O. joubini - CB and Mates

[neptune]

Must O. joubini be kept alone or can they have other octi as mates. Also where could I find CB O. joubini?

Thanks for anyone help.

 

[Nancy]

Hi, and welcome to TONMO. com

I've been trying to find out more about keeping more than one octopus in a tank all year long. So far this is what I've been advised:

You can keep more than one octopus in a tank
IF you have a very large tank
IF you have more dens than octopuses
IF you feed the octopuses very well
IF they are always the same size

Otherwise, they may eat each other.

Joubini is a small octopus (also known as the Small-egg Caribbean Pygmy Octopus). It even lives off of our Texas coast. I can't remember any TONMO member ever keeping one. Don't know where you might get one, but someone might offer it.

Nancy

 

[NickA5582]

I think EagleRay is keeping Alice, but you can get one from www.caribbeancreatures.com . Actually it's an O. mercatoris (occording to The Cephalopod Page) but close enough. :P

 

[joel_ang]

Well it depends on where you live neptune. I could do a search if I knew your location.

 

[neptune]

Thanks to all for your salutations and replys. As Nancy indicated I am a newbie to this site. I am an advid aquarist and love any time I can learn to better my craft for the well being of the little things we take in under our care.

To answer Joels question, I reside in Florida on the East Coast and have access to what I consider a pretty resource of species due to this location.

Nancy, I too have dug through piles of information to find out if it is possible to keep multiple octopus in a well suited invironment. My main concern is also if their are certain species that are more willing to co-habitate than others.

I am looking for captive breed O. joubini , due to their typical short life span.

Thanks again for all your help and advice.

 

[Colin]

i dont think you'll find CB joubini as its a small egg species that is very difficult to rear... i dont think you'll have too many problems getting a octo in florida though

 

[neptune]

Thanks for your reply Colin. I have had no problem finding octo here thats for sure. I am surprised I did not get this facinated so much earlier in this aspect of aquaia. Doing various Marine tanks for over 17 years.

I do hope I can find a young (cb) joubini somehow. Due to their very short lifespan and my growing affection for anything I care for, it is a comprise I may have to deal with.

I know everyone seems sold on bimacs but I am running out of room for larger aquriums in my home. I have 3 options as I see it.

1. get a bigger house~~~moving tanks is so much fun!!!!
2. seal the house and flood it with saltwater, and go nuts~~~~thats sounds fun
3. get a joubini in a 20 gallon and be scared it will pass to soon.

 

[Colin]

LOL

or............ you could have a go at buying mercatoris? Very similar to wee J but has large eggs which can be reared in captivity... why not aim for that? That would be a good project

 

[neptune]

I have been told that mercatoris and joubini are being debated as the same. However, if there egg size is different that indicates my info is false.

caribbeancreatures.com seems to only sell the joubini.
Any suggestions or more info would be further appreciated.

Still debating on flooding the house though.

Thanks

 

[Colin]

well, what does the spouse say about flooding the house? I know what mine would say LOL

well, that goes to show that other info was wrong... and i also bet that some of the octopuses your lfs sells as joubini are mercatoris, so you may get lucky, the two are often confused

id go have a look see

 

[neptune]

will definately check into that.

I would prefer cb mercatoris over my lfs' guesses on what they have. I will check the web for ordering.

asked the wife about flooding the house and all she said was "gurgle, gurgle, gurgle." must have forgot to tell her before I started LOL

thanks again!!

 

[joel_ang]

They both can be found around your area. As for CB mercatoris, I don't think anyone breeds them commercially possibly due to their short livespan and that they're nocturnal. But it still wouldn't hurt to try.

 

[neptune]

Thank you each and everyone for all of your help. I have started the process of looking for a CB of mercatoris.

However, as of this weekend I have a 55 gallon tank cycling for a Bimac. I just could not resist all the positives I have found out about these little guys.

The 3 month wait is on.

Thanks Again and I will definately keep posted!!!!!!

YHEA!

 

[joel_ang]

3 months is quite a long time. Good luck on resisting temptation.

 

[neptune]

3 months is going to be long, but weel worth the wait. I have 4 other tanks to keep my mind off of it as well as I can. As well as this forum, which has been a great discovery for me.

I will be putting the dams. in today. Just set up on saturday and it was larger than I planned, but my bimac. (which already has a name before I get'em) :P, will have more room.

I truely can not wait!!!