Blue Ringed Octopus

[smithj427]

Just a potential noob wanting some info for future reference. Is it possible/legal to keep blue ringed octopus? Just wondering. How big of a tank would they need since they're small? And how hardy are they? If anyone knows. Thanks in advance.

[BIGgourami]

doubt they are legal

not the easiest thing to keep

very likely to kill you

[Nic]

they are legal to my knowledge.... poisonous and not very hardy... most octopus dont need large space they like confined areas to feel safe... best damn escape artists in the world..

[Mike209]

yeah on wikipedia it says that it is recongnized as one of the most venemous animals in the world, and that it will attack humans.

[Pufferpunk]

I've seen them at my LFS. Stupid thing to sell, IMO. Great way to kill a significant other though... "Hey honey, comme pet my new octopus--he's friendly, don't worry! Uh... officer, I told her not to touch it..."

I also have one the size of my calf, tattoed on my leg.

[RedtailBarracuda]

no anti venom either

http://www.avru.org/health/health_bluering.html

[BIGgourami]

^ it kills in less time than you'd need to get to the hospital anyway..

[benito1188]

go for mimic octopus

[AW2EOD]

go for mimic octopus


Or not, since those are practically endangered.

[Moontanman]

No need to get a blue ring octopus, there are other small and even colorful octopus that don't kill their owners. There is a small octopus from the Caribbean area that is really nice in an aquarium. Remember octopus are very short lived. Very few species live longer than a year, some for just a few months so if you want to spend much money on an animal that will not live more than a year no matter what you do.........

[Nic]

I've seen them at my LFS. Stupid thing to sell, IMO. Great way to kill a significant other though... "Hey honey, comme pet my new octopus--he's friendly, don't worry! Uh... officer, I told her not to touch it..."

I also have one the size of my calf, tattoed on my leg.

:ROFL::ROFL:

[cphillipsqp]

good luck with that!

[smithj427]

Well thanks for the input anyways. Maybe I'll just stick with a mantis shrimp instead then.

[davo]

Errr do they really kill that many aquarists?

[smithj427]

I don't think they do since what I've read online it seems they don't "attack" people. It sounds more like people step on them or touch them or something then they defend themselves and that's what kills the person. I think more people kill these octopi than they've killed people, especially aquarists. Especially since people have become so afraid of these they'll kill them before the octopus can even escape. But I don't live anywhere near these so what do I know.

[BobbyG123]

i dont understand how ppl acclimate octopus into there aquarium wont they ink? and they say if they ink in your tank water it destroys the water(what i heard) i would love to get a mimic but then you take those chances on spended 250$ and you may loose him just by puttin him inthe tank

[BIGgourami]

i dont understand how ppl acclimate octopus into there aquarium wont they ink? and they say if they ink in your tank water it destroys the water(what i heard) i would love to get a mimic but then you take those chances on spended 250$ and you may loose him just by puttin him inthe tank


they have AMAZING skimmers on those tanks..

and cleaning the tank, moving the rock around, etc.. is when they get bit

if only one person in the world kept them.. and he got bit.. statistically only 1 person per dies.. so context is important in figuring out how many people die

[coreyweinkoetz]

The first LFS I ever worked at keeped them. They lived about 8 to 12 months and we always ordered the same type but they all came in looking quit differant. I dont think anyone at that time from that distributer anyway could really tell them apart. They were all suppose to be from local carribean waters. When we brought them they came in black bages. To keep them from inking we put them in to a black bucket with a black lid we cut the bage in the bucket and poured it out while closeing the lid so it stayed dark and didnt see us than through a small hole with air tube ran a drip till the bucket was full. Then use black garbage bags taped to the tank like you would to kill algae. Put the whole bucket in the tank crack open the top. cover the tank with a screen top with locks and books or rocks on top to try and contain it. Than every 24 hours we'd pull one side open. Than the front after about on the 4th day you should be able to pull the bucket and then you have it, NO INK . But it will probable escape at some point and die within a year and If it would kill you it make the rest of us look bad . So please get a pitbull or somthing

[smithj427]

The first LFS I ever worked at keeped them...


Sounds like quite the production! lol.


So are all Octopi so short lived or just the Blue ring?

[coreyweinkoetz]

Most all are, squid as well they grow fast live fast and die fast

[Moontanman]

All octopus are short lived, they grow breed and die after breeding. usually one year a very few live to be two years. I think there is one from the Arctic ocean that lives a few years but it lives so slow due to cold water that may be the factor. I am familiar with Octopus vulgarious. I catch them quite a bit here on the coast of NC, they can get to be a couple pounds in weight and are very strong animals. they are not very bad about inking and I've caught them on hook and line and they didn't ink. Transferring them to a tank from a bucket was just done by dumping them in the tank as soon as I got home from the ocean. no ink usually but if they did protean and skimmers and activated charcoal removed the ink fairly fast. It' been many years but they were the best wet pets i ever kept, they had big personalities, and did lots of strange and interesting things. But their short lives makes them kinda sad too, like getting a smart dog and then having it die in a few months. I haven't kept them in a long time.

[smithj427]

True that would be sad but at least you get them for free locally. Whereas for me about the closest I would get to free octopus would be if my gf gave me some of her clamari when we go to a restaurant...lol ...but I wouldn't take it anyway :barf:

[chrisdef15]

I have kept 2 blue rings ive caught over the years. They are actually quite boring and just for that reason i wouldnt recommend them. They are 2 shy and stay hidden 90% of the time. I cant say i was worried about being bitten, there is no way they will attack you unless you bumped it or accidently grabbed it. I just made sure i new exactly where it was (only had 1 at a time) before ever sticking my hands in there and kept an eye on it the whole time.
Plus there is the whole if you get bitten your dead thing. That would suck too.

[sixftsam]

Many blue rings that are imported can be imported as fully grown adults. This can lead to them having a life span of literally weeks in some cases! I wouldnt splash out big bucks on something that literally could die any time if i was you!

If your serious about keeping octopi, check out tonmo.com. One thing to think about is possibly small cuttlefish. Cant remember the species name but can be bred in captivity. Depends if your up for a challenge and have the space!

[smithj427]

Depends if your up for a challenge and have the space!


No I was definetly just thinking about it because of the small space. But now I'm not really thinking about it. Besides it would be quite a few year before I have the space for another tank in my place.

[badassissimo]

wow, i was thinking about an octopus for the wow factor but not at that price. I'll stick to other oddballs that mate like mice or something. Anyone know about saltwater leaf and rock fish compatibilty/lifespan/care level?

[srikamaraja]

WHAT THE DEATH

...I wonder if you can keep Irukandji (Cubozoa) spp. jellies with them?

[smithj427]

What about cuttlefish? How big of a tank do they need? Or what about Nautilus? Totally different and out of the blue but figured those could be cool too. Any knowledge you guys/gals have would be great thanks.

[BIGgourami]

smaller cuttles would need like a 30 or so gallon..

never read about nautalusses.. prolly like a 200+

[Veacane]

My father owes me a cuttle fish... causs he didn't finish that burger.

[holms]

not practical to keep Octopus of any kinds at all .