New tank.. what to do with it?

[snailrider]

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I know zero about cuttelfish though. My only hesitation of an octo tank is worrying about it becoming an escape artist. A seahorse tank you don't have to worry about that. I would have to do a lot of research on cuttelfish before I even thought of going that direction. I have no idea what they require for space, substrate, flow, etc.

If the escape is your only concern then octo tank it should be. I have been considering one myself, but temp and feeding is more the concern for me.

I saw a special of marine world or some public aquarium. Seems the care takers were puzzled at who was feeding the octopus (at least 3 ft arms). In the morning there would be crab remnants in the octo tank, and the crabs would be missing from their tanks.

Somebody was feeding the octopus the crabs they were trying to keep.

Well, they set up a cam and I saw the vid. The octopus left its tank, went to the crab tank collected a crab, and took it back to its tank. Now that really impressed me. Not fast mind you, bit it got in and out of the tank, down to the floor up into the crab tank and back.

The little ones you get online, may not be as smart, or have the reach, but a bigger one, would live a long time and adapt to the environment.

 

[Eddiecorrea]

Just give it to me. All your problems would be solved.

 

[Ace25]

The little ones you get online, may not be as smart, or have the reach, but a bigger one, would live a long time and adapt to the environment.

Some reason I thought most (all aquarium species) Octos only lived to be 18-24 months old. Once they become breeding age they do their thing and die shortly after.

Males die within a few months of mating. In some species, the female octopus can keep the sperm alive inside her for weeks until her eggs are mature. After they have been fertilized, the female lays about 200,000 eggs (this figure dramatically varies between families, genera, species and also individuals). The female hangs these eggs in strings from the ceiling of her lair, or individually attaches them to the substrate depending on the species. The female cares for the eggs, guarding them against predators, and gently blowing currents of water over them so that they get enough oxygen. The female does not eat during the roughly one-month period spent taking care of the unhatched eggs. At around the time the eggs hatch, the mother dies and the young larval octopuses spend a period of time drifting in clouds of plankton, where they feed on copepods, larval crabs and larval starfish until they are ready to sink down to the bottom of the ocean, where the cycle repeats itself. Octopuses have a relatively short life expectancy, and some species live for as little as six months. Larger species, such as the North Pacific Giant Octopus, may live for up to five years under suitable circumstances. However, reproduction is a cause of death: males can only live for a few months after mating, and females die shortly after their eggs hatch. They neglect to eat during the (roughly) one month period spent taking care of their unhatched eggs, but they don't die of starvation. Endocrine secretions from the two optic glands are the cause of genetically-programmed death (and if these glands are surgically removed, the octopus may live many months beyond reproduction, until she finally starves).

 

[snailrider]

Sucks to be an octopus eh? sex and you die. I was thinking 10 years on a colder water bigger species, but never had one. Some of these get quite large, and it does take time to grow that big. 100 may not be big enough.

I wonder if you could propagate them in a tank?

 

[Felix T Cat]

Sea dragons are protected by Australian law. Obtaining them is often an expensive and difficult process as they must be from captive bred stock, and exporters must prove their broodstock were caught before collecting restrictions went into effect, or that they had the correct licenses to collect them. To date, no successful, closed cycle, captive-breeding program has occurred (ie getting a generation of captive-raised sea dragons to breed). Sea dragons have a specific level of protection under fisheries legislation federally and in most Australian states where they occur, such that it is illegal to take or export them without a permit.
They are very fragile and unstable outside their natural habitats. Success keeping them has been largely in the public aquarium sector, due to funding and knowledge that would not be available to the average aquarium enthusiast.

 

[Famm]

A big black volitans? Maybe throw an eel in there too? Not sure what's in your reef that you don't need to double up on.

Otherwise, I like the driftwood, plants and SA cichlids idea. There are some really sweet looking ones out there besides just discus.

 

[cam191919]

clownfish colony with an army of camel shrimp?

 

[skene]

Personally with something like that...
I would do a seahorse/pipefish tank with a few peaceful fish that will not be hogs and eat all the food. A couple of inverts in there.
Or what would be an amazing thing to have is a nautilus tank. Think of all the questions you would get with that.

 

[BucJason]

your Boss is an idiot...why not use the larger tank?? Is the shape THAT critical? ....and if you DO refuse to use it, get your money back for the half-round tank. I mean they send you the wrong tank and you just eat it??

 

[Ace25]

Huh? Yes, shape is critical, it is going on a counter in a college class room. 60G rectangle fit fine, 100G half round would not. Also, 100G was never ordered OR paid for.. Manufacturer shipped the 100G by mistake and when contacted about returning it they stated they did not want it back and we could keep it. We only paid for a 60G rectangle tank, and we got one, the 100G was just a freebie. Plus the 100G sat in Shipping and Receiving for over 2 years, I doubt anyone would take returns after 2 years.. I just got the tank because after 2 years and no use for it where I work, they were going to throw it in the dumpster so I grabbed it at that point.