octopus as a pet ???

[KILLERKOI]

ive had a bunch saltwater tanks but nothing crazy just some common sw fish and even coral, but the other day i was watching something on tv and they shown this house with a giant tank with all kinds of live rock and different types of coral and even a bunch of anenomies at first it look cool but nothing to crazy but out of nowhere from way in the back of the tank popped a awsome looking Octopus i dont know what kind it was but it was so cool to watch walk and hope around from rock to rock almost human like i was wondering has anyone ever had one??? and if so besides them be the best exscape artistsand having to be kept alone, how are they as a pet are the a very difficult animal to keep ?? i've looked online for info on them and found a bit but i could really use some advice from someone who sucsessfully had one or even knew someone with one, as many times what u see in books or online is a bit different from having to take care of one on ur own. any info would be most helpful thanks

[Oddball]

I found them to need too much maintenance and escape-precautions for something requiring its own tank for the year or less that they live.
They only have a 2 year life span and there's no telling their age by the time they reach a pet shop tank.

[H20Boy]

They are definitely cool, but not for the novice. The tank on TV was most likely maintained by a paid professional.

[KILLERKOI]

I found them to need too much maintenance and escape-precautions for something requiring its own tank for the year or less that they live.
They only have a 2 year life span and there's no telling their age by the time they reach a pet shop tank. AW! man two years wow that stinx! thats a shame id would have tried to go for it but for just two years and for how much they go for is not really worth it uh? are they all like that? meaning even those that really dont look like one its more like just flat and lay around and look spikey??

[wingbak48]

i've never seen an octopus for sale, but i bet it would be high, for the high-price and low life span i think its not worth it

[thefishofdoom]

they run $50

[Justin_James]

Personally in my own opinion I think that the enjoyment and fun you would have with your octopus in that year or so would be worth it. They are so interesting and intelligent. There is no seacreature like them. I would suspect though that anyone who gets one ends up very attached to it and the day it dies is a very sad day :(

I keep reeftanks, seahorse tank, shark tanks, Jellyfish tanks, and Fish only with live rock tanks and pretty soon I will have no more challenges except for an octopus so maybe someday I will tackel the project of making a tank escape proof and trying it out.

I say do what ever you want to do. If you do get one and it dies 6 months down the road then at least you will have the tank allready customized and finding anouther one is the only work you have to do to enjoy your second octopus.

The biggest thing that I can stress though is "DO YOUR RESEARCH !!!!! ".

Good luck with what ever you choose. :)

[Fishfreak218]

ok most octopus DO NOT live 2 yrs in an aquarium and most live a few months depending on how old they were when they are bought.. down here they run from $35-$50 and really from what i hear it is worth it... i hear they are very personable..
go to www.tonmo.com its basically a octopus and cuttlefish forum

[davo]

if i did a saltwater, it would be for cuttlefish, i think they are the most fasinating creatures. but went to lfs today, they had a small octupus in a 12" cube, and they had filled the water up to just less that halfway, and the cube has no lid at all. it suprised me somewhat, they are a good lfs. maybe was to small but still... i wasnt sure

[buckeyenut222]

i hear if the octopus inks and the tank isnt big enough it will kill itself. you have to do a huge water change when it inks.

[Dominuslive]

My friend had one in a 37 gal.he kept it filled about 3/4 of the way. As long as you keep the octopus occupied it doesn't try to escape. There are a few species that live 10 years, but IDK which ones, and all females die after breeding. As far as price, depends on where your at, here they run about $80

[H20Boy]

If an octopus inks in a your tank-chances are you made him do it and P.S. if this happens the toxins can easily wipe out a tank much like a Sea Apple----so I've been told from those that have lost.

[davo]

well was still in there today, so hadnt escaped. maybe its happy where it is. on a side note, do cuttlefish have the same life expectancy or longer?

[Ophiuchus]

I had an octopus before. It actually was my first saltwater set-up. It was about the size of a lima bean, and ate ghost shrimp. It was in a 15 gal with a Fluval 2 and a velcro-screen top. He was great for several months until he disappeared. Never even found a body.

According to what I've read, cuttelfish are even harder to maintain in captivity and their lifespan is defintely shorter.

[iglowce]

i'll pass cuz i dun want no ink in my tank =]

[chrisdef15]

i live 5 mins from beach and have caught 2 at different times and kept them for a few months each before releasing them again. I dont know why ppl think they are hard to keep, coz as long as ya water parameters are good for the species u have they are easy. my 2 wild caught ones both ate silversides from my hand within a few days and seemed interested in whatever i was doin in the room the tank was in, they even seemed to enjoy shooting a jet of water at me whenever i had the lids off. they were bigger then the small reef species though at about 25-30 cms long so size might have alot to do with how shy they are.

[H20Boy]

Fish Porn---Fish Porn!!---Fish Porn!!!
Lets see some pic's- Chrisdef15
Sound to cool to be true ( yes I believe you )
Iit still sounds pretty dam cool.
Fish Porn--Show me some fin. (or some octopus-y)

My BEST hitchhiker is an OCTOPUS!
I hope this is not "bad form" but this is a tread of the month and a lot of relevant info.
I must warn you---if you read the thread all the way thru it may brake your hart.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=873176

I believe, I am a believer, I have been converted-now I want one! (more research more Bank)
Tonmo.com Octo-site lots more info here.

[Ophiuchus]

Another downside to octopi is that they rarely live over a year, ecept maybe the larger species like Pacific giants.

[Scuba Kid]

I actually kept an octopus a few years back, an O. Bimaculoides.
I named him Ozzy, and he was one of the best fish i have ever kept. I think he cost me around $35 and he was great. I trained him (by trained, i merely mean put the obstacle in his way) to open cork bottles, unscrew jars, and other little things to get his favorite food of ghost shrimp. He was a great fish for a species tank and had great personality. He would sometimes be incredibly stubborn and grab ahold of my hand while i was doing tank maintenace or whatever and wouldn't let go for probably a half hour. He even made friends (i swear, he did) with a yellow tail damsel who guarded him from nippy little feeder killies.
He was a great cephalopod and well worth the investment, even though he only lived about a year.