• Looking to buy a cephalopod? Check out Tomh's Cephs Forum, and this post in particular shares important info about our policies as it relates to responsible ceph-keeping.

Present and Former Octo Owners - Need Your Input!

Nancy

Titanites
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Hi all,

On November 6, I'm going to give a presentation on Ceph Care before the Cheasapeake Bay Marine Aquarium Society in Baltimore. As far as I know, this is the first time anyone has talked about cephs to a Marine Aquarium Society group.

I wanted to list some of the reasons why people enjoy keeping octos (and/or cuttlefish) and also the negatives - what they don't like about keeping them. I've started a list, but I'd like you to help me with this - what do you like, not like.

Thanks for your help,
Nancy
 
Nancy said:
Hi all,

On November 6, I'm going to give a presentation on Ceph Care before the Cheasapeake Bay Marine Aquarium Society in Baltimore. As far as I know, this is the first time anyone has talked about cephs to a Marine Aquarium Society group.

I wanted to list some of the reasons why people enjoy keeping octos (and/or cuttlefish) and also the negatives - what they don't like about keeping them. I've started a list, but I'd like you to help me with this - what do you like, not like.

Thanks for your help,
Nancy

That sounds like a great candidate for Tony's multimedia ambitions-- is anyone going to tape/videotape the talk?
 
This is why I am obsessed with octopuses!

They are amazing and very unique and extemely intelligent! What other animal do you know of that has such spectacular abilities to not only change color in the blink of an eye, but totally alter their shape.

They engage you. Once they know you are the Food God, they find ways to attract you to their tank.

All those suckers!

The eye sight. That amazes me in itself, the fact that their eyesight is equivalent to our own.

I even enjoy the collecting of their food.

The shock and disbelief when you tell someone you have a living octopus residing in your home. I also love the look on my daughtors friends faces when she tells them about Gimpy!

As far as the down side, if you don't want to make a commitment to a creature that needs constant care then don't think about getting one. There is quite a bit of upkeep from maintaining their enviroment, to searching out food sources, especially in the colder months when local collecting is difficult.

I have to be vigilant on the water conditions. I have seen how quickly a tank can crash and if you don't inspect the animals health and behavior daily, a problem can go undetected until it is too late to correct.

Monitoring behavior I have found is an excellent way to keep tabs on how the octopus is doing. This takes time and some people may feel they don't have the time daily to do this.

I have been lucky to have been octoless maybe a month out of the 4 years or so since I found Tonmo. Each animal has been so unique and different and I've been lucky to come across available animals sometimes unexpectedly. That also can be a down side. Sometimes it is difficult and you need to wait for a healthly available creature.

That's my:twocents:
 
I started this thread some time ago and only corw314 replied - so I thought I'd try again. I'm giving a talk on Ceph Care in a couple of weeks and
I wanted to list some of the reasons why people enjoy keeping octos (and/or cuttlefish) and also the negatives - what they don't like about keeping them.

I've started a list, but I'd like you to help me with this - what do you like, not like.

Thanks,

Nancy
 
Some intresting things I would mention would be the play behaivor they show... Ex. Playing with magenites, the color matching abilitys, and all the little games people have talked about, there have been many little games people have played with there pets and noticed intresting behaviour... You know all about this, but dont forget it.
 
Never having had an octo, I obviously have nothing to give you, but maybe you could ask if any one objects to your gleaning stories from the ones that have been posted on Tonmo? Ask Tony if you can post that question on all of the forums, maybe you'll get more of a response that way.
 
Nancy, I think you would be surprised at how many aquarists start salt water because of an interest in cephalopds. Then they begin a reef tank because they are usually told cephalopods are difficult if not impossible to keep. Perhaps you could focus that while not easy, they are not impossible to keep provided research is done and care requirements met.

As well, reefers in particular might like to know that such a fascinating animal can be kept with a set-up that doesn't cost a fortune compared to a reef tank. No expensive lights, calcium reactors, costly sps corals, phosphate removers etc. When I switched, I saved four times the cost of the octopus in electricity alone in one month!
 
Nancy, best of luck on your adventure upcoming. Thus is why I keep Cephs. Each and everyone is and adventure. Each is different and I feel have unique personalities. They give me something to look forward to after a long day at work. I find myself just sitting in front of the tank to see what it will do next. Some play, some are curious, some are even snobs. Just to have such an amazing creature to take care of and watch is in itself awesome. I think Crow summed it up for why we all keep octos. That input was right on the money. Cant think of anything else to add.
 
errrrr.............I get paid to!!!!

Actually I thinks it's because each one can have a different personality, they're so alien to our way of life, they can problem solve (DARN IT!!).

Downside.....blooming hard to keep, water quality must be just so, short life span, they can problem solve (guess who was chasing octopus round the Lab seawater system this morning!!)

J
 
playing hide and seek with my cuttle was one of the best, but the worst him dieing due to the filter, they are very picky and its you can get easily attached to them so when they go its hard.
 

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