Octopus for a 30 gallon?

[flamingo]

HI, i'm new to the forums, but i'm already started to get addicted to octopus and cuttlefish . A while back I looked at getting some dwarf cuttlefish (Sepia Bandensis), but of course, the only source for them was quickly bought out before I even had time to click "bid".

Now, after my recent seahorse incident (my Hippocampus Reidi died from Vibrio x Gas Bubble Disease), i'm thinking about dedicating the tank to an octopus. While seahorses are still my "main thing", i'm relinquishing my 30 gallon to something else as I do not want the risk of vibrio being spread around again.

So, I guess my question starts here..are there any species of octopus that can be housed in a 30 gallon for LIFE? I keep reading different info everywhere I go. I see Vulgaris and Bimaculoides are the two "commonly" kept octopus, and are for "beginners". But, I never really see what maximum tank size is for either. One place says my 30 gallon would be okay, and another article says nothing but a 50 gallon MIN for any octopus other than blue-ringed, etc. (obviously I wouldn't risk it, but really,I have no desire whatsoever to own one).

I heard Bimaculoides gets "biggish", so i'm guessing that rules that one out.

Can anyone help me here? Any octopus OR cuttlefish possibly that can be kept in a 30 gallon? I'm not going to die or anything if I can't own one, but I have a 30 gallon that's empty, i'm LOVING octopus and cuttlefish, and I really don't like common saltwater fish like clownfish, etc. I was angry that I wasn't able to posess Sepia Bandensis, and I really hope my "dream" of owning a octopus, etc. aren't put off again. I'm not worried about care or the like..just worried about the size of my tank.

If you need any info on my set up, just ask and I can give it out!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Brock Fluharty]

I think a single, or MAYBE a pair of sepia bandensis would do well in a 30 gallon. if you want an octo, you'll have to look at dwarfs, such as O. mercatori, O. digueti (not available too often in the States), etc. A dwarf would be very happy in a 30 gallon. O. mercatoris have a mantle (head) length of 2 cm. Average size (according to danthemarineman, if he does have O. mercatoris) is quarter to half dollar sized.

 

[flamingo]

Hey Brock . Knew you were on here lol.

Do you know of any place selling them? I've gone all over, and i'm getting frustrated.....

 

[Brock Fluharty]

Danthemarineman (that's his user name on TONMO) is selling O. mercatoris. Do I know you? Are you in the seahorse bunch?

 

[Brock Fluharty]

On, your flamingonhot! Hey, what's going on? Sadly, I also recently lost a horse due to a vibrio infection. Even sadder was the fact that he was pregnant. I did a pouch evac on his corpse, and 9 babies popped out, plus the 2 premie fry that lasted about a week...
I've given up on seahorses.

 

[Neogonodactylus]

There are several dwarfs that would do well in a 30 gal system. They inlcude O. mercatoris, O. bocki, O. wolfi, O. diguite, O joubini, etc. However, all of these species are shy and nocturnal. I would not recommed them for an aquarists interested in observing and interacting with the animal they are keeping. The two commonly available species that might just squeeze in, provided that your system is rock stable are O. briareus and A. aculeatus. Both are moderate in size, interactive, and are commercially available.

Roy

 

[Danthemarineman]

Flamingo
I have a bunch if octos fo sale. Everybody said that they are dawrfs, O. mercatoris. Brokc is gonna give them a +id. They should be great in a 30ga. I have mine in a 20ga.
Contact me, they wont be in season for much longer.
Thanks
Dan

 

[Brock Fluharty]

Well, i'll post a pic for ID, but I know some of the odd chaacteristics that O. mercatoris have.

 

[Animal Mother]

I hope they are Mercatoris. I'd like some good photos to compare Einy with.

 

[Brock Fluharty]

How big is Einy? Dan's are quarter to half dollar sized, but then again, Einy looks very young.

http://www.cephbase.utmb.edu/imgdb/...D=&CephID=555&Location=&Keywords=&LowestTaxa=

 

[Animal Mother]

How big is Einy? Dan's are quarter to half dollar sized, but then again, Einy looks very young.

http://www.cephbase.utmb.edu/imgdb/...D=&CephID=555&Location=&Keywords=&LowestTaxa=

Einy has the tiny "horn" over each eye, and very long skinny arms, little to no webbing really. Sometimes I am almost certain I see texture on his mantle, between his eyes. It seems the white spots on his mantle raise to form points much like the papilla over his eyes.

http://www.cephbase.utmb.edu/imgdb/...D=&CephID=555&Location=&Keywords=&LowestTaxa= This looks exactly like him, best I can see.

 

[tywtly]

There are several dwarfs that would do well in a 30 gal system. They inlcude O. mercatoris, O. bocki, O. wolfi, O. diguite, O joubini, etc. However, all of these species are shy and nocturnal. I would not recommed them for an aquarists interested in observing and interacting with the animal they are keeping. The two commonly available species that might just squeeze in, provided that your system is rock stable are O. briareus and A. aculeatus. Both are moderate in size, interactive, and are commercially available.

Roy

Well, I was planning on joubini for a 29 gal. tank. How many could I put in there? If not those, are any of the other species easily kept? And how many of them could I put in a 29 gal tank?

 

[flamingo]

Well, I finally got a new seahorse for my 30 galon macro tank, so if I do get a dwarf i'm using my 10 gallon. There are a few I have my eye on... just need a little more money. I was set on putting one dwarf in my 30 gallon; just worried i'd never see it though.

 

[Danthemarineman]

I still have dawrf O. mercatoris. They would do great in a 30 gallon.

 

[Animal Mother]

I think Einy would be okay in our 30 gallon with one of our seahorses, but as stated, don't know if you'd ever see him.

I just moved my O. Mercatoris out of the 10 gallon back into the 75 because he never would come out of his shell. Inside the critter keeper I see him watch the fish swim around. So, I would say they do better with some kind of activity going on around them. This is my first octopus experience though, and it could be an individual characteristic of his.