I would agree with you in part bob saget.
I do feel we get older specimens. But I would say also some come to an earlier demise through lack of knowledge. I had always kept my tanks salinity at 1.023 which was what I had read earlier to be the best accepted salinity levels. I do not know for sure if that was what ended my first cephalopod’s
life with in a week but have a feeling it took part in its death.
Here are a few excepts taken from a great article by
Colin Dunlop
Which can be found at
http://www.tonmo.com/cephcare/keepin...ngcephs.php.ow
Below are a couple sections from the article.
Quote:
Water Parameters and Quality
Salinity is the other water quality parameter that must be controlled carefully. It is of paramount importance that the octopus aquarium has full strength seawater. Aim for 1.026 at all times, a lower salinity will kill them.
An octopus produces approximately three times more ammonia than a fish of a similar mass; partly due to it’s having three hearts and therefore three times the oxygen requirement of fish. As a result oxygen levels should always be kept as high as possible
Lifespan
If ever there was a drawback to keeping cephalopods; it is this: the majority have a natural lifespan of somewhere between six months and two years. Some deep sea or coldwater species like Bathypolypus arcticus have been known to live for six years. It is your decision whether or not it all seems worth it.
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