New To Octopus Keeping need Some Advice

[Dj Synystr.com]

hello to all, i have had reef tanks for about 2 years with great success. I have always loved octopus and have finally decided to set up a tank for one. the tank is a 20 long from what i see its a bit smaller than it should be. it will have a refugium, skimmer, live rock and live sand. i was thinking of a blue spotted or something on the line of that. please i know most of youhaev kept octo's and i was told this is the site for the information i need. im sure there ahve been tons of posts about this topic but im new and i wanted my own, lol. please help me out wiht ANY info you can lend on a newbie to "Keeping" an Octopus. thanks in advance.

 

[joel_ang]

How long Is your tank exactly? Well the material sounds right, I would not recommend that you keep a blue ring octopus.
Some reasons are:
1) They have only about six months to live from birth
2) You'll probably get one as an adult with very little time left to live
3) Is highly venomous and is fatal to humans within minutes
4) No antivenin for blue rings yet
5) Not half as lively or playable as other species like bimacs.
6)They only display their rings when threatened, other than that, they will be quite dull.
7) Might not accept frozen food

So maybe you could try a larger tank and a bimac, either that or try different species. But try not to get dwarfs as they are usually like blue rings in point one and two.

 

[Colin]

Joel is right about the blue ring octopusess and also the points about dwarfs. By blue spotted you may mean one of several species that has two blue rings on the webbing? Something like a bimaculoides? Like the pic here? http://www.tonmo.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=&pos=0

If you want to keep an octopus for its full term then you need to think of a bigger tank than 20. But other than that your idea sounds fine.

Treat the tank a bit like a reef tank and you wont go far wrong... 2 differences are that you dont need such bright lights and corals dont try to climb out! LOL

 

[Dj Synystr.com]

ok im not talking about the BLUE RING i said blue spotted, or Bali octopus the one from cali that has the 2 false eyes on it. i like life and would want to tempt fiath with one of the most venomous animals known to man. i guess im thinking on the lines of a bimac i guess. the tank is 36 long by 12 deep, 12 high. so its only about 3 inches shorter and shallower than a 30 gallon. thanks for the input so far.

 

[Nancy]

We used to say that a 30 gallon is sufficient for a bimaculoides (bimac) but several of the bimacs belonging to TONMO community members (including mine!) have really grown far too large for a 30 gallon. You are much safer with a 50 gallon tank or larger for this species. They like to jet swim when they get older and need some room for that, too.

Nancy

 

[Dj Synystr.com]

ok great. so if i would use a 20 long for a young spieces, then transfer to what like a 55 gallon? other than the pygmi are there any others that stay smaller? thanks for the input so far. also do i need to have a chiller what is the besyt temp for a bimac?

 

[Colin]

Hi
yeah, i didn't think you meant blue ring which is why i mentioned it... also Bali octopuses come from Bali not Cali and don't have blue false eyes on the webbing.

There are many species that stay smaller than a bimac but getting them is tricky, also the biggest problem is that they are normally imported as adults with weeks to live.

I think you'd be on better tracks with a captive bred bimac and either start in a bigger tank or get a bigger tank before it outgrows it... always remember that they are a much messier animals than fish with a much higher ammonia output so a bigger tank is easier than a smaller tank.

 

[joel_ang]

Aw great :?, now I feel pretty dumb

Well in that case, take it as a answer to a question you MIGHT have in the future. I feel better already.

 

[Colin]

Don't Joel... you were right with all you said! I have seen people talk about blue spotted meaning blue rings too!