new to octi

[sindas]

hey, i got a 18 gallon tank currently with nothing in it.

i was wanting to get a octopus of small size, i figure it would be really cool and a good learnign experience.

would 18 gallons be good for a small species? and if so, what species could happily live in it?

thats all the questions i have for now. i may have more later.

 

[Animal Mother]

Really the suggested size for even a tiny dwarf O. Mercatoris is 30 gallons, but if you are familiar with keeping saltwater tanks and are diligent about water changes, tank maintenance, and all that you could probably keep a Mercatoris in your 18 gallon. Honestly they aren't very interactive, and they only come out late at night after the lights have been out for a while. My first octopus was a Mercatoris, and even though he was a juvenile when I bought him, he only lived for 4 months.

For now, you should read the ceph care articles on this website. They will answer most of your questions, and probably clarify any other things you didn't think of yet. Just click on the "ARTICLES" link underneath the large TONMO logo at the top of the webpage.

 

[monty]

to TONMO!

Unfortunately, 18 gallons is a bit smaller than what we recommend even for the dwarf octos, since cephs produce so much waste... it might be OK for a juvenile, but even a dwarf would be likely to outgrow it. Occasionally folks come here saying they already have an octo in a small tank, and they don't always die, but a lot of them do, so I think the safest choice would be to set up a larger tank if you're interested in an octo. Most of the species that are interactive and outgoing are a bit larger, so although dwarf species are appealing for size, they tend to be short-lived, shy, and nocturnal, so considering a larger octo like a bimac is highly recommended.

 

[sindas]

yeah, been readin them. would there be any small interactive ones that could bein an 18 gallon? thats one of the reasons that i want to get one, is that they sound liek interactive playful little critters. but to start out a less interactive one would do if nothing else could go in it.

and i will definatly try to do what you said to keep water good.

would a small one be able to live or go through hamster tubes? i read tubes are good for them to have for different things and my sister still has her hampster cage in the garage after hers died, lots of tubes i could use. (i would clean them of course)

thanks for oyur help, i'm ognna keep readin

 

[sindas]

i'm 14 so i don't really have a large bugdet to come from and it will take a few weeks just to get the money for the octo himself. what would be an ok size thats not too awful big?

and if i did oftne water changes and kept the water quality good, would it still just be a little small for a dwarf?

thanks for the help guys.

 

[Animal Mother]

None of the octo's you could fit in an 18 gallon will be "playful" or interactive. I would suggest not using the hamster tubes if they were previously used, whether you clean them or not. Hazardous things can leach out of the plastic into the water. You have the right idea though.

You should really consider finding a 50 gallon or larger tank, and a larger species octopus. Keep in mind, you don't only need a tank to keep it in, but lots of live rock, a good protein skimmer, and an over-sized filter like a wet/dry or sump/refugium, and possibly even a chiller depending on what area the octopus comes from. It is expensive to set up a proper habitat for a ceph of any kind, and then on top of all that, you might have to supply it with live food for the duration of its life, which is quite expensive also.

 

[sindas]

pretty sure oyu just scared me out of that idea

but i'll try to look round for a cheap tank

and is a protien skimmer nessacary to start out with? cuase i always add on to my tanks after a while. what would be the nessesaties to stat with?

 

[Animal Mother]

i'm 14 so i don't really have a large bugdet to come from and it will take a few weeks just to get the money for the octo himself. what would be an ok size thats not too awful big?

and if i did oftne water changes and kept the water quality good, would it still just be a little small for a dwarf?

thanks for the help guys.

It's not impossible to keep one in a tank that size, but the smaller the tank is, the faster your water quality will diminish, and the harder it will be on the octopus. It's really not a good idea to start with that small of a tank. Not only is water quality harder to keep, but just overall water parameters will shift greatly very quickly, and it's very stressful on the animal.

Not trying to be a killjoy, but understand that keeping an octopus is not easy at all, and it's not worth risking. It would be really disappointing to get one and it dies because you didn't spend the extra money getting a good setup for it. Make sure you can provide it with the best possible home before you get one.

Patience is the hardest thing when it comes to this kind of situation, but it will pay off greatly in the long run. Take your time, buy the things you need over the next several months, and it will be more rewarding, and you will be more likely to get the experience you were hoping for!

 

[Animal Mother]

pretty sure oyu just scared me out of that idea

but i'll try to look round for a cheap tank

and is a protien skimmer nessacary to start out with? cuase i always add on to my tanks after a while. what would be the nessesaties to stat with?

Yes, absolutely. Protein Skimmers are argueably the BEST filtration you can have on a saltwater system. They imitate the oceans natural method of removing junk from the water. Plus, they will suck out any ink if the octopus gets startled, which is not uncommon.

 

[sindas]

gonna check prices on custom building one, unelss that is a dangerous idea?

my birthdway and crhistmas, both in december, will be mainly asking for seahorse supplies, i'll be getting a 50 gallon or so tall tank for them and have to get stuff, wich i would prefer my relations to get me, haha. so i'll just save up what i can for the octo over the next several months like you said. what do you think would be the total price of a starter setup? just thigns needed to begin with. so i can get an idea