Excellent info and preparation. It is helpful to have the tank details with both successes and losses. I have kept over 20 and still have lost them in the first 2 weeks (the time I call critical), my last was a similar heart break.
Thank you. Our cat wasn't very old, and it was very sudden, so I was even more devastated. I'm feeling a bit better now, since a few days have passed.I am so sorry to hear about your loss and the loss of your cat. I would be crushed myself. Both my dog and cat are very old and I cant imagine what I am going to be like when that day comes.
I am not a fan of the critter keeper or leaving an octo in one for any amount of time. yet I know many who have and understand why its done. Again I am very sorry.
The LFS owner has flown to some of the suppliers out there, and he said cyanide is definitely still an active practice there... As they use a lot of children for capturing in tidal areas, and no one really monitors collection practices. He only orders from one Indonesian supplier, as he's been to their warehouse and gone out collecting with them several times. It's quite common for saltwater fish to die of cyanide poisoning in the trade. I had a possum wrasse die of cyanide poisoning a few months ago actually. I know it can take months for cyanide to become fatal in larger fish like tangs, but not sure how quickly it would kill inverts. Maybe not the reason my little guy passed, but potentially could be a factor in mysterious deaths of other octos?I've read that cyanide is still being used in some countries but I am not sure how true that is today as it takes a long time for old news to be replaced by more current practices (I believe it is illegal everywhere there is live fish collection now, if not globally, but implementation of laws varies). My thought is to not keep this on a list of possible answers, especially since it stayed alive for a period of time at the LFS.