anyone have any octopuses?

FMgurl43 · Member Joined: 21 Mar 2004 Posts: 419 Location: Florida

i just got one and wondering if anyone else has any???? im looking for any kind of good info on them.... thankx....

lil shant · Member Joined: 08 May 2005 Posts: 176

the only thing i noe about them is that when they r scared or want to get away they throw some black stuff but u can go to www.centralpets.com

Used · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Posts: 118

Octopi grow very large and require a large aquarium. They are very difficult to keep because they require prestine water conditions and if frightened the Octopus will release its ink which then requires a large water change to avoid the Octopus from dying. Only the most advanced aquarists should attempt to care for these animals. Hop I helped. :D

FMgurl43 · Member Joined: 21 Mar 2004 Posts: 419 Location: Florida

well thsi lil guy was found in a shell at the beach here...didnt know he was there till they got him home...and of course brought him to me....i had one once b4 a LONG time ago so i cant remember to much... but when he does get scared he releses fluids but they r clear instead of black...right now hes in a small 5 gallon tank (hes only the size of maybe a nickle and when he spreads his arms out maybe the size of a 50 cent peice)hes in there by himself w/ a starfish and some mollusks.. but thats it... other then the moullusks what would he eat? my cousin runs a fish store but will not eb back until middle of next month soooo until then im trying my best to find out bout this lil guy...

thanks 4 all the info and im checking that site out right now!!!

Fishfirst · Member Joined: 14 Dec 2004 Posts: 88 Location: Wisconsin

put him back in the ocean... you're going to need a tank 25X that size for him to live for long.

Used · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Posts: 118

Return the Octopus where it came from.

Fish Addict · Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 12:39 pm Post subject:

i would return him where you found him

sleeper · Member Joined: 16 Dec 2004 Posts: 90

I would agree you should return the octopus, but only because it was taken from the wild. Never take animals from the wild without proper experience and the justification for doing so (you're a scientist etc.)

Aquacultured octopi do just fine however, and the whole "they don't live long in aquaria" thing is garbage; in the wild dwarf octopi only live 18 months-2 years anyway. And they don't need large tanks: a 29 or larger is sufficient for one of those. A bag of carbon in the tank will sop up most ink, but if fed and kept from predators they won't release ink anyway.

They can be purchased for anywhere from $35-70 online, and a whole community of forums on their care has popped up in recent years...

FMgurl43 · Member Joined: 21 Mar 2004 Posts: 419 Location: Florida

ok i was not the one to find him anyways... my neighbors had went and got shells and he was in one when they got home.. and me being the ONLY person they knew that had a saltwater tank they asked me to take him so he wouldnt die... hes at my cousins fish store now anyways in the back...

as far as catching things in the wild... the fish store he has most of everything he has is caught in the keys.. almost everything i have in my freshwater tanks are caught also and everything does just fine...

Fish Addict · Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2005 3:58 pm Post subject:

what kind of fish do you have ?

FMgurl43 · Member Joined: 21 Mar 2004 Posts: 419 Location: Florida

talipia, oscars,mollies, crayfish, starfish, gobys,and hermit crabs