octopus, squids and jellyfish

[disisgustavo]

anyone here keep any kind of octopus/squid or jellyfish? im very interested in these three but have never realy seen them in a pet store, is it possible to own any of these? if so how big would the tank need to be ?

[gomrjoe]

I have never had any experience with any of them. I can tell you this; one of my buddies tried getting an octopus in his 150 gallon tank about 3 years ago, and it died! The little sucker managed to get into the overflow and down into the sump. Coincidentally, although we could not confirm it, his pump burnt out about 2 weeks later. We think some of the octopus may have gotten sucked up into his pump, but again, we cannot confirm or deny that actually happening. But the octopus did somehow manage to slip into the overflow box through the little slits in the top. That holds true to what I have read about them as well, they are escape artists, big time.

[plah831]

I've kept a tidepool octopus (they're small, only about 1 ft in diameter, at max size) in a flow-through tank at a Marine Lab. They are escape artists, and her front two arms were cut off due to probably slamming the cover on herself in an escape attempt. When I got her, she was guarding a clutch of eggs. They were green and obviously infertile, so I removed them. I placed a few tidepool crabs in there for her, and she ate one within a few minutes.

Octopuses are extremely intelligent and can learn by observation (something some dogs can't even do). For example, if one has learned how to open a screw-top jar, and you put it in a tank next to a "virgin" one, the new one will learn how to open the same apparatus just by watching the experienced one. THere was one a few years back at the Montery Bay Aquarium that was escaping its tank every night, sneaking across the hall, and snatching fish out of another tank. By morning, he would always slip back into his own tank, and act innocent like nothing happened :)

You can buy cuttlefish for aquaria, but they're hard to keep alive. I wouldn't keep any of those guys (squid, octopus, jelly) without a flow-through seawater system. That way, it's much more like an open system (it's literally connected to the ocean), rather than a closed system that everyone has at home.

[Max]

Some of the smaller octo's are managable just make sure you have a tight lid. Thay can fit through a hole about the size of their eye. Also I wouldn't try it unless you have some experience they need nearly perfect water conditions and they are pretty messy eaters.
Jelly fish are also possible but, you need to have a tank with out sharp edges . In other words the interior has to be round nothing in it but water and jellies. They tear easy and don't recover well or at all.

[gomrjoe]

THere was one a few years back at the Montery Bay Aquarium that was escaping its tank every night, sneaking across the hall, and snatching fish out of another tank. By morning, he would always slip back into his own tank, and act innocent like nothing happened :)


That is a cool story! I have read about some pretty amazing escape attempts, but this one takes the cake! Cool!

[TKOS]

Jellyfish are next to impossible to keep for any length of time. Most have very short life spans, plsu they need cold water to thrive. Most rely on ocean currents to "drift around", a square edged tank will end up trapping them. You will notice that major aquariums that keep jellies keep them in rounded tanks.

[plah831]

That is a cool story! I have read about some pretty amazing escape attempts, but this one takes the cake! Cool!
I know, it's one of my favorite stories, too :)

[disisgustavo]

I know, it's one of my favorite stories, too :)
do you work at the monterey bay aquarium? i live in san francisco and have always wanted to go but its hard to do things on a students budget. if you work there could you hook it up with some tickets ;)

[plah831]

no, unfortunately I don't work there yet. I'm planning on it, though. I'm currently in grad school getting a Master's in ichthyology, so I'd like to start working there before I'm overqualified for the aquarist position. My lab has connections there, though, so I do get to hear "insider" stories and rumors :)

If I do get a job there, though, I'll be sure to let all my fishy friends at AC know!

[fishcatch22]

if you're still interested in getting one of those, live aquaria has tank-bred atlantic common octopuses for sale, as well as wild caught pacific common octopuses and upside down jellyfish, the only jelly that can easiliy be kept by hobbists. here are the links:http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=534
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=543

[JayBeDriften]

Also you may want to note that octopus in closed system usually don't live past 1 year and maybe 1 1/2 years at best and require extremely excellent water quality. But their are beautiful none the less.

[thekarens]

If you're interested in keeping octopus I'd recommend doing some research here: http://www.tonmo.com/