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question about octopus care and tank set up

aristocat

Cuttlefish
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what kind of escape proof lid do you recommend for a 55 gallon tank to house an octopus? Does an octopus need intense lighting and a bubbler? what kind of protein skimmer would you recommend if it is needed for a 55 gallon tank? can an octopus live with any kind of tank mates? what is the likelihood of an octopus feeding on frozen food, and is it possible to breed fiddler crabs in captivity? what do you recommend feeding an octopus? what kind of entertainment do you recommend for an octopus, and do they get bored fast? would they injoy a large pbc pipe network in the tank? what toys do you recomend/:confused:
 
I dont have an octo yet but from the research i have done I know they perfer low light and would not like intense lighting. I too am going to use a 55 gal to house my octo. As for the bubbler thoughs are more for looks than anything else I dont use one in my oxegen demanding reef tank. How long have you kept marine aquaria.
 
aristocat;123264 said:
what kind of escape proof lid do you recommend for a 55 gallon tank to house an octopus?

Whatever keeps the tank perfectly sealed so that there are no cracks or holes the octopus can climb out of. If it can squeeze the tip of its arm through, it can basically pour its entire body out of the space, like liquid.

aristocat;123264 said:
Does an octopus need intense lighting and a bubbler?

Octopuses have no lighting needs at all. The brighter the light, the less likely your octopus will adapt, or at least it may be a while before it becomes comfortable. Bubblers have been known to cause problems for octopuses, not advised.

aristocat;123264 said:
what kind of protein skimmer would you recommend if it is needed for a 55 gallon tank?

Something rated for around 3x the size of the tank, say 150 gallons. And not a SeaClone. I like my Coralife Super Skimmer.

aristocat;123264 said:
can an octopus live with any kind of tank mates?

Starfish and urchins are the primary recommendations for tankmates. Most octopuses are highly predatory and more than capable of taking on most fish. A few of us have had luck keeping STRICTLY/ONLY Abdopus aculeatus with peaceful non-aggressive, passive fish. There is no 100% foolproof plan when introducing something into a predators habitat though. I would suggest sticking to a seahorse friendly tankmate list, but you risk losing the fish.

aristocat;123264 said:
what is the likelihood of an octopus feeding on frozen food, and is it possible to breed fiddler crabs in captivity?

I haven't had any problems getting my octopuses to eat frozen foods, with the exception of a dwarf. I always offer them a piece of frozen shrimp or silverside or krill while they are acclimating upon arrival to test it out. It's wise to always keep some live foods on hand though just in case, and for the occasional hunting activity/stimulation. I don't think breeding fiddlers has been documented on the hobby level although I wouldn't think it to be impossible given the proper setup.

aristocat;123264 said:
what do you recommend feeding an octopus?

Various foods of strictly saltwater origin. Whatever's fresh at your local fish market/grocery store. Frozen raw shrimp, fish fillets, clams, crabs, etc. And of course the live foods like crabs and shore shrimp.

aristocat;123264 said:
what kind of entertainment do you recommend for an octopus, and do they get bored fast? would they injoy a large pbc pipe network in the tank? what toys do you recomend/:confused:

Daily interaction with you will probably be sufficient for the most part. If your octopus is shy then try things like small, clean plastic containers with food inside that won't make your presence necessary. PVC pieces have been used. I wouldn't put them all together in a network though. You may never see your octopus and it would make for a large dead-spot with no flow, creating potentially toxic zones in your aquarium, unless you drill tons of holes all through the PVC so the water flows freely through the entire pipe system. I thought about getting some of those plastic gerbil/hamster houses that are transparent. You could add food in a tricky spot and watch it figure out how to get to it.

People use things like Lego's, plastic figurines, plastic bottles, ping pong balls, infant toys. Anything non-toxic and baby-safe should be fine.
 
in one of my other fish tank I've used a remora skimmer is that efficeint enough or is somthing better required? I've also been looking at the bimac for a long time.will they fit in a 55 gallon? Are they commonly sold is there a way to breed them in captivity?
 
I have no experience with a remora skimmer, and I've heard mixed reviews on them. Does it produce a lot of skimmate? Regular water changes can help, but there's no room to skimp on equipment with octopuses.

Bimacs aren't readily available these days, but yes, there was a time when people were raising them from eggs. As far as actual breeding goes, it's not wise to put 2 octopuses in a tank together. One will likely end up dead.
 
I have one more question I've heard that the mimic octopus is rarely sold but is it practical to consider or should I knock it out of the question. Are they long lived. do they require more work, could an octopus be left untended late afternoon.
 
no u should not get a mimic octopus. they live no longer than an ordinary one and may be endangered. and they dont "mimic" in captivity anyway.
 
I was planing on upgrading my coral reef tank to a 75 or 100 gallon will I have to cycle my fish tank again or could I get more cured rock and water and sand. I'm planning on taking my 55 gallon tank and hopfully turning it into a species tank for a bimac would this wark?:smile:
 
That's a double "negative" on the mimic octopus. There is good reason they are rarely sold. Hopefully they will become even more rarely sold. They do have different requirements from most other octopuses.

You will have to cycle your tank again.
 
Jakxx;123318 said:
Can you get a bit more special on this part? I was intending to install a large bubbler as well...

Sometimes octopuses can get bubbles caught in their mantles, which somehow can cause big problems. I'm not sure it's well understood, but it's bad. We recommend avoiding bubblers in octo tanks in general, although some people have used bubblers inside vertical standpipes or similar. Aeration is not usually a major problem for octopus tanks: the circulation from the filtration is usually fine.
 
Hi , i got a 29G biocube transfering my livestock to a 65g . I would like to set up my 29 G for an octopus alone, with coral of course. Is it too small, what species would fit into that tank if possible thanks.
 
The only kind of octopus that you could keep in a 29 gallon won't be very interesting, I'm afraid. To have a truly enjoyable octopus experience you should be thinking in terms of 55 gallons or larger. If you haven't done it already, begin reading the articles and forums devoted to ceph care. This question gets asked about a dozen times a week, and the answers to that, and probably any other questions you might have are already available there.
 

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