• 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.

New Wunderpus

Jules77

Pygmy Octopus
Registered
Joined
Jun 29, 2017
Messages
11
Location
Uk
Hi everyone. New here
I'm from the UK. Been after an Octopus for nearly 20 years. We have a few native species but they are protected so illegal to collect or trade. Even though ok for the food trade to kill thousands.
So my only option was the aquarium trade. I would love a bimac or gpo. Been waiting for years. No luck.
They only one obtainable is zebra sp.
Which is either a mimic or wunderpus.
So I have a baby wonderpus about 6 inches in length. Had him for a week. Eats well. Very interactive but not during the day so likely a wunderpus.
Imported from Indonesia I believe.
Not as rare as one would believe. The importer always seems to have plenty ??
Will post a few pics and vids if anybody is interested. I'm keeping a journal to record.
 
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Quick pic
 
Tank is 120 gallons. Reef quality water
Tank is dimly lit. No fish or corals. Fine sandy bottom.
Dawn and dusk very active
Anybody had experience reversing the light cycle i.e. Lighting the aquarium during the night and leave the lights off during the day ?
 
Really no interest at all. Spent 4 and a half years getting a marine biology degree yet the wunderpus is a no no. This is the only site on the net worth mentioning. Are we all not dedicated to the welfare of such a beautiful intelligent creature. Forget the ignorance the mimic and wonderpus are extremely common. Yes a species maybe newly discovered compared to other species. I'm now starting a breeding program. I started 40 years ago with an ungravel filter and luck. Nowadays we have food aplenty. Reef quality filtration. Many friends want a gpo. Hence my other question. This site needs to open up and umbrace any octopus to ensure there are accounts anybody can call on. USA dominance doesn't dode well. We keep them in a closed captive system. Any advantage to a perspective keeper is key
 
@Jules77
TONMO went through a long and somewhat painful period in the past trying to decide how best to address keeping the more exotic species. Staff was split on the best way to discuss exotics. On one hand, there are an adequate number of common, human safe animals available for aquarium keeping that delving into (and promoting if only by discussion) species with unknown numbers is touchy on a forum that wishes to promote best practices. On the other hand, as you point out, not providing best known information on keeping animals that are unique also seem counterproductive to the portion of our site that tries to assist and educate on the best ways to keep an animal. The resolution that was best accepted was to create a special forum that cannot be spidered/Googled but still allows for discussion. The Exotics forum was created for this purpose. It cannot be spidered/Googled but is open to all members for discussion. As you have probably noted, we keep this site free of trolling and harsh words. Keep in mind that some of our members have been involved in on-site surveys, observations and documentation so that statements that may be controversial should be backed up with linked research to make negating points.

I will move this thread to the exotics forum to be better able to promote further discussion.
 
Thank you guys. Much appreciated. Happy to publish all my studies on here. Hope the members find it interesting. Scale of numbers on this particular species is very interesting. Having got a baby from my local fish store imported to order. Yet they always have a few in stock in the UK. Went to the exporters direct. Mentioned breeding program. Interesting call. They have 37 in stock. In the Uk if you don't get delivery they don't get paid. Simple as that. So I was a bit weary but I trusted them. Very little if any research on their numbers. Lower then 10 in existence in home aquarium within the UK. More popular in Europe but numbers unknown. My main concern is are they over collecting or more abundant then lead to believe.
Can anybody in the USA get nearly 40 specimens of a particular species within a week ?
Shipping also seems a major problem within the trade. No one seems to be willing to give me Doa information. Exporter claiming 10 percent which is still too high in my opinion.
My subject called 007

First week has nearly doubled in size. Taken live saltwater river shrimp. Dead tiger prawn.
Rejected cockles. Ph stable and oxygen at saturation level. Sleep period at 42 percent. Mantle has significantly increased in size maybe due to acclimated. Early days but no human interaction. Exploring surrounding of captive system. High interest in top level aquarium corners. Probing maybe as a means of escape.
Having asked on Facebook on longitity. Havnt yet found anybody who has kept one to maturity as they have all escaped.
Such an interesting octopus yet very few vids on YouTube especially within a home aquarium
More worrying is that they may be over collected with a poor natural lifespan.
The exotic tag is rather unusual. I did work in Seaworld as a consultant for a while many years ago. I came down to reception in the hotel to find a fully grown lion. You could have a pic with it for 5 dollars. Trust me is was exotic and slightly weird lol
 
Interesting. I think we've had a few successes here, @Jules77, dig through the archives a bit via our Search function.

Personally I'll be interested in whether a species like this is even viable for a home tank. Cephalopod species seem to range wildly in terms of cognitive ability and general behaviors. I'm curious about your observations on vibrancy, "happiness/frustration" (subjective), and general health (eating, consistency across day-parts, etc.)
 
Now 4 weeks in.
Mantel has grown from 1cm to 3cm
Prime health. Vibrant colours.
From taking defrosted tiger prawn and spearing. Has now learnt that the ghost shrimp/feeder shrimp feed off these and then consumes them. Due to my location and availability of live shrimp I add 30 at a time to aquarium. Feeders crabs as you may call them are at least 30 dollars each so not an option.
Now active all day. Sleeps for an hour in the afternoon. Probably learned lack of preds. Human intervention. A difficult one. Yes he acknowledges me. Spends a lot of time on the glass. Very difficult to access as have not kept an octopus before. Doesn't appear stressed.
I have very fine live sand. He avoids the live rock. Sleeps in the sand fully submerged with just the temples protruding.
Handling. Been on my hand. No bites. Jury out on wether bite can be harmful.
No strength I presume to open cover glasses. As yet no escape observed.
Would I recommend this species ? Seems to adapt well to captivity. Professional conclusion is open. We keep queen angels in Europe in 5 ft tanks. I call that terrible. So very difficult to keep an open mind.
Availability. Have 12 arriving next week for a breeding program. Some have eggs see pic
Yes they even send them with eggs. Very poor.
Have abundant food of Rotifers and bbs. Going to use local seawater as a means of feeding. Any help appreciated. If successful happy to send a few of the offspring to you. Just comment
 
Now 4 weeks in.
Mantel has grown from 1cm to 3cm
Prime health. Vibrant colours.
From taking defrosted tiger prawn and spearing. Has now learnt that the ghost shrimp/feeder shrimp feed off these and then consumes them. Due to my location and availability of live shrimp I add 30 at a time to aquarium. Feeders crabs as you may call them are at least 30 dollars each so not an option.
Now active all day. Sleeps for an hour in the afternoon. Probably learned lack of preds. Human intervention. A difficult one. Yes he acknowledges me. Spends a lot of time on the glass. Very difficult to access as have not kept an octopus before. Doesn't appear stressed.
I have very fine live sand. He avoids the live rock. Sleeps in the sand fully submerged with just the temples protruding.
Handling. Been on my hand. No bites. Jury out on wether bite can be harmful.
No strength I presume to open cover glasses. As yet no escape observed.
Would I recommend this species ? Seems to adapt well to captivity. Professional conclusion is open. We keep queen angels in Europe in 5 ft tanks. I call that terrible. So very difficult to keep an open mind.
Availability. Have 12 arriving next week for a breeding program. Some have eggs see pic
Yes they even send them with eggs. Very poor.
Have abundant food of Rotifers and bbs. Going to use local seawater as a means of feeding. Any help appreciated. If successful happy to send a few of the offspring to you. Just comment
 

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Having had an argument today with the importers. Due to the fact they would send Females with eggs. Really ??
In conclusion and extremely important. I believe this species is being collected on mass with no respect for the wild population. Money and profit seems the indicating factor. My professional option is we should only import a species which we hope has a chance of survival and life enrichment. To reproduce is a must. A different importer has the white spotted octopus. Which I shall use for the breeding program.
 

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