Forum, and this post in particular shares important info about our policies as it relates to responsible ceph-keeping.

NEED HELP!!!

Scully don't shoot the messengers! In many cases they were giving you advice based on experience and a love of the animal. In case I was one of those you thought were "bashing" you, my qualifications are as follows!

12 years working in a public aquarium holding 2 species of octopus, 1 species of sepiolid (plus inumerable other inverts and fish), Nearly completed PhD where I held live ommastrephid squid in captivity. Supervision of grad students holding sepiolids and octopus, research assistant to Dr George Jackson, where we held squid and sepiolids. Many of the other people on this list have similar (or better!) qualifications including those who held octopus/cuttlefish at home for longer than their natural life span.

You asked for advice and got it, sometimes advice isn't what we want to hear...especially if it's different to what we have done! For eg Steve O'Shea advised me that the tanks I was holding my baby squid in were all wrong (after I'd spent a considerable amount of my research budget on them :hmm: !) so we got them changed!

Sorry if I upset you but............your wee friend needs the best possible care he can get, after all a tank of any sort is not a natural environment for them and it's our responsibility to get it right. Do keep visiting here and asking questions (we all do!) this is a fun site with HEAPS of info and experience to be shared....you are :welcome: here....can you post pics of your friend????

Cheers

Jean
 
Totally agree with you Jean, and in my opinion...keeping an animal such an octopus which IS an exotic sea creature requires as least a month of research on their biology, and capivity. But, you've out-done me with the research, lol. I havent had 12 years experience yet, but iv done enough research and experience to give some advice to new users or new pet-keepers which im sure many others on here have also had...mabye better like Nancy and Colin. I don't know when im getting my octopus, hopefully in another 6 months or so.
 
Hi Armstrong,

Slow and steady wins the race every time!!!!

I was very lucky I joined an aquarium attached to a University research facility, where they have now been keeping octopus (etc!!) for 74 years on display to the public and 101 years for research..........mega quantities of what to do and more importantly what not to do :lol:

Cheers

J
 
I certainly didn't intend to "bash" you, but if that is the way you want to take it, I won't argue. Pets are not toys. They are living creatures. How one plays with one's pets shows a lot about one's character and comitment.

David M. Frye, DVM
 
Scully,

There's no reason you can't keep an octopus successfully if you want to. What distinguishes you from the next person who buys that octo is you realized you were in over your head and found some people to help you. Additionally, you were willing to give up the octo as soon as it became clear that you might not be creating a safe home for it.

If you want to keep an octo, you sound like you have the patience and concern for the animal. Just do some research and realize it will be quite a commitment, both in terms of the time and the money.

Dan
 
...Dan...thank you for the kind words....briefly, as you have figured out, I went into this over my head....I relied on my local aquarium shop.....they felt as a beginner, the nano cube would be my best bet, since you just plug it in, an it's all set to go. I did fully go through the whole cyle time - about a month, and even threw in an extra week
to be sure - doing all the right steps. I have live rock and 4 Damsels - no problems
at all.
...I then checked out another aquarium shop - they said an octopus would definately go
overboard into the back....but unfortunately, by then, the tank was almost all set to go...
....given to to over: I should have:
1. completely done my homework as everyone has said, meaning not rely only on one
store for all the information.
2. as soon as I realized from the other shop that the octo would have the ability to
crawl over, I should have lined the tank with mesh, as another person did in the
forum - he is putting his octo in a 12 gallon nano (I noticed no one commented
on that), BUT he did have a plan..as soon as the octo grows, to move him to a
larger tank...
3. use the 24 gallon nano cube for something else...do my research, then get the
right home for the octo....

....Doc Fry....yea, you sounded a bit rough - sorry I asked...
....this was a tough lesson.....I only know rare birds...I have 12.....mostly Macaws.
...yes, it's COMPLETELY different....but I know my limits when I "play with my
pets" as you say......I didn't know that one could "play" with an octopus...
....even though you are EXACTLY right about everything you said...I won't raise
my hand to ask you anything again.....
 
Jean said:
Hi Armstrong,

Slow and steady wins the race every time!!!!

I was very lucky I joined an aquarium attached to a University research facility, where they have now been keeping octopus (etc!!) for 74 years on display to the public and 101 years for research..........mega quantities of what to do and more importantly what not to do :lol:

Cheers

J

Completely agree with you. Iv noticed a lot of new users who come on here and want an octopus, but ask questions that clearly point out what knowledge they have had. Im very passionate about learning and educating myself to the maximum degree before EVER having an animal, or anything. But something such as an octopus...is meant to be takin care of by an expert aquarist as said by numerous pet stores, or aquarium shops locally or on the internet. Octopuses should be purchased only by aquarists or scientists/biologists...however, you can purchase them yourself once you obtain the same level of knowledge that the aquarists have. I know im fine for now. Iv been interesting in cephalopods...mostly octopuses since I was about 3 years old. Iv been learning about them since I was 6 years old and iv been studying there captivity pruposes for almost 2 years now. Iv also had some experience in keeping water-related animals. Freshwater and saltwater.

And Jean, im kinda jealous that you have had experience in the aquarium!!! lol. Your soo lucky. My local aquarium does have an octopus. I posted its pictures in the "octopus den" section..however, I would DIE if the aquarium staff and workers would let me at least work there to feed it, and make sure everything running ok. Like I told my mother, if they would test me for the job...I could easily pass it. Theres all sorts of activity's though at the aquarium were you could swim with the sharks, feed the turtles...touch some stingrays...but the octopus remains a mystery. lol. I would love to stay after and take care of it. However, I think you would need to have marine biology education first coming from an educated source such as a college, or school. Im not sure. Iv taken Marine Bio in school though.
 
Doc Frye and his bedside manner !!! Actually, if you go over posts, you will see why we come unglued sometimes...so many octopus and cuttle deaths that were preventable, if someone had just done some more research. It can get frustrating.

Dan points out some very good things though : you recognized the problem, and solved it quickly. No one can ask much more than that. Using the Nano as a starting tank isn't a bad idea, then bumping up into a 55 or larger (our recommended size). But, also, how did the tank cycle in only one month? It usually takes three or so...did you put in a lot of live rock or live sand? Just curious.

greg
 
Yea, the tank should always be matured for at least 3 months before an octopus can be put in there. And just out of curiosity...how old are you? Because you mentioned homework being done. If your in high school, mabye you can take some marin bio courses in science if you would like and learn some neat things while your in school. I know I took Marine Bio in high school.
 
Armstrong, I don't think he means actual "homework" - he means he researched the topic. :smile:

Scully, you could start with a small octo in the tank you had, but soon you'd need to move it to a larger tank. This larger tank would need to be cycled and ready at the time you buy your octo. It's too late to start cycling the larger tank at the same time you buy your octo. Some people do take this route - start with a smaller tank but have the larger tank ready and waiting. More people are using small containers within the larger tank for a baby octo - you'll see this in the posts and pics.

Nancy
 
Always be ready to accept the conclusion that everyone at a LFS is full of crap. Pet stores are often staffed by teenagers who don't know what they're talking about and whose job it is to sell critters. If the critters don't survive, GREAT because then maybe they can sell you another one!

Dan
 
SOME lfs's...I worked/owned one for a number of years, and never gave out advice that was meant just to sell stuff.
My advice? Find another store where the people staffing it are true hobbyists as well as salespeople, and buy everything you need from them, not the cheapest, so that they can stay in business !!!!

greg
 
Armstrong said:
However, I think you would need to have marine biology education first coming from an educated source such as a college, or school. Im not sure. Iv taken Marine Bio in school though.


Not Necessarily, our senior aquarist has no formal qualifications but she is from a fishing family, where the whole family is very concerned about fish health/conservation etc and she does a FANTASTIC job!!

We take on volunteers as do many aquariums (some call it an internship!) 'tis a really good way to get experience!

J
 

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