Caring for a cuttle fish

Mackenze · 05/18/2016, 10:29 AM

So two months ago I bought a 99 dollar order from saltwaterfish.com. If you make it 99 or more on Fridays they give you free shipping, so i added a cuttle fish egg just to get over the hump and get that free shipping.
When the shipment arrives its all alive and well. I get my fish in the tank and i put the egg in a mesh type bag, before dangling it above a powerhead (good steady not too jerky movement)
1 month later the egg disappears and I forget about it.
But last week when i got home from a night out. I see the cuttlefish!!
He's white and a solid half inch ball. He's got a fantastic location/cave/spot, where I can see him anytime if I shine a flashlight in the cave.
I know on average they don't live longer then 6 months, But i wanna at least give him a damn good 6 months.
Feeding him live brine is proving difficult. I could poor half a cup with 10,000 live brine in my tank and I feel like he'd still only get a few bites.
Astonishingly I've witnessed this little guy eating a red Omega one sinking pellet food :O my Heniochus acuminatus (very picky eating fish) also eats this generic cheap stuff.
So all in all it seems this is turning into a happy ending.
Anyone keep cuttlefish? Whats your secret?

Greybeard · 05/18/2016, 11:11 AM

Might check out Tonmo.com. Good info on anything cephalopod.

Mackenze · 05/18/2016, 11:38 AM

Oh hell yeah! Thanks great website

Greybeard · 05/18/2016, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mackenze

Oh hell yeah! Thanks great website

Glad i could help. I researched keeping an octopus some years back, but never pulled the trigger on one. Just too much time and effort for a critter that simply isn't going to live very long.

oopsmybad · 08/05/2016, 08:37 PM

Amphiopods are the best food for the baby cuttles. I used to breed them here is a video of me feeding them pods https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=k8PO6Xpw9eM. I used to harvest the pods from my chaeto.

Dirtball · 08/20/2016, 09:55 PM

Ghost shrimp work well

SantaMonica · 04/07/2017, 12:38 PM

You could section off a large portion of the tank into a big fuge loaded with pods, which would drift over to feed the cuttle. Then, you just feed the fuge.

CVReefer · 06/01/2017, 01:05 PM

Even vitamin enriched live brine is not enough nutrition for a growing cuttlefish.

I raised mine in my refugium. It was very easy to keep them contained, make sure they got fed and keep them safe from display tank conditions.

urban_s · 10/03/2017, 10:23 AM

I would love a cuttle fish!

jaking · 12/07/2017, 11:07 PM

When can you get them off pods?

EMeyer · 12/09/2017, 10:25 PM

My experience is
2 weeks minimum on live mysis (some of my cuttles have been willing to eat amphipods right away but the majority refused and would only eat mysis for the first 2 weeks)
1 month on amphipods
1 month on live grass shrimp (either fresh of salt, though I prefer salt since I can easily keep them in a separate refugium plumbed to the DT)
Then train them to eat frozen krill and its easy mode.

05/18/2016, 10:29 AM	#1
Mackenze Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 74	Caring for a cuttle fish So two months ago I bought a 99 dollar order from saltwaterfish.com. If you make it 99 or more on Fridays they give you free shipping, so i added a cuttle fish egg just to get over the hump and get that free shipping. When the shipment arrives its all alive and well. I get my fish in the tank and i put the egg in a mesh type bag, before dangling it above a powerhead (good steady not too jerky movement) 1 month later the egg disappears and I forget about it. But last week when i got home from a night out. I see the cuttlefish!! He's white and a solid half inch ball. He's got a fantastic location/cave/spot, where I can see him anytime if I shine a flashlight in the cave. I know on average they don't live longer then 6 months, But i wanna at least give him a damn good 6 months. Feeding him live brine is proving difficult. I could poor half a cup with 10,000 live brine in my tank and I feel like he'd still only get a few bites. Astonishingly I've witnessed this little guy eating a red Omega one sinking pellet food :O my Heniochus acuminatus (very picky eating fish) also eats this generic cheap stuff. So all in all it seems this is turning into a happy ending. Anyone keep cuttlefish? Whats your secret?

08/05/2016, 08:37 PM	#5
oopsmybad Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 98	Amphiopods are the best food for the baby cuttles. I used to breed them here is a video of me feeding them pods https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=k8PO6Xpw9eM. I used to harvest the pods from my chaeto. __________________ 120G Display (4x2x2) 225G total system volume, ATI T5's with LED's, Reef Octopus Skimmer, Ecotech Vectra M1, 3x Gyre, 2x Tunze 6055, Aquaforest Probiotic System, SPS sticks only please

08/20/2016, 09:55 PM	#6
Dirtball Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Anchorage AK. Posts: 55	Ghost shrimp work well __________________ Dont sweat the small things!!! Current Tank Info: 24 gallon aquapod just getting started.

04/07/2017, 12:38 PM	#7
SantaMonica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santa Monica, California, USA Posts: 2,511	You could section off a large portion of the tank into a big fuge loaded with pods, which would drift over to feed the cuttle. Then, you just feed the fuge. __________________ Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843

05/18/2016, 11:11 AM	#2
Greybeard Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Buffalo, MO Posts: 651	Might check out Tonmo.com. Good info on anything cephalopod.

05/18/2016, 11:38 AM	#3
Mackenze Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 74	Oh hell yeah! Thanks great website

06/01/2017, 01:05 PM	#8
CVReefer Registered Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Modesto, CA Posts: 91	Even vitamin enriched live brine is not enough nutrition for a growing cuttlefish. I raised mine in my refugium. It was very easy to keep them contained, make sure they got fed and keep them safe from display tank conditions.

10/03/2017, 10:23 AM	#9
urban_s Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 53	I would love a cuttle fish!

12/07/2017, 11:07 PM	#10
jaking Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Florence, AL Posts: 50	When can you get them off pods?

12/09/2017, 10:25 PM	#11
EMeyer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 173	My experience is 2 weeks minimum on live mysis (some of my cuttles have been willing to eat amphipods right away but the majority refused and would only eat mysis for the first 2 weeks) 1 month on amphipods 1 month on live grass shrimp (either fresh of salt, though I prefer salt since I can easily keep them in a separate refugium plumbed to the DT) Then train them to eat frozen krill and its easy mode.