Thoughts on owning an octopus?

[stanleo]

If I ever do my seahorse tank (long in the future probably) I will start it as an octopus tank and after it dies, start keeping the seahorses. They are two animals I have always wanted and I have known for a while that octopus aren't very long lived.

 

[Thales]

If one were going to keep an octopus what species would you recommend? Just curious, I do not have a tank secure enough for one, but maybe someday in the distant future.

That is a tough question because vendors often don't know what they have and can end up with something you weren't counting on. Any of the smaller ones are ok, Abdophis sp, Octopus hummelincki, O. jobini. It also depends on the size of the tank, and if you can keep a colder water octo.

 

[Thales]

Oh, the idea that you can stop an octopus from escaping by using astro turf or velcro around the lip of the tank doesn't really pan out. It works for larger species like the GPO, but I have seen almost every other species we keep climb up and over that stuff like it is a jungle gym. :D

 

[88471]

They're my holy grail of fishkeeping. However I will never be able to justify the expense of a specialized set up for one considering their lifespan...unless I win the lottery that is. Lol

 

[somethinq else]

That’s my dilemma beyond size at the moment. I keep seeing blue ring octopuses at my LFS. I’m really on the edge about this.

I've had blue ringed octopus before. I'm surprised the ogs has them for sale because they are the deadliest creature in the world. The venom can kill 25 healthy full grown men in a matter of seconds to minutes with no known antidote and no way to call for help regardless because it immediately stacks your nervous system and shuts it down. They are beautiful but poetically dangerous.

 

[SimplyVibing]

I would love to have one. On a somewhat related note, I was at a local festival last night, and someone had a pet lemur. I’d love to have one of those too.

Lol! I would take the octopus any day over a lemur

 

[PurpleMonsterSlayer]

I’ve owned several different types of octopus and would recommend staying away from Pygmy based on there size alone. From hatching to death is about 12 months if you get it from a store remember it was probably born in the spring so you’ll only have about 4 months left. If your going to get one find a species that grows to about 3 feet they’re easier to keep contained and will live longer. One thing that no one has mentioned is you need to be prepared to do a 100% water change at a moment’s notice in case it inks in the tank which can kill it within 30 mins if the tank doesn’t have enough water volume to dissipate the ink fast enough. Also you need a extra large protein skimmer since there pretty messy.

Owned
-East Pacific red octopus grows to about two feet needs a water chiller and very dim light only.
-California two spot octopus grows to about two feet normal lights and cooler waters.
-Caribbean reef octopus grows to about 2 1/2 to 3 feet prefers warmer waters and natural lighting
-mimic octopus grows between two and 3 feet prefers warmer waters and natural lighting
All the above you can live One to two years with proper care.
I have had Pygmy and Small only 10 foot long Giant pacific octopus for about a year.

 

[SimplyVibing]

I’ve owned several different types of octopus and would recommend staying away from Pygmy based on there size alone. From hatching to death is about 12 months if you get it from a store remember it was probably born in the spring so you’ll only have about 4 months left. If your going to get one find a species that grows to about 3 feet they’re easier to keep contained and will live longer. One thing that no one has mentioned is you need to be prepared to do a 100% water change at a moment’s notice in case it inks in the tank which can kill it within 30 mins if the tank doesn’t have enough water volume to dissipate the ink fast enough. Also you need a extra large protein skimmer since there pretty messy.

Owned
-East Pacific red octopus grows to about two feet needs a water chiller and very dim light only.
-California two spot octopus grows to about two feet normal lights and cooler waters.
-Caribbean reef octopus grows to about 2 1/2 to 3 feet prefers warmer waters and natural lighting
-mimic octopus grows between two and 3 feet prefers warmer waters and natural lighting
All the above you can live One to two years with proper care.
I have had Pygmy and Small only 10 foot long Giant pacific octopus for about a year.

Good lord. Where does one keep a 10 foot octopus?? Do you work at an aquarium or research facility?
Also, thank you for sharing your experiences! I might get one in my next life lol

 

[Backreefing]

A friend of mine years ago got one ( unknown type) for his mixed reef aquarium. The octopus destroyed everything in the aquarium, his blue cocia clam was first to go . Actually he laughed as it eat everything inked ect . It was the end for Mike and reef aquariums .

 

[PurpleMonsterSlayer]

Good lord. Where does one keep a 10 foot octopus?? Do you work at an aquarium or research facility?
Also, thank you for sharing your experiences! I might get one in my next life lol

No i had a 1000 gal tank that was cycled and before I got to stock it a local aquarium ask me to hold it for awhile till they got a new tank for it. It was supposed to be only two weeks max but ended up becoming a year. When I receive it it was about a foot long.

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

That’s my dilemma beyond size at the moment. I keep seeing blue ring octopuses at my LFS. I’m really on the edge about this.

It would be a pain to get the lid secured, but I think it would be worth it. Make sure there are no holes, and make sure it it is on well enough that the octopus can’t just push it off. IMO, people really exaggerate the danger of blue rings. As long as you know not to put in part of you body in the tank, you should be ok. The octopus isn’t going to jump out at you with malicious intent.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

When I was a student we studied them and I must say just wow, and I’d sooooo love one as a pet. They are definitely as smart as humans and extremely creative.
Finding a tank, that they can’t escape from, is a much harder thing to accomplish.

When we had the lab set up, there was no task they could not solve. Truly amazing and of course I want the blue ringed because of the colors.

 

[mattzang]

definitely a creature i enjoy checking out.. at the local public aquarium :p

 

[ReefRondo]

Absolutely amazing creatures. Would love one some day.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Something else to worry about is the rockwork. Have to make sure its not too jagged that will hurt the octo and super well secured so they cant topple it over and hurt themselves or crack the tank.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

They're uber cool but super smart and crafty. I saw a show once where fish in an adjacent aquarium kept disappearing. The aquarium keepers set up a camera and caught the octopus letting himself out of his tank, climbing over to the next tank to catch fish, then dragging the fish back to his tank and closing the door behind him.

I don't need that kind of aquatic alien scaring the heck out of me when I go check on the tank in the middle of the night :)

 

[Jon Fishman]

Lol! I would take the octopus any day over a lemur

I have been in contact with an Ocelot breeder....... I need an intervention

So. Hypothetically speaking... A fish-net material over the over-flow grate, and a piece of acrylic over a RSR AIO with something heavy over it, should keep an Octopus right? I might buy the guy to try it out. Will it be fine with Nems?

 

[Reefer Reboot]

Hypothetically speaking... LOL, you never know what they are capable of until they prove you wrong.;Wideyed With their beaks they may chomp through the fish net materials. You may want to try something a little stronger. (Search plastic canvas on Amazon.) IME, they won't bother anemones.

 

[Jon Fishman]

Hypothetically speaking... LOL, you never know what they are capable of until they prove you wrong.;Wideyed With their beaks they may chomp through the fish net materials. You may want to try something a little stronger. (Search plastic canvas on Amazon.) IME, they won't bother anemones.

The built-in grate on a RSR Max Nano DEFINITELY needs covered though? Or is it small enough? Not entirely sure how big their beaks are...... It obviously can’t get out of the “vents” of the box they put him in. I suspect the RSR overflow grate to be that size, maybe smaller

 

[MombasaLionfish]

I would love an octopus or a cuttlefish one day but what is the difference between the two?