I think you should send this to member chat as well, so people know what they’re in for.
Susan
-----Original Message-----
From:
gsas-board-bounces@thekrib.com [mailto:gsas-board-bounces@thekrib.com] On Behalf Of Margaret Cashman
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008
12:13 PM
To: GSAS board members and alumni
Subject: Re: [GSAS-board] Baby
Octopus
Dear GSAS'ers,
I completely agree with Shango's early post on this point. Few people would be prepared to meet its needs.
from February/March 2004, Issue - 16 of Marine World Magazine
Here is an excerpt from Ceph Care articles at http://www.tonmo.com/cephcare/checklist.php:
Checklist: Things to Think About Before You Get An Octopus as a Pet
by Nancy King -- last updated 3/1/2004
Nancy is a member of the TONMO.com staff -- you can discuss cephalopods with her in our Cephalopod Care forums.
Keeping an octopus is fun and interesting, but an octopus is not the easiest pet to own. You need understand saltwater aquariums as well as how to take care of a ceph pet to be a successful octo owner. Here are some things to think about and to guide you before you take the plunge and buy an octopus.
1. Do you know what species you're getting?
Octopuses of different species that grow to widely different adult sizes are sold as pets, and tank requirements for these octopuses vary greatly. Also, the recommended water temperature is determined by the species. Octopus bimaculoides (bimac) seems to be the most popular pet octopus in the U.S. and is now often captive bred. It is diurnal (day active), not too large, and will interact with you.
If you intend to buy from a local fish store (LFS), be aware that the store may not know what species they are selling so you should try to ask some questions like "where did it come from?" and also find out under what conditions the octopus is being kept. Especially ask about the specific gravity, temperature and pH of the water. Be suspicious of names like 'common', 'brown', 'dwarf' and Bali octopuses as these terms rarely mean a thing. You sometimes never know if you are buying an adult dwarf with weeks to live or a baby that will grow into a huge octopus!
2. Are there species that should be avoided?
Avoid the temptation to buy a blue ring octopus! These are commonly seen for sale in shops and rarely do well in captivity. The shipping success rate is very small, many octopuses may have died just to get one alive and not least of all the octopus bite can kill you! Many species of Hapalochlaena only live for 6 months and is probably already an adult when you get it with maybe only weeks to live. Only the most experienced ceph keeper should attempt to keep a blue ring octopus.
3. Do you know what size tank you'll need?
The minimum tank size for a bimaculoides, one of the most popular octopuses sold as pets, is 50 gallons, and larger is better. O.vulgaris would require a much larger tank.
4. How will you choose the filtration, pumps and other equipment?
Refer to Colin's article, Ceph Care Equipment List - read it and look at the links. Remember that an octopus can produce nearly 3 times as much waste as a fish of a similar mass, so aim bigger than recommended for a fish-only or reef set up. A big protein skimmer is strongly recommended.
5. Have you already set up and cycled your tank?
You need a mature tank for your octopus. Three months of running is recommended for a ceph tank before adding an octopus or cuttlefish. Ideally run the tank with some fish like mollies or damsels but be aware that damsels will need to be removed before the octopus is added and any other fish will be seen as a snack! You can't just buy a new tank, add water and some live rock, and then plop in your octopus.
6. Do
you understand that you can keep only one octopus per tank and that there are
very few other creatures that can live with it?
A species tank is for one member of a species and no other animals. Most other
aquatic creatures should not be kept with your octopus, including fish. What
can be in the tank is a starfish or an urchin (pencil type, not type with
pointed spines). Anemones should not be kept with an octopus, because they will
sting. Cuttlefish and octopuses cannot be kept together.
Some attempts have been made to keep two octopuses together in a large tank,
but the results so far are that one octopus will eventually kill and eat the
other one.
7. Have you created a good environment in
your tank - lots of hiding places and caves?
You can build caves with sturdy live rock, and you can also add PVC pipe for
places to hide. Caves should be various sizes to accommodate your octopus as it
grows. They also like to crawl through hidden passages in the rock and peer
through holes. Some people are guilty of having a bare tank with a couple of
rocks so they can see the octopus more but this generally has the opposite
affect. The more caves and hiding places the better and the more likely you are
to see normal octopus behavior!
8. Do you have a way to close your tank off
so your octopus cannot escape?
An octopus can escape through a tiny hole, no larger than its beak. Many people
are using duct take to seal their tank and prevent escape. Although bimacs are
less prone to escape than some other species like O. vulgaris, they do
occasionally get out. Pay particular attention to where pipes and wires enter
the tank and don't forget to make the overflow secure if using a sump.
9. Are you able to keep you octopus at the
desired temperature?
Bimacs can tolerate temperatures in the upper 70's, but this will shorten their
lifespan. You need to find a way to lower the temperature to the lower 70's, such as using a fan or
chiller on the sump. A tropical octopus can live at a higher temperature.
10. Have you found a source of RO/DI water or
a way to make it?
RO/DI water is water filtered by reverse osmosis (RO) to demineralize it, and
is further purified by a deionization (DI) process that removes contaminants.
Use RO/DI water to make up the salt water for your tank. If you buy salt water
from your LFS, make sure it's based on RO/DI water. Water quality is a major
concern when keeping cephalopods. They are much more sensitive than fish as
they lack scales to act like a barrier and have a huge surface area of skin.
11. Have
you had your water in the tank tested for copper?
You need to make sure that the level of copper in your tank is zero. Copper is
fatal to octopuses with no exceptions. Be wary of using any tank which has had
a copper based treatment used in the past.
12. How will you carry out water tests?
Test kits and a hydrometer will enable you to find out about your salt
concentration and make adjustments to conform to the recommended parameters.
You need to test for specific gravity (salinity), pH, ammonia, nitrite, and
nitrate. Your LFS will do these tests for you, but since testing must be done
frequently, it's better to have the equipment and test kits at home. Ammonia is
the most toxic and tests should be done on a regular basis, as octopuses are
prone to making a lot of mess at feeding time.
13. Have you already located a source of
shrimp and crabs for your octopus?
A young octopus will need smaller food such as small shrimp, hermit crabs,
small fiddler crabs, small pieces of seafood, and even amphipods from the live
rock. It may be able to eat snails and a few can even tackle small clams and
mussels at a young age. Try pieces of fresh scallop for a treat. A diet of
goldfish or other feeder fish is not recommended, as there have been many reports
of early deaths. Artemia (brine shrimp) should be avoided for baby cephs as
this is severely lacking in the protein.
14. What happens if I buy an older octopus?
Octopuses have short lifespans, often less than a year. Many people prefer to
buy a young octopus so that they can have their pet longer. Of course, there is
nothing wrong with buying an adult octopus and giving it a good home.
Occasionally octopuses are bought as gravid female who lays eggs shortly after
purchase. This is common in some species and success with the larvae varies.
Generally speaking large egg species can be raised in the home but small egg
species are very difficult to rear.
15. Have you thought about what impact on
your life keeping an octopus will have?
Not only will it restrict vacations (octopuses are much more demanding than
fish), but also you may find yourself making extra trips to the fishmarket for
food and spending a fair amount of money on octopus food. You will have an
easier time keeping your octopus if you think out these aspects in advance.
16. Have you researched and read as much as
you can on the subject before buying an octopus?
Too many people buy on impulse and this causes many problems for them. Although
there are no books on octopus keeping, there is a wealth of information here on
TONMO.com (read the past Ceph Care postings and the articles) and on the links
provided.
And here's an article from Ceph Care, which had appeared in Marine World magazine:
Keeping cephalopods in captivity
by Colin Dunlop, November 2003
What is a Cephalopod?
The order cephalopoda consists of four main types of animals: squid, cuttlefish, nautilus and octopus, the latter having the largest number of described species (~200). The word 'cephalopod' means head-foot, which is in reference to the fact that their limbs are attached onto their heads. Cephalopods are all invertebrates and are closely related to other molluscs like slugs and snails. They are found all over the World's oceans from the shallow tropical reefs to down in the deepest sea trenches. They show incredible variety and can weigh in at only one gram for the smallest species and up to 200 kilograms for the largest member of the group the Giant Pacific Octopus.
Octopuses and cuttlefish can be cared for in captivity with relative ease, as can nautiluses if you can get a deep enough tank with a good chiller! Squid, however, are still considered impossible for the home aquarium, as they require a huge cylindrical tank that is not transparent. These pelagic animals are not suited to captivity.
"The most commonly seen cephalopods for sale in the UK are octopuses, cuttlefish and nautiluses. Their husbandry is not too far removed from caring for any other marine species but differences lie more in the misinformation and poor species identification.
As long as a few aspects are catered for, I'd argue that these are the most interesting, if short lived, marine animals we could ever maintain in the home aquarium."
The Cephalopod Aquarium
Unfortunately there are no cephalopods that are suitable for a reef tank or for a mixed community. A well maintained home aquarium would just be an expensive menu and any fish, shrimps and crabs would get eaten within a few days of adding the new inhabitant. Also bear in mind that many fish eat cephalopods and a small octopus is just as likely to disappear down the throat of a larger fish! So set the tank up as a specimen tank.
Tank Requirements
1. Size matters
The aquarium should be as large as possible for the species that you intend to keep. The minimum size should be at least 36x18x18 (inches) to be used for small octopus species and as big as you can get after that.
Most cephalopods lead a solitary life and cannibalism is very common so it's best to keep only one per tank.
If possible use an aquarium with a sump. This protects all your equipment and reduces the different paths of escape quite significantly. The hood of the aquarium needs to be very tightly fitted. Even species that are not prone to climbing out have been known to try.
2. Water Parameters and Quality
Cephalopods have soft bodies and are essentially naked (except the nautilus that has an external shell). They have a huge surface area and therefore are very sensitive to water quality and pollutants like ammonia and nitrite, which should all be kept at zero. Nitrates seem to be tolerated to 50 - 100ppm with no apparent ill effects.
Copper is lethal and should be tested for before the octopus is added to an aquarium. Treat them like all other invertebrates in this respect.
An octopus produces approximately three times more ammonia than a fish of a similar mass; partly due to it's having three hearts and therefore three times the oxygen requirement of fish. As a result oxygen levels should always be kept as high as possible. To do this (and to remove all the excess waste) always use oversized filters and skimmers. When an octopus feels threatened it may eject viscous ink as a smoke screen. Although it is not poisonous it can and will coat gills and this may lead to asphyxiation. The ink can often be removed by catching it in a fine net but protein skimmers and good quality carbon is a must have! Always work slowly to avoid startling a new octopus.
Salinity is the other water quality parameter that must be controlled carefully. It is of paramount importance that the octopus aquarium has full strength seawater. Aim for 1.026 at all times, a lower salinity will kill them.
PH must be kept between 8 and 8.4 and it is always worthwhile to do a 25% water change on a fortnightly basis. Remember they do produce a lot of waste!
3. Aquascaping
Perhaps the most common reason for keeping an octopus is to witness its incredible brainpower, problem-solving skills and its willingness for interaction with its owner.
Its intelligence requires an enriched environment, that is lots of things to interest it in the aquarium. The simplest way to do this is to add lots of rocks and food grade quality plastic pipes of various diameters. The rocks should be glued into position to avoid landslides through the front of the aquarium as octopuses are very strong and like to re-arrange their own "furniture"! The plastic pipes can be littered about the bottom of the tank. A large amount of shells and various small rocks should also be added as an octopus will appreciate being able to use them to make a door on its den. Caulerpa may also be used but avoid the temptation to add corals and anemones, they may sting the octopus but more likely, the octopus's activity will bury them.
The best substrate to use is a fine, well washed silver sand. Coral sand and similar substrates are too course for an octopus's sensitive skin and may damage them as they attempt to dig.
Most octopuses are nocturnal but they will generally change their habits in the home to suit times that we are active. A great way of breaking the ice with a new octopus and building a trusting relationship is at feeding time. If food is offered on a wooden or plastic stick at the same time each day, it wont be long before the arms come out the top of the tank to take food from your fingers! Also to help encourage the shyest of individuals, keep the lighting subdued. There is no need for metal halides, a small fluorescent strip is all that's needed on a timer for approximately 10 – 12 hours per day.
Enrichment comes in many guises so be creative. One of the most interesting ways of keeping an octopus entertained is by using various toys. This includes floating table tennis balls, Lego bricks, Star Wars action figures, plastic toy sharks and possibly any item of aquarium equipment, like a thermometer or cleaning magnet, you might have left in by accident! (Insure that anything added will not poison the water! Being "food grade" quality or "for babies" is a good guide)
4. Feeding
In the wild an octopus's diet would consist mainly of crustaceans. This should always be reflected in the home aquarium. Although many of them will accept other food like feeder fish, this is not an ideal diet for a healthy octopus and feeder fish may have been treated with copper! An average size octopus of 18" arm span will eat approximately two 2" wide shore crabs every day or two. There are companies that supply food suitable for cephalopods.
5. Lifespan
If ever there was a drawback to keeping cephalopods; it is this: the majority have a natural lifespan of somewhere between six months and two years. Some deep sea or coldwater species like Bathypolypus arcticus have been known to live for six years. It is your decision whether or not it all seems worth it.
6. Reproduction
After becoming sexually mature, octopuses will mate and shortly afterwards the male dies. The female takes up residence in a well-enclosed den to lay her eggs. During the incubation period, which may be a month or more, the female often refuses to eat, and she will die shortly after the eggs hatch. The process of a cephalopod dying is called senescence. An unmated female will often lay infertile eggs in captivity and attempt to rear them. Unfortunately her fate is the same.
What species of Octopus are available?
|
|
What are we actually getting when we see that sucker covered arm waving at us from deep inside the live rock cavity in the dealer's tank? Buying an octopus in the UK is like the lottery. They are bought and sold with such meaningless names as "brown octopus," "common octopus," "Bali Octopus" and a personal favourite, "'Octopus Spp." This is not the fault of the shops, however, as octopuses are incredibly difficult to identify, even after a long time studying the group. They can change colour and body shape in the blink of an eye. One minute they may look 45cm wide and the next they've tucked themselves into a small ball. They can even lift flaps of skin on their bodies called papillae to allow them to resemble the rocks and plants surrounding them.
In all honesty, there is no hard and fast octopus ID kit! Instead, here is a list of the more commonly imported species that you might find and their associated suitability. Always ask what part of the world the octopus came from as this helps to identify the species. Be warned though, you may never find out what species it is!
· Octopus bocki
A small retiring species frequently sold a 'Bali Octopus'. Best described as a dwarf it is short lived and most imported specimens are fully grown adults with maybe only weeks to live.
· Octopus aculeatus
This long armed species is frequently imported and has an arm span of some 30cms compared to a 4cm mantle. It has a good nature and will be diurnal once acclimatised.
· Octopus vulgaris
This is the common octopus. Be aware that the above two are often confused with juveniles of this species. This octopus can reach a large size of up to a 70cm span in captivity therefore a large tank is required. Notorious for climbing out so seal the tank carefully.
· Octopus briareus
This is the Caribbean or Florida Octopus. Settles in well to captive life. It normally has a reddish or bluish tinge and large eyes.
· Octopus bimaculoides
The two-spot or Californian octopus is by far the best species of octopus to keep. It has a diurnal habit and doesn't get as large as vulgaris. This species is best kept at room temperature, as it is not a tropical species.
Species to avoid
· Avoid the temptation of buying the following species: The Blue Ringed Octopus Hapalochlaena Spp., The Mimic Octopus and Wunderpus.
Blue rings are one of the world's most toxic marine animals with a bite that can kill a person. Frequently imported, they are poor travellers and are imported as short-lived adults. Their entire life span from hatching is naturally 6 months or so. The risks are not worth taking.
Wunderpus and Mimic octopuses do not yet have scientific names and have recently been seen in some TV documentaries. This has resulted in requests for captive specimens. Neither species is well documented in the wild and could in fact be rare. Both could potentially be toxic and the Mimic will never live up to its name in captivity refusing to act like it does in the wild. Again, normally imported as adults they are best left in the sea.
Cuttlefish and Nautiluses
There are occasions when other species of cephalopod are available. The Common European cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) is often available but its large size (up to 18") often limits its potential for home aquariums, a 6-foot tank is minimum for one adult!
Cuttlefish are generally very poor travellers and many die during exportation from the tropics. Success rates are very low and at this point they are perhaps best avoided. Sepia bandensis is the most commonly imported species - adult at 3" long.
Nautilus is often frequently seen and is another one to be avoided unless you are planning on setting up a very deep tank and can keep the temperature in the low sixties. Anything above that will kill them in a matter of time.
Further Reading
Websites:
The Octopus News Magazine Online (www.tonmo.com)
The Cephalopod Page (http://is.dal.ca/~ceph/TCP/index.html)
Caldwell R and Shaw C.D. 2002 Mimic Octopuses: Will we love them to death? (http://is.dal.ca/~ceph/TCP/mimic.html)
Monks N. 2002 The Perils of the Pearly Nautilus (http://is.dal.ca/~ceph/TCP/nautcon.html)
Biegler R. 2002 Begging in Cephalopods?
http://is.dal.ca/~ceph/TCP/octopanrep.html
Mather J. and Anderson R. 2000 Octopuses are Smart Suckers! (http://is.dal.ca/~ceph/TCP/smarts.html)
Caldwell R. 2000 Death in a Pretty Package: The Blue-Ringed Octopuses (http://is.dal.ca/~ceph/TCP/bluering1.html)
Wood J.B. and Wood D.A. 1999 Enrichment for an Advanced Invertebrate (http://www.enrichment.org/articles/83octopus.pdf)
King, N. 2003 Octopus Basics (http://www.tonmo.com/articles/basicoctopus.php)
Dunlop, C. 2003 Cuttlefish Basics (http://www.tonmo.com/articles/basiccuttlefish.php)
Books
Norman M. 2000. Cephalopods A World Guide. ConchBooks.
Moynihan M. 1985 Communication and Noncommunication by cephalopods. Indiana University Press
Boyle P R. 1991 The Care and Management of Cephalopods in the Laboratory. UFAW
Food Supplies
Aqualogistix, 01387 261 839 (can also seasonally supply native cephalopods UK only)
____________________________________________________________________________________
Cordially,
Margie C.
--
Margie Cashman, M.D.
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, General Psychiatry, Sleep Disorders Medicine
2302 24th Ave. E., Suite B
Seattle, WA 98112-2607
Phone (206) 568-7497
Fax (206) 568-7476
url http://www.doctorcashman.com
On Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 7:49 AM, Shango Los <shango@shangolos.com> wrote:
I
don't know what agreement was made with the sponsor but isn't it a bit
sketchy to give such a unique life form away as a door prize. A baby
octopus isn't something just anyone can handle or would want to win.
Should
we consider using it as a auction item so it gives the club some value and
goes to someone who is actually motivated about having it.
Just a thought.
Shango
On 10/12/08 4:01 PM, "Phil Lacefield Jr." <phil@lacefield.com>
wrote:
> Hey guys, I just got off the phone with one of my livestock suppliers in
> Florida, one Dan Martinez. He's donating two 50lb. boxes of premium
base
> live rock AND a baby octopus to the door prize goodness on Tuesday!
Winners
> will have to pay for the boxes and shipping, but it'll still cost a heck
of
> a lot less than buying this quality of rock locally. And you just
can't
> find these baby octopi anywhere around here! I had mine for almost a
year
> (about how long they live in captivity) and he was awesome.
>
> I have a roll of two-part raffle tickets I could donate to the GSAS if
we'd
> like to handle door prizes that way.
>
> Can't wait!
>
> Phil
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