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Octo-proofing a rimliss aquarium

Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
1,740
I have a serious question, but first I'd like to address the elephant in the room.

1.) FACT! Octopus are extremely intelligent and amazing escape artists, and near-complete sealing of the system is the ideal way to octo-proof an aquarium.

That being said, I'm looking for advice on how to octo-proof my 12 gallon Nuvo cylinder without putting a makeshift lid on it. I have seen pictures of some public aquariums that use abrasive materials around the edge to discourage animals from climbing out. My thoughts were to find a material that had relatively short "fibers/extensions" with one side extremely abrasive and the other "smooth as silk," so as not to scratch the acrylic. And because I do not want these modifications to be permanent, I was thinking of getting some plastic clips, on which I would glue said abrasive material, and clip a strip of this material all the way around the top of the cylinder, just above the water level. I would then block the overflow entrance into the back chamber with a coarse, and slightly abrasive, sponge. Please keep in mind that I intend on keeping O. Mercatoris (if that makes any difference in material selection or set-up).

So,..does anyone have any input on what material(s) would be best for this project and where I can get them, and are there (if any) changes/alterations to this idea that you would advise?
 
I have never tried the "astro turf" method but @Jean has warned that the prohibitor must be wider than the octopus arm is long, hence blacking out roughly half your tank.
 
Do you know the maximum arm length (fully extended/stretched) of and adult O. Mercatoris? Taking that measurement, I could slightly increase this length, divided this increased length in half. Using this new measurement, I can develop an angled (~30-40* from the vertical axis inward) barrier in which I adhere the abrasive material to prevent the animal from reaching past the material, without covering up my entire viewing panel with said material. What say you D?
 
I would not attempt an open top. I have used a top with a hole in the center and 3" of full coverage around the sides for a merc but would not try that with anything else. My guess would be 5" for arm length but remember that they can alter the length.
 

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