Squid for a pet?

[mr_goodbomb]

Ok, I'm very new, and I apologise... but is a cuttlefish a squid?

How difficult is it to take care of one? Where can I get one? I have an apartment and I can keep pets, I want a squid so bad! I assume that, since bait squid are really cheap, that live ones can't be too expensive.

Give me the basics that a newbie needs to know, please. Thanks!

 

[Tintenfisch]

mr_goodbomb.

Squid and cuttlefish are quite different, as discussed on this recent thread. In terms of pets, most people who keep cephs go with octopus, since they are intelligent, have fascinating personalities, and also seem to be the most readily available to hobbyists. Some people have had very good experiences with cuttlefish as well. Squid, however, are next to impossible to keep in a home setup, and the techniques still haven't been perfected for keeping them in a dedicated aquarium or lab setup!
There are a lot of excellent articles on TONMO for beginning ceph keepers (click on the Ceph Care button at the top of this page); I recommend having a good look through them to see which ceph seems best for you, and please be aware that setting up for a tank requires a lot of perfectionism and patience... often it's a very good idea to start with some marine creatures that don't require such exceptional water quality.

 

[mr_goodbomb]

Thank you for the response. I'm reading more and more that squid are very difficult to keep. I would still be interested in an octo or a cuttlefish, probably a cuttlefish because they're smaller (and less likely to make me wake up screaming in terror when I sit up and see it across the room) and more interesting to me.

I am a college student. I live in a fairly nice apartment with lots of room, but I don't have a lot of money. I have an aquarium at home I can probably bring here are use, so as long as the one I have is large enough, it shouldn't really be a problem there.

I'll read the information and see what I can find out. If anyone has any more advice concerning cuttlefish, or any budget ideas, please let me know. Thank you!

 

[Tintenfisch]

Unfortunately cephs are a fairly expensive hobby... I know the keepers we have online can recommend some innovative and economical ways of constructing a set-up, but the bottom line is, you don't want to cut any corners that may reduce the quality of life your ceph will have. This thread gives a little insight into the range of expenses you might expect to be associated with ceph-keeping...

 

[mr_goodbomb]

Mr Krabs seems to have a fairly inexpensive set-up. I wonder what he keeps.

 

[Feelers]

I'm trying to set up as cheap of a tank as I can for a pygmy octo, so far I've spent

$100 for a 300L tank (79 gallon i think)
$160 for protein skimmer with pump
$35 for a 90L sump, another $40 glass/silicon to make it
need a return pump, so another $70

so thats about $400 NZ, about $280 US,

however some people just use a cannister filter and a skimmer ( I believe this is what mr krabs has gone for) if your going for minimum budget.
In america you can probably get good skimmer/filters second hand a lot cheaper.

Live rock if your going for a tropical tank costs heaps, but you can just build it yourself out of concrete, sounds weird but its hard to tell the difference ater its been in the tank a while.

 

[mr_goodbomb]

Hmm...

How big of a tank do these little dudes need? I'm in an apartment, it's pretty big, but not massive.

About how much do each cost a week for food?

 

[Feelers]

They say a minimum of 50 gallons for a bimac, the tabs at the top of this website have nearly everything you need to know, under "cephcare".

As for food look at this thread in the octopus care forum
What are you feeding your octopus?to get an idea

 

[cthulhu77]

Budgeting for the cephalods in captivity seems to be a major concern (and it should be) for a lot of newcomer's to the hobby.
Tank setups can run from 400-1200 $ fairly easily, if they are built correctly.
As far as the cost of food goes, it really depends on where you live, as being near a coast where you might be able to catch your own would certainly be cheaper than trying to house one in Indiana. Be sure to check with your local fish store (lfs) to make certain you can obtain a year round supply of good feeders before you decide to buy your ceph.

greg