Looking for a fun addition to my tank

Rawsreef · Jul 12, 2023

Hey everyone! I have a 20G breeder with some anemones, zoas, and some other not too fancy corals.

In the tank is currently a Japanese red pistol shrimp, and an Atlantic pygmy octopus.

I had a small spotted watchman goby that I think got eaten by the octopus it disappeared a week or so after adding the octo.

I am looking for something small yet feisty enough to hold their own.

I'm afraid of adding another goby, the last one never paired with the shrimp and got assassinated in his sleep

Rawsreef · Jul 12, 2023

Doctorgori · Jul 12, 2023

can you trust anything with a octopus? that’s more question than statement

vetteguy53081 · Jul 12, 2023

Rawsreef said:
Hey everyone! I have a 20G breeder with some anemones, zoas, and some other not too fancy corals.

In the tank is currently a Japanese red pistol shrimp, and an Atlantic pygmy octopus.

I had a small spotted watchman goby that I think got eaten by the octopus it disappeared a week or so after adding the octo.

I am looking for something small yet feisty enough to hold their own.

I'm afraid of adding another goby, the last one never paired with the shrimp and got assassinated in his sleep

6 line wrasse
strawberry basslet
Royal Gramma
Blue spot goby ($$)

Rawsreef · Jul 12, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
6 line wrasse
strawberry basslet
Royal Gramma
Blue spot goby ($$)

6 line wrasse is a good idea I think or a wrasse that sleeps in the sand would be even best. Gonna do some research to see what are some other small sand burrowing wrasses.

I have a 6 line already in my 220g tank also, so I would like something different.

Basslets would be cool, I know there's a bunch of different types of basslets so I'll do some research there also.

I do like jawfish, but not sure how good they would be in this tank.

Rawsreef · Jul 12, 2023

Doctorgori said:
can you trust anything with a octopus? that’s more question than statement

Trust? I don't think so

But I think I can find something that will work!

o2manyfish · Jul 12, 2023

Octopus is an ambush predator and will eat any fish it finds. And eventually it's going to get the shrimp.

They need to be kept alone - else anything you add is food.

Dave B

littlefoxx · Jul 12, 2023

Rawsreef said:

How big is the octopus?? He is cool lookin

twentyleagues · Jul 12, 2023

I agree that octopus will eventually eat anything you put in there its just a matter of time. Fish gotta sleep.

BZOFIQ · Jul 12, 2023

Nothing is safe with that thing in there.

I mean.... imagine what you can do with 8 arms.

KrisReef · Jul 12, 2023

Why not get another octopus?

Rawsreef · Jul 12, 2023

o2manyfish said:
Octopus is an ambush predator and will eat any fish it finds. And eventually it's going to get the shrimp.

They need to be kept alone - else anything you add is food.

Dave B

Yeah I guess you're right. I thought my goby was just too lax. But it's true any fish is at risk.

This little octopus is strong as heck. I feed him using tongs and the first time he grabbed the tongs and tried to pull on them. I was very surprised how strong this little guy is.

BZOFIQ said:
Nothing is safe with that thing in there.

Maybe doesn't have to be a "safe" environment. I wouldn't mind having a small "predator" tank. I would probably need to get the pistol shrimp out though. I occasionally hear the shrimp and octopus going at it.

The shrimp lives in a pvc tube I placed in the sand bed (this was a temp tank for a ribbon eel). Every couple of days I hear the shrimp snapping repeatedly, when I hear this I always look and sure enough, the octopus is trying to get in his PVC or just near it.

littlefoxx said:
How big is the octopus?? He is cool lookin

Thanks!! He is tiny no bigger than a few inches. Definitely longer with arms stretched probably 7 inches fully stretched would be my guess

Rawsreef · Jul 12, 2023

Here's a quick feeding video in case you guys wanna see what that looks like.

Not the best video, I always get super excited when he's out and I'm about to feed. Hope to get a better quality video next time

littlefoxx · Jul 12, 2023

Rawsreef said:
Yeah I guess you're right. I thought my goby was just too lax. But it's true any fish is at risk.

This little octopus is strong as heck. I feed him using tongs and the first time he grabbed the tongs and tried to pull on them. I was very surprised how strong this little guy is.

Maybe doesn't have to be a "safe" environment. I wouldn't mind having a small "predator" tank. I would probably need to get the pistol shrimp out though. I occasionally hear the shrimp and octopus going at it.

The shrimp lives in a pvc tube I placed in the sand bed (this was a temp tank for a ribbon eel). Every couple of days I hear the shrimp snapping repeatedly, when I hear this I always look and sure enough, the octopus is trying to get in his PVC or just near it.

Thanks!! He is tiny no bigger than a few inches. Definitely longer with arms stretched probably 7 inches fully stretched would be my guess

Huh! How do you care for his intelligence and stuff?? He is cool. Will he get bigger? And Im inclined to agree with others on no fish would be super safe, one that sleeps inside the sand might be okay since he ambushes! But then again Ive got a dwarf lionfish with small fish she can eat and she never looks at another fish as food

littlefoxx · Jul 12, 2023

Rawsreef said:
Here's a quick feeding video in case you guys wanna see what that looks like.

Not the best video, I always get super excited when he's out and I'm about to feed. Hope to get a better quality video next time

Cant see the video, maybe upload to YT and post the link??

Rawsreef · Jul 12, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Cant see the video, maybe upload to YT and post the link??

Didn't realize that,

Here's a YT link :

Feeding our Atlantic Pygmy Octopus

youtube.com

Rawsreef · Jul 12, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Huh! How do you care for his intelligence and stuff?? He is cool. Will he get bigger? And Im inclined to agree with others on no fish would be super safe, one that sleeps inside the sand might be okay since he ambushes! But then again Ive got a dwarf lionfish with small fish she can eat and she never looks at another fish as food

Never thought about doing anything special for it. Mine is still very shy so I'm usually very careful when he's out not to spook him

Anemone_Fanatic · Jul 12, 2023

Not much is going to be safe with an octopus. Stick to various corals, avoid anything which stings. Be wary about those anemones in particular.

twentyleagues · Jul 12, 2023

Rawsreef said:
Yeah I guess you're right. I thought my goby was just too lax. But it's true any fish is at risk.

This little octopus is strong as heck. I feed him using tongs and the first time he grabbed the tongs and tried to pull on them. I was very surprised how strong this little guy is.

Maybe doesn't have to be a "safe" environment. I wouldn't mind having a small "predator" tank. I would probably need to get the pistol shrimp out though. I occasionally hear the shrimp and octopus going at it.

The shrimp lives in a pvc tube I placed in the sand bed (this was a temp tank for a ribbon eel). Every couple of days I hear the shrimp snapping repeatedly, when I hear this I always look and sure enough, the octopus is trying to get in his PVC or just near it.

Thanks!! He is tiny no bigger than a few inches. Definitely longer with arms stretched probably 7 inches fully stretched would be my guess

It's just a matter of time till he/she figures it out. That shrimp won't be safe.

littlefoxx · Jul 12, 2023

Rawsreef said:
Didn't realize that,

Here's a YT link :

Feeding our Atlantic Pygmy Octopus

youtube.com

He is cool! If you had a bigger tank I would suggest looking into a snowflake eel, they really only mess with things smaller than them. But not sure if the octopus would mess with him, maybe others could weigh in on that. But Like I said you would at lease need a 70 gallon for the eel and octopus