Thoughts on owning an octopus?

[Thales]

I never really understood that rule of being able to latinize a word because it's brought into English. English isn't even a Latin language lol, how could utilizing it in English mean that it's okay to incorrectly pretend it's Latin? So, I personally don't subscribe to it. I like my Latin Latin and my Greek Greek.

I love this so much.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

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.

All I know is their DNA is like nothing on earth. FREEKS ME OUT!!!!! It's like having to sleep with one eye open. Hahaha

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Being Latino/Jew, so able to speak Spanish fluently, Spanish being Latin base, I'll pronounce those Latin named species all day long.......Hahaha

 

[MombasaLionfish]

Any other octopus myths or questions to clear up, let me know.

Don't they have three hearts? Why do they?

 

[Jon Fishman]

Don't they have three hearts? Why do they?

If they have a heart-attack, how many arms go numb?

I have the supplies ready, I just need to evict my fish now. I don’t want to put a clown in the same tank as my other fish for fear of aggression and then having to tear the tank apart to catch her. So maybe it will be “free to good home”. Too expensive to make into an octopus meal. Also have a Purple lobster to re-home

Hopefully within a couple weeks I will have one. Any suggestions on how to light the aquarium? It has HD Prime or AI Prime or whatever it’s called. Any suggestions?

 

[Thales]

Don't they have three hearts? Why do they?

Yes they do! They have a systemic heart that circulates their 'blood' like our hearts do, and two branchial hearts that supply blood to the gills for better respiration.

 

[Thales]

Hopefully within a couple weeks I will have one. Any suggestions on how to light the aquarium? It has HD Prime or AI Prime or whatever it’s called. Any suggestions?

Light really doesn't matter. Many species don't like it too bright, and there are anecdotal reports that too blue is annoying to the octopus.

 

[Jon Fishman]

Light really doesn't matter. Many species don't like it too bright, and there are anecdotal reports that too blue is annoying to the octopus.

So running red at night to see him is fine?

 

[Thales]

So running red at night to see him is fine?

Sure, but hopefully you wont be getting a octopus that is active at night.

 

[Wunderpus]

Saw an Atlantic Pygmy octopus on LiveAquaria and I’m amazed that people own them. Have any of you ever owned an octopus? If so, how did it go?
I could never own one tbh. They’re probably smarter than I am

I've owned a wunderpus, a mimic and a blue ringed... Be glad to help if you need anything. I've kept them all successfully for their entire natural life.

They are very rewarding pets, but die pretty young (natural life span is normally around 1.5-2 years), so that's a bummer.

 

[Wunderpus]

Light really doesn't matter. Many species don't like it too bright, and there are anecdotal reports that too blue is annoying to the octopus.

I am not certain about this. I have videos of my mimic coming out and displaying/"dancing" when the blue lights were on... He/she truly loved them and was most active during those times. Let me see if I can find some videos, it was pretty cool.

 

[Wunderpus]

Here's a video of my mimic doing what he always did under the blue lights... It was some sort of strange display. Excuse the quality, it's from an old iphone years ago, then ripped off my facebook. But, you get the idea....

 

[Thales]

Here's a video of my mimic doing what he always did under the blue lights... It was some sort of strange display. Excuse the quality, it's from an old iphone years ago, then ripped off my facebook. But, you get the idea....

That looks like a general defensive display. Mimics are crepuscular, so if the tank lighting is set to go blue for dawn/dusk, you can usually expect to see these kinds of behavior at that time. Super cool. The often stop doing this kind of stuff after being tanked for a time.

 

[Thales]

I have done a lot of work with a lot of cephalopods. You can find much of it 'banked' here if you are interested.

Cephalopods – Rich Ross

 

[Wunderpus]

That looks like a general defensive display. Mimics are crepuscular, so if the tank lighting is set to go blue for dawn/dusk, you can usually expect to see these kinds of behavior at that time.

It's possible. It was always ready to eat at that time, so it couldn't have been too afraid... He would come out a lot during the day to hunt, as well. I figure since it lived a bit over 1.5 years, I must've been doing something right.

 

[Wunderpus]

I have done a lot of work with a lot of cephalopods. You can find much of it 'banked' here if you are interested.

Cephalopods – Rich Ross

I will read this, thank you! I want to keep a flamboyant cuttlefish next... Any experience with those? They seem pretty straightforward, except I don't have to worry about them escaping....

 

[mattzang]

crazy!

 

[Thales]

I will read this, thank you! I want to keep a flamboyant cuttlefish next... Any experience with those? They seem pretty straightforward, except I don't have to worry about them escaping....

Lots. They need to eat A LOT to remain healthy. A LOT. Like 6 times a day kind of thing. Otherwise they get lethargic and can get floaty and die. I am not aware of anyone supplying babies to the hobby right now, and I don't recommend anyone getting wild caught adults. There are several articles about them on my site. Let me know if direct links are helpful.

 

[Thales]

It's possible. It was always ready to eat at that time, so it couldn't have been too afraid... He would come out a lot during the day to hunt, as well. I figure since it lived a bit over 1.5 years, I must've been doing something right.

Right - defensive doesn't mean afraid! Nice work on the longevity

 

[Wunderpus]

Right - defensive doesn't mean afraid! Nice work on the longevity

I had good luck with him and the blue ringed... I'd keep a blue ringed again, minus the who toxicity issue. I was young and dumb back then, LOL. But, it made a heck of a pet!