Keeping an Octopus in a very modified "Reef Tank."

[Rinaldi]

Just wondering if anyone has an Octopus and can advise regarding any specific tips or suggestions for its care. I am trying to plan a tank for an octopus using live rock and maybe even with some corals. I think I know the basics as I have done some reading and I had an octopus a few years ago (See below).

I am setting up another 75g tank (plumbed via a sump to my existing 75g reef tank, but otherwise seperate) and I am interested in making this second tank a DOTWLR (Dedicated Octopus Rank with live rock).

I hope this isn't like asking "Can I have an anemone?". I realize that an octopus is naturally short lived, is an escape artist, and that I cannot keep fish or crustaceans, but was wondering whether one can have a Octopus in a 75g with some low-light, hardy corals? The corals would want light, the octopus wouldn't, so there is a conflict in lighting requirements and I will probably just bag the idea of including corals in that tank. Any ideas? Any problems with an Octopus tank and an reef tank sharing the sump and water volume?

I had an Octopus in college in a 30g undergravel filtered tank (cess pool). He lived for a few months, but died when I tried to move him home for the summer. Never tried to escape though.

Final question. I have heard that feeding live food is key and that a diet of goldfish would be deficient, although that is what I used to feed mine along with an occassional crawfish. What would be a good (and cheap) live food source?

Thanks for any tips!

[Kirbster]

One potential problem with the plumbing: If the Octopus releases a significant amount of sepia, it could spread from the DOTWLR to the reef. Perhaps the overflow from the DOTWLR should pass through carbon on the way to the sump. Inking isn't real common, I guess, but it is a risk.

KA

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"You must unlearn what you have learned."
-Yoda

[Pam]

I had an octopus for several months in a LR tank. Fed him freshwater ghost shrimp and found crabs from other tanks. They do a great job of clearing crabs from LR before introducing it to tender tanks.
Used a tank with an internal overflow protecting him from the return pump with a media bag around the whole pump and prefilter.
Other than the initial heartattacks when he kept wandering into the overflow we got along well at first. Unfortunately caused by my getting ill and not interacting with him for a month beyond feeding, he became quite withdrawn, up until then he did enjoy peek-a-boo and imitating your arm positions etc. After he went through the period of being ignored he quit responding to people.
Pam

[Rinaldi]

Kirbster - Good point about the ink cloud if I plumb the tanks together. My old octopus did that on one occasion after a friend ignored my repeated warnings and made a sudden motion toward the tank.

Pam - I agree about the interaction. I have heard that they are as smart as dogs and will die of boredom, which is why I am reluctant to get one again since my tanks are now in the lonely basement. IMO part of the reason that I had some success was with my first octopus was that I had it in a college fraternity house where he got alot of attention - particularly at the daily feedings. Where did you get the freshwater ghost shrimp and crabs? Is there a cheap source?

[Pam]

I have not found a cheap source of anything. Living in Canada we pay through the nose for shipping. (Sorry but it is a sore point.) Your LFS (freshwater even) likely has a supply of feeder shrimp that are cheaper in quantity. Fiddler crabs are also less expensive when bought as food at Aquarium Services.
I was still acquiring LR so I would toss in one cured piece at a time to his larder of other rocks, likewise when a crab was spotted in another tank.
There are few things as sad as a depressed octopus.
Pam

[Pam]

Biogeek just posted a great response about octopi on "the other board".