Octopus

[aromantis]

Ok so some of you may have seen my cuttle fish thread and im still gunna get a s. bandensis. But after i get it and think im up to it i want to get a 75 gal. and get an octo. I really like the briareus so what do u know about this species. From wat ive read its nocturnal but will often change its habits to a more diurnal life in captivity. Do u know how big they get, how long they live, how active they are, what kind of substrate, do they try to escape like other kinds, wat temp should i keep them at for a long life? All that stuff and watever else u know. Also ive read that some people will put a shrimp or crab in a empty jelly jar so that the octo unscrews the lid to get to the crab or shrimp. Is this ok to do. Dont most jelly jars have metal lids which could pollute the water?

 

[shipposhack]

O. Briareus will get about 2-3 inch mantle length. I believe they are diurnal. They should live about a year in optimal conditions. They make good pets; several tonmo users have kept one. Get a fine sandy substrate for any cephalopod. Any octo could try and escape, so precautions need to be taken if you are considering getting one. I don't think O. Briareus is escape prone but you still need to safeguard the tank so if the octo decides he wants to get out he won't be able to. They are a tropical species so I wouldn't keep the temp any lower than 72 degrees fahrenheit. You can put their food in a jar to have them try and open it but make sure the lid isn't made of copper (that would be an interesting catastrophe). Also you want to make sure they are ready for that and you don't just do that the first time you feed. Otherwise care is similar to all other octos. Read the ceph care articles that can be found at the top of the forum if you haven't already.

 

[Nancy]

Shipposhack, I don't know where you found it, but not all your information is correct.

A briareus gets larger, mantle up to 5 inches, with long legs. It's actually nocturnal, but can often adapt to your schedule and be more day active.

It should be kept at a tropical temperature (78 degrees).

Yes, metal shouldn't be used in the tank- if you want to introduce a jar into the tank, make sure the lid is plastic.

Finally, this is a species that's not readily available.

Nancy

 

[Animal Mother]

If you can find one, they are definitely beautiful creatures.

 

[shipposhack]

Sorry, I'll be sure to double check next time.