Octopus Hitchhiker

Schismgrl18 · 09/07/2017, 06:14 PM

Hey,
My store received a shipment of Turbo snails from California and this little guy showed up. Any tips for care would be greatly appreciated. I know impeccable water parameters and an escape-proof (hah) tank are key, but other than that, I am way out of my element.
Thanks so much!

Rilelen · 09/09/2017, 08:09 PM

What a cutie! Check out the forums on tonmo.com for care.

The biggest thing to know right off the bat - octopuses are a species-only creature. They're "eat or be eaten." Little guys will be eaten or harassed by almost anything else in the tank with fins. Big guys will...consume their tank-mates, given time.

So keep your little guy separate. A critter-keeper within the larger tank works fine for now. Fill that critter-keeper with rocks/PVC piping, plenty of stuff for him/her to make a den and hide; octopuses need a place to hide to feel safe.

Next, your little guy needs food. Octopuses primarily eat crustaceans - think crabs and shrimp. Hermit crabs count as food for a little octopus; they may eat snails and baby clams too, give it a try. It's easy to throw some of your CUC into its enclosure. Shore shrimp and grass shrimp are also a good option. Tiny tiny fiddlers with disabled claws are another option. Many octopuses will only take live food initially, but can learn to take frozen in time - try feeding by hand on a feeding stick to be sure you observe him/her eating. I've eventually managed to get mine onto frozen raw softshell crab and frozen raw shrimp, using a feeding stick.

That plus pristine water quality (they're messy eaters, like any predator), and absolutely no copper, are the big ones. And of course octo-proofing; that little thing can fit through just about any tiny hole in your system. That includes getting into circulation pumps if they aren't protected.

devildog999 · 09/11/2017, 07:39 PM

My level of jealousy is un-measurable! I'd end up spending a lot of money

devildog999 · 09/14/2017, 10:00 PM

Hows the octo doing?

Marou · 10/09/2017, 03:27 PM

Any news about the cute octopus?

cincyjim · 10/12/2017, 05:38 AM

I cannot have this kind of luck! What's the status?

sdweller · 10/18/2017, 07:53 AM

I had one in a 55 gallon tank and he was a character . After the second day
I thought I had lost him . He hid himself under the under gravel filter . He did
emerge when I dropped in a clam . They are amazing but a challenge .
Good Luck
Sea Dwellers

jaking · 12/07/2017, 12:27 AM

I assume he will get fairly big?

fabulousfavia · 12/07/2017, 09:19 AM

Lucky. I've always wanted to have an octopus tank. You need lots of hiding spots, and a good skimmer. Any holes in to the filter/sump have to be smaller than it's beak so less than a millimeter. Good luck.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Jamesmost · 12/25/2017, 02:10 PM

Great with fradiavlo sauce,,,,

No update ??

crawlerman · 12/29/2017, 12:50 PM

She hasn't been on the site since she posted this. Never even bothered to check comments.

oceanfan913 · 03/09/2018, 02:02 PM

The best hitchicker I ever got was aptasia.

Vmazz · 04/05/2018, 12:42 PM

You got lucky.

MrBiggs · 04/22/2018, 07:52 PM

This would be such a cool experience!

09/09/2017, 08:09 PM	#2
Rilelen Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 245	What a cutie! Check out the forums on tonmo.com for care. The biggest thing to know right off the bat - octopuses are a species-only creature. They're "eat or be eaten." Little guys will be eaten or harassed by almost anything else in the tank with fins. Big guys will...consume their tank-mates, given time. So keep your little guy separate. A critter-keeper within the larger tank works fine for now. Fill that critter-keeper with rocks/PVC piping, plenty of stuff for him/her to make a den and hide; octopuses need a place to hide to feel safe. Next, your little guy needs food. Octopuses primarily eat crustaceans - think crabs and shrimp. Hermit crabs count as food for a little octopus; they may eat snails and baby clams too, give it a try. It's easy to throw some of your CUC into its enclosure. Shore shrimp and grass shrimp are also a good option. Tiny tiny fiddlers with disabled claws are another option. Many octopuses will only take live food initially, but can learn to take frozen in time - try feeding by hand on a feeding stick to be sure you observe him/her eating. I've eventually managed to get mine onto frozen raw softshell crab and frozen raw shrimp, using a feeding stick. That plus pristine water quality (they're messy eaters, like any predator), and absolutely no copper, are the big ones. And of course octo-proofing; that little thing can fit through just about any tiny hole in your system. That includes getting into circulation pumps if they aren't protected. __________________ 72g: Percula pair, Foxface, Kole tang, Midas Blenny, Blue/green chromis, Yellow & green clown goby pairs Office Nano Tank System (29 Gallon + 20 Gallon): Saltwater mollies + fry

10/12/2017, 05:38 AM	#6
cincyjim Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 1,147	I cannot have this kind of luck! What's the status? __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: SCA 150G, 5 inch sand bed, 2 Tunze 6095s, ReefBreeders v2+ 50" with 2 all Blue Reefbrites, and Continuous Water Change System

12/07/2017, 09:19 AM	#9
fabulousfavia Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 198	Lucky. I've always wanted to have an octopus tank. You need lots of hiding spots, and a good skimmer. Any holes in to the filter/sump have to be smaller than it's beak so less than a millimeter. Good luck. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk __________________ I'm an impulse buyer, I need this, this, and this, oh and this would look nice with these zoas Current Tank Info: 55 gallon rimless saltwater reef tank and many more

09/11/2017, 07:39 PM	#3
devildog999 That Guy Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: New Braunfels, TX Posts: 457	My level of jealousy is un-measurable! I'd end up spending a lot of money

09/14/2017, 10:00 PM	#4
devildog999 That Guy Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: New Braunfels, TX Posts: 457	Hows the octo doing?

10/09/2017, 03:27 PM	#5
Marou Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 14	Any news about the cute octopus?

10/18/2017, 07:53 AM	#7
sdweller Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Key Largo, Florida Posts: 51	I had one in a 55 gallon tank and he was a character . After the second day I thought I had lost him . He hid himself under the under gravel filter . He did emerge when I dropped in a clam . They are amazing but a challenge . Good Luck Sea Dwellers

12/07/2017, 12:27 AM	#8
jaking Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Florence, AL Posts: 50	I assume he will get fairly big?

12/25/2017, 02:10 PM	#10
Jamesmost Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 53	Great with fradiavlo sauce,,,, No update ??

12/29/2017, 12:50 PM	#11
crawlerman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 503	She hasn't been on the site since she posted this. Never even bothered to check comments.

03/09/2018, 02:02 PM	#12
oceanfan913 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 55	The best hitchicker I ever got was aptasia.

04/05/2018, 12:42 PM	#13
Vmazz Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Posts: 50	You got lucky.

04/22/2018, 07:52 PM	#14
MrBiggs Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 10	This would be such a cool experience!