Anyone interested in an octopus?

[GinaD]

New England Tropical Pet in Chelmsford just got one in. It's a small Atlantic octopus. Didn't get a good look at it because it was inside of a container inside of a tank.
$89

Just thought I'd post this because I seem to remember someone on BRS mentioning they wanted one.

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

Trouble with a capitol T!

 

[GinaD]

I found this article if you want to know more about them..
http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?shapeID=1074&curGroupID=8&lgfromWhere=&curPageNum=6

 

[naturebatslast]

Definetly species only tank. I've always want to keep one, but I've read they have a short lifespan in hobbist tanks. Outside of making your tank completely breakout-proof and a slightly different diet, it sounds no different than keeping fish.

 

[nichols]

I thought about setting up a tank for one. Most of then only live about a year.

 

[stevenp]

A guy I know actually got one of those as a hitch-hiker on some live rock. It mowed through his clean up crew...

Steve

 

[GinaD]

One man's predator is another man's pet. Not much different than mantis shrimp, or reptiles in general.

 

[reeffan]

I have kept 4 octopuses in past 20 years and they are great! please do not put them in you reef if WILL have a field day ... your corals will be safe but everything is up for LUNCH ... you cannot make you tank escape proof if they want to they will get out. the 4 that I had lived 1 to 1 1/2 they all where in an open top tank they never tried to get out! I had one that would stick one out the water and spent hours watching its arm throught glass and would and squirt water at the lights above the tank ... they are very smart and if you keep them happy they will not try to get out ... take it from some that has never found his own octopus on flow. Wholesalers have stories of missing fish when they have kept an octopus 3 tanks away and after it is done eating how it goes back to its original tank. LOL

Just my .02

Definetly species only tank. I've always want to keep one, but I've read they have a short lifespan in hobbist tanks. Outside of making your tank completely breakout-proof and a slightly different diet, it sounds no different than keeping fish.

 

[GinaD]

I know how smart they can be. I'd put them on par with squirrels. They are excellent problem solvers. I once saw a program where a person had a jar with it's lid screwed on tightly and food inside, then put it in the tank with an octopus who had never seen a jar before. It didn't take too long for the octopus to figure out he could unscrew the lid to get the food. It was very cool to watch.