HELP!!! It's a teeny OCTOPUS...and I am brand new to salt water tanks

Fisher2014 · 01/27/2014, 08:38 PM

I have played cat and mouse with these little arms that kept sneaking out of a hole in my live rock. Well today I finally caught whatever the arms belonged to out of the hole and it turns out to be a tiny little OCTOPUS. It's teeny, it changes color rapidly as it moves over the rock in the light of the flash light. It scooted it's way right back to it little hole and then the little monster stuck one arm out at me like he was waving. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to care for him, what to feed him or anything. He's tiny, has white spots and a grayish green body, but then again my rock is grayish green so maybe he's just trying to blend in. Will try for a picture but without a doubt, this is an OCTOPUS.

What do I feed him? Do I try to put the food near his little hiding hole? Is there anywhere I can study pictures to try and identify him? Is there anyway to tell if it really is a him?

Tank size - 55 gallons
All water parameters are normal.
Tank cycle completed for roughly 3 weeks now.
Salinity - 1.023

regalangelfish · 01/28/2014, 03:34 AM

I'm sure its not an octopus but rather a mini brittle star. is it red striped? tak a pic and we can try and ID. I would not try and feed it as they will find food in the rockwork. . Enjoy they are great!

Fisher2014 · 01/28/2014, 03:43 AM

It's not a brittle star. I have a couple of those in there as well and it is completely different. 8 little arms, eye balls and a well all I can think to say is a bulb for a body. No red stripes. The brittle stars don't seem to mind me shining a flash light on them and only have 5 very long arms. That said even my brittle stars do not have red stripes, they are white.

petere1989 · 01/28/2014, 09:24 AM

pictures?

smb2415 · 01/28/2014, 09:39 AM

I would contact WOOGIEKIDS he has a thread on here that you've probably already read. "raising a bimac inklet"

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2291255

Betta132 · 03/05/2014, 02:17 PM

Tease it with a net handle. If it gets little blue rings all over it, you have a bluering octopus, which are deadly. If not, you're probably gonna be able to keep the little thing.

01/27/2014, 08:38 PM	#1
Fisher2014 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 90	HELP!!! It's a teeny OCTOPUS...and I am brand new to salt water tanks I have played cat and mouse with these little arms that kept sneaking out of a hole in my live rock. Well today I finally caught whatever the arms belonged to out of the hole and it turns out to be a tiny little OCTOPUS. It's teeny, it changes color rapidly as it moves over the rock in the light of the flash light. It scooted it's way right back to it little hole and then the little monster stuck one arm out at me like he was waving. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to care for him, what to feed him or anything. He's tiny, has white spots and a grayish green body, but then again my rock is grayish green so maybe he's just trying to blend in. Will try for a picture but without a doubt, this is an OCTOPUS. What do I feed him? Do I try to put the food near his little hiding hole? Is there anywhere I can study pictures to try and identify him? Is there anyway to tell if it really is a him? Tank size - 55 gallons All water parameters are normal. Tank cycle completed for roughly 3 weeks now. Salinity - 1.023

01/28/2014, 09:39 AM	#5
smb2415 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Wallingford, CT Posts: 738	I would contact WOOGIEKIDS he has a thread on here that you've probably already read. "raising a bimac inklet" http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2291255 __________________ Custom 7'x3'x42"tall 550g glass DT/~800g system. (GHL Mitras died) - looking for new solution. Hammerhead / DC10000 / MP60. Bean overflow C2C. Apex. Custom Heater.

01/28/2014, 03:34 AM	#2
regalangelfish Moved On Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Westchester NY Posts: 119	I'm sure its not an octopus but rather a mini brittle star. is it red striped? tak a pic and we can try and ID. I would not try and feed it as they will find food in the rockwork. . Enjoy they are great!

01/28/2014, 03:43 AM	#3
Fisher2014 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 90	It's not a brittle star. I have a couple of those in there as well and it is completely different. 8 little arms, eye balls and a well all I can think to say is a bulb for a body. No red stripes. The brittle stars don't seem to mind me shining a flash light on them and only have 5 very long arms. That said even my brittle stars do not have red stripes, they are white.

01/28/2014, 09:24 AM	#4
petere1989 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Peoria, Illinois Posts: 949	pictures?

03/05/2014, 02:17 PM	#6
Betta132 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 2,239	Tease it with a net handle. If it gets little blue rings all over it, you have a bluering octopus, which are deadly. If not, you're probably gonna be able to keep the little thing.