Thoughts on an octopus tank

[steven11]

I really dislike the term "mature" tank. Most of the time this means a dirty/loaded tank. The tank should not be set up as a reef first. It needs to be purpose built for an octopus. A reef has too much rock, flow and lighting for an octopus set up. It will require a lot of maintenance. You will need to use a coarse but thick sponge over every opening like the overflow. Even the sponge will need to be secured or they will remove it.

How big of a tank are u planning on using?

 

[Thrawn]

I really dislike the term "mature" tank. Most of the time this means a dirty/loaded tank. The tank should not be set up as a reef first. It needs to be purpose built for an octopus. A reef has too much rock, flow and lighting for an octopus set up. It will require a lot of maintenance. You will need to use a coarse but thick sponge over every opening like the overflow. Even the sponge will need to be secured or they will remove it.

How big of a tank are u planning on using?

90 gallon. Any suggestions on how to secure the sponge? Obviously a simple rubber-band isn't going to help much in this situation.

 

[steven11]

Build some type of clamping rim. 90 gallon display I would think be a little big. If you put a bunch of rock in there, you'll never see him and they don't need swim room.

 

[jrgilles]

I agree that you might be better off with cuttlefish. Very cool fish and similar to the octo but won't be able to escape so easily.

If you go octo, you could put a screen on the return lines from the sump, screen material on the drain lines, etc. Use some cable ties or something to get it all tight.

Could go with a glass lid and put some SCUBA weights on it to keep it all down. If there are any gaps, you can silicone them shut.

 

[chelseagrin]

I really dislike the term "mature" tank. Most of the time this means a dirty/loaded tank. The tank should not be set up as a reef first. It needs to be purpose built for an octopus. A reef has too much rock, flow and lighting for an octopus set up. It will require a lot of maintenance. You will need to use a coarse but thick sponge over every opening like the overflow. Even the sponge will need to be secured or they will remove it.

How big of a tank are u planning on using?

we were not saying to convert his tank from a reef to an octopus tank, we were saying to at least get get a tank going before trying an octopus, an octopus is in no way a good first invert. and that would be setting him up to fail if he started immediately with an octopus tank. i suggest getting your existing tank going and when you feel comfortable with the idea to start up an octopus tank.

 

[chelseagrin]

also its best for octos to have alot of rockwork in order to feel safe and secure. it just cant be stacked precariously.

 

[steven11]

There is no way to prepare for an octopus tank. You either are or aren't going to make mistakes. You can't tell me that keeping some corals and clown fish is going to prepare anyone to keep one. Same with some one committing the time. He will be more inclined to put in the effort to keep what he wants then to settle on a reef.

 

[chelseagrin]

how would it not! going from never keeping a tank to keeping a ceph would prove him to fail. its not just to prepare him for their care but on keeping water params right. its the intelligent thing to do if you dont agree thats fine but it is in his best interestet to get a good tank going before he goes for the octo. it will work wonders as opposed to going straight to an octopus where he is nearly gaurenteed to fail. i suggest you not feed people wrong info.

 

[steven11]

how would it not! going from never keeping a tank to keeping a ceph would prove him to fail. its not just to prepare him for their care but on keeping water params right. its the intelligent thing to do if you dont agree thats fine but it is in his best interestet to get a good tank going before he goes for the octo. it will work wonders as opposed to going straight to an octopus where he is nearly gaurenteed to fail. i suggest you not feed people wrong info.

Where the hell have I given wrong info or even my opinion on keeping an octopus? Reread the thread, not his first tank. And who the hell are you to say that he is almost certainly going to fail? Water params are much more simple to keep an octopus than a reef. Octos aren't as fragile as you are leading onto, they are quite hardy. Most die in captivity due to getting out of the display. I suggest you get off your pedestal.

 

[chelseagrin]

there is no need for that kind of language on a public forum, remember there may be children present on this site so think before you post inappropriately.

octopuses are inverts and very fragile ones at that and should not be taken lightly, or at least as lightly as you are implying. im sure you have never before owned an octopus. or at least succeeded.

 

[jrgilles]

I always read you want to throw in a lot of loose building material, bottles, pieces of pvc pipe, etc. Even if you can't figure out how it will all go together, the octo will assemble things into a home and will be happy.

If it doesn't build a home, it will soon stress and die. The first week or so it is in it will be doing a lot of building, so make sure there are things it can use to build with.

Sources to some unspecified internet source I read a long time ago when I was researching doing an octo tank. Very cool creatures

 

[chelseagrin]

the best thing to do is just have a ton of different sized rocks just scattered about in the tank and introduce the octo, then it will aquascape it the way it sees fit.

 

[Darthv247]

octos arent that hard to keep alive in my opinion. like they said just cant let em get out of the tank. kept one alive for a long time in a ten gallon with no skimmer. just a refuge and ample water changes. very cool creatures. loved how it changed colors. really got people in the store looking for it. (they are hard to find in even the smallest tanks) they just hide behind the rocks or in caves for the most part.

 

[chelseagrin]

what kind are you talking about? no octopus should be in anything under a 30 gallon tank regardless of size. i find it hard to believe you had long term success with one in such a tiny tank.

 

[Thrawn]

the best thing to do is just have a ton of different sized rocks just scattered about in the tank and introduce the octo, then it will aquascape it the way it sees fit.

Wouldn't you run this risk of having it cave in on him if it was with rock? Seems like it would be better to have a bunch of PVC and stuff like jrgilles suggested since it wouldn't be as heavy and able to crush the octo. Just a thought.

 

[chelseagrin]

octopi are some of the smartest inverts, if you do that they will jsut find a way to take the rocks apart and put them where they want. theres no stopping it. i have never had an octopus made structure cave in on an octo

 

[BCT182]

octopi are very hard to care for, i would consider a slightly easier ceph which would be a cuttlefish. they are a little easier to care for and you don thave to worry about them escaping. they also often breed in captivity but are very hard to find online for sale.

if your hell bent on an octopus i wouls suggest keeping one or two fish in your tank first just to get the handle on keeping params in check before adding a sensitive octopus. not a good animal to start out with.

Where the hell have I given wrong info or even my opinion on keeping an octopus? Reread the thread, not his first tank. And who the hell are you to say that he is almost certainly going to fail? Water params are much more simple to keep an octopus than a reef. Octos aren't as fragile as you are leading onto, they are quite hardy. Most die in captivity due to getting out of the display. I suggest you get off your pedestal.

there is no need for that kind of language on a public forum, remember there may be children present on this site so think before you post inappropriately.

octopuses are inverts and very fragile ones at that and should not be taken lightly, or at least as lightly as you are implying. im sure you have never before owned an octopus. or at least succeeded.

chelseagrin, I'd suggest you heed your own advise... As for your doubt that Steven has ever kept an octopus, have you? Lets see some info in regards to your successful housing an octopus. If you are simply reciting info you read off live aquaria, you shouldn't be speaking as an expert.

Its quite obvious that your new so I will spell it out for ya. The guy doesn't want a reef tank, or a cuttlefish tank. He didn't even ask for one. He is interested in an octopus. If he decides to do one, your aggressive insight will not stop him from doing what he wants. By failing to give him the appropriate advice you have done NOTHING constructive. You should have highlighted the importance of a tight fitting lid. The importance of a filtration system the octopus could not climb into. That a 90 gallon tank is WAY TOO BIG for an octopus, you'd NEVER see him in there......

The fact that in your very first post, you used the word HELL, as noted above, and you repremanded Steven for using the same word shows that your not thinking clearly and your advise should be taken with a grain of instant ocean sea salt.

 

[chelseagrin]

sorry i was not aware that people were so sensitive on this forum when i first posted i was told it was a friendly place where my ifnromation would be accepted with a thank you. instead my opinion and info is bashed by people that say they know what they are talking about.

i am fully aware that the user was asking about octopi i was simply giving him advice that they are not for beginners. and if you know anything about them you will agree with me. i did not feel the need to add all of that info you listed because several people had already said it a few posts ahead of me.

i do not appreciate your harsh ways of communicating with me and i think you are a disgrace to this site, most everyone is more than kind to me in fact this is the first time i have ever gotten into an argument like this because most people realize that the advice i give is solid and good. and i know what i am talking about.

i still have not heard anyone inform me of whether steve has kept an octopus before, and your drop off when you came to this subject in yoru post leads me to believe he has not. so why should the OP listen to his advice? i have kept octopi, and cuttles. and i can tell you they are anything but easy to take care of. sure they are not the hardest thing but its best to be prepared.

i am trying y hardest to give the original poster great advice and you are getting in the way by feeding him false info. this is not my first forum to be on and i am nowhere new to dealing with people like you thinking they can boss people around because they are ranked high and have been on the site for years. i know how it is because on a few fellow forums i used to be like that. having thousands of posts and thinking i could give any advice no matter how good it was or no matter how good my knowledge was on the subject.

as for the use of hell i assume you have never heard the phrase hell bent, if you did you would know that it is not used in an aggressive manor such as your friend steves use of the word.
as for not taking my advice with a grain of salt i believe the OP should not consider anything you or steve say, it is obvious you both have minimal experience with octopi. also your post in which you are bashing me in no way helps the topic of this thread so just to get back on topic i believe there are many sites that offer great specimens of octopi. here are some links thrawn.

Octopus For Sale Saltwater Fish For Sale Saltwater Aquarium Fish Marine Fish Invertebrates Zebra Buy Sell

Octopus-Pacific

 

[steven11]

You were discredited as soon as you assumed what I have or haven't kept and my success.

Thrawn, again I am sorry for the derailment. I wish you luck if you chose to try an octopus. They are fun creatures especially when it comes to feeding time. One thing I have learned in this hobby is that if your tank isn't what excites you the most, you will lose intrest and give up on it. And thats the worst thing for any creature you take on.

 

[steven11]

Hopefuly Thrawn doesn't get discouraged before there is even water in his tank.