New Briarius & MPG

[NHreefer]

I got an octopus last weekend, snapped a few movies, thought I'd post one. One question, what would you feed this guy, anything? He is the size of a kids hand. Thanks Chris
Actually the movie is to big to attach, just click my www link I'll upload it to my main page.

[OctoMonkey]

Hi

My briareus used to eat crabs and bits of fresh fish. No problem at all!

I checked your site, can you send a link because i didnt see your mpegs; couldnt click on the buttons????

C

[NHreefer]

Sorry, I should have updated my site first. Frontpage98 is saying my homepage is busy, I willl try to repost later.

[Rudiger]

where are you in NH ? I live in Hanover. Cephalopoder is also in new hampshire.

[cephalopoder]

Welcome, NHreefer. There are a few of us here from NH. There is plenty you can feed your octo. I use crayfish alot I like to buy a bunch of crayfish, keep them in a bucket of ro/di water to purge them a bit and feed then food high in HUFAs . It works well and my cephs love them. I also alternate different foods thawed frozen shrimp, fiddler crabs, clams, snails... Octos are pretty easy to feed. Since there are a few of us that are from new hampshire, maybe we should all go in and order a shipment of live crayfish from a cray fish farm.
It costs about 50 bucks to have about 150--200 crayfish shipped to your door. There easy to care for and with 50 crayfish each.. we would be all set with live food for a few months. Thats cheap clean crayfish from a southern farm. You store them in a rubbermade tub with a sponge filer and your set! I have a new bimac comming saterday!
chris

[NHreefer]

I do not have my tank covered, he has not tried to escape at all, it is a ten gallon, 3 inch southdown bed, 2 fakeo things and 1 live rock and a CPR BakPak2. It's at 72 degrees F. Thanks on the crayfish but I will have to pass, he seems to attack Tetra krill if I soak it in Selco and Vitachem. If you guys need Lecithin powder or Cod Oil W/ Vit A&D let me know(to make homemade Selcon), I can get the stuff for dirt along w/medical Lugol's 16 oz. Btl (HumCo),Once I figure out what is up with my website I just filmed today 4 mpegs, 2 closeups of my octo. Figures I'm having a bad day. Oh Well, I'm sure I'll figure it out. By the way I'm in Allenstown, equidistant manch/conc. , originally from Nashua.
Chris

[NHreefer]

Just reread my message, didn't mean to come off cold. Thanks for the Welcome and I have already done alot of searches this past week and read ALOT of back posts, they have been very helpful. Thanks again Chris

[cephalopoder]

I hate to break the news to you but I must warn you, that octo will never make it in a 10 gallon!
For one thing, O.briareus is a escape artist, it will most likely get out with out a lid. Second a 10 gallon is waaaayyyyy to small for briareus. It will get big, and the waste load it will put out will do it in. You better think about a larger tank quick. I reccomend a 30 gallon minimum.

[NHreefer]

I have a 29 gallon cycling now, plus I have 2 50 gal. breeders (for coral props.) coming online soon. 10 gallon is just temporary. Amazing he hasn't tried to get out, when I come home his EYE is sticking out a hole in one of the fakeo's watching me.
Chris

[NHreefer]

I wonder if putting a lid on just intices him to try to escape, anyway, I have a roll of fiberglass windowscreen I will go cut it out and do it up now. Thanks for the quick reply.
Chris

[cephalopoder]

I would reccomend doing up the screen to asap.
There would be no worse feeling than finding your
octopus dried up on the rug when you wake up in the morning.

[Rudiger]

hey chris do those crayfish live only in freshwater or can they survive in salt?

pat

[cephalopoder]

They will live about a day in saltwater, Pat.
I just put them in when its time to feed. I have had my octos eats as mayny as 4 a day depending on crayfish size. In bulk they come out to be about 25 cents each.

[OctoMonkey]

A note on escaping.....

My briareus tried everything to get out of that tank. She was obviously looking for a place to lay eggs though, but she was pushing and pulling at all the different parts of the tank.

I even used strong carpet tape on the edges of the glass covers just to make sure they didnt slide.

Even when i was trying to acclimatise her to my water... I removed her from a bag to a bucket and was gently syphoning small amounts of new water to the bucket. When i peered in one time she came charging up the side and didnt stop until she had actually plopped onto my hands and i had no choice but to put her into the tank straight away.

fun eh?

C

[NHreefer]

Hey all, I figured out my problem, ZoneAlarm wouldn't let Frontpage have total control so it was giving me false errors. The movies are there, click on the tab above the BostonReefers logo if you cant read it. ATT is giving me grief over frontpage extensions, only working occasionally. Also believe it or not I was just watching my octo play all around the tank and I still haven't covered it. Ya I'm a loser but I have had an enormous vendor problem and work and alcohol... ;) j/k
The octo is about the size of a childs hand. All kinds of personality, when I come home there is ONE eye poking out of a rock at me, pretty funny. Oh well, I'll screen it up today, I just hope it doesn't entice him to try to get out, them seem to like puzzles. Thanks for the info.
Chris

[NHreefer]

Ummmm duh, Mines a bimac also, started reading James Woods page on Briarius and couldn't get the word out of my head. 8)

[Rudiger]

I downloaded all the movies, very nice. Looks like you have a very active octopus.

[NHreefer]

Thanks, he's out right now goofing around. He crawls up to the top then kinda drops fluidly to the bottom then goes under his rock and turns real dark then comes out and crawls along the glass again. Pretty neat to watch.
Chris

[cephalopoder]

Bimaculoides can be ID by the false eye spots on each side below the mantle. The not as prone to escape as briareus.
chris

[NHreefer]

Yup he has a blue false eye 1/4 inch below his golden real eye, he is kinda tannish noramlly.

[OctoMonkey]

Cool, seems like the right time of year to get baby bimacs.... Okay i cant hold off much longer...........