Meet Thomas

[Black96WS6]

Sorry for the low quality images. I turned the flash off so as not to startle him. In a couple weeks after he's settled in I will get some better shots.

Thomas's tank, consisting of live rock, and various other items (yes, that is a hamster tunnel loop, a pink pottery vase, white pvc pipe, and a pirate chest) - he'll not be bored or lack places to hide in this tank! :

Thomas:

 

[gooyferret]

Cant see him what is he?

 

[Black96WS6]

An Octopus!

 

[Brenden]

I can not see him either but I am blind from spending to much time looking at my computer screen because of this forum.

 

[gooyferret]

Sweet i have always wanted to get one have you had experience with an octopus or is this your first time?

 

[Black96WS6]

I've had them before, but a long time ago. I missed having them and finally decided to setup a species-only tank when I found out OctoPets aqua cultures them, and the place is only 30 min from my house 8)

 

[Acraman]

You should have bought a tripod hehe

 

[gilraen]

If you're talking about the guy in your avatar then I have to say that's a good looking octopus!! Unfortunately I can't see anything in the tank...

 

[IworkatPSP]

I'm actually setting up a tank so I can adopt our octopus from work. Besides making sure the top is securely sealed and keeping him from getting bored, what kind of care do they require?

 

[Black96WS6]

They need to be in a tank all by themselves, since everything is either prey (small enough to eat) or predator (big enough to hide from) to an octo

Here's a couple good articles:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2003/invert.htm

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/tcp/octokeep.html

Another thing I noticed, as soon as I put the octopus in the tank, there was a marked change in the behavior of the hermit crabs and shrimp in the tank. Even though most didn't actually see the octopus, they all did the same thing. Whereas before the crabs would be crawling all over the live rock, and the shrimp would be hiding in the back, now, the crabs are huddled together with the shrimp at the front of the tank (as far away from the octopus as possible, who is in the back), and the crabs are barely peeking out of their shells. Somehow, they must sense that he's in there with them. I almost feel sorry for them, kind of like how we might feel being trapped in a house knowing there's an alien from the movie Alien, Aliens, etc , in here somewhere 8O

The octopus came out this morning cruising around, I couldn't get my camera in time, but was able to snap a pic of the scared inhabitants! Here's a pic of them all huddling together:

 

[Acraman]

You might as well give the little critters their last rights now. They know that they are doomed. :|

 

[Mrbill]

Thomas? You should name hime Henry. (I have a three year old)

 

[Phyl]

You should name hime Henry

Took me a minute (I have a 5yo) but I'm laughing...

 

[cJw]

"...lives down in the deep blue sea."

Great, thanks for stickin that song in my head now.

I was wondering how an octo would get a name like 'Thomas' in the first place.

 

[Black96WS6]

hehe

It was so cool this morning, he came out for no apparent reason and was exploring the tank. I was in too much shock and fascination that I just stood there staring at him instead of running for the camera! He came up to the glass and checked me out multiple times and flashed different colors at me, then went back to his den at the back of the aquarium. I was hoping he would choose the pirate chest as a home but, for now at least, he prefers his own cave he made by digging out the sand under a large piece of live rock in the back.

Here's a link with more info on him and where I got him from:
http://www.octopets.com/Merchant2/m...ts&Product_Code=OctoPet&Category_Code=Octopet

 

[schoeplein]

I'm lost.... ?

 

[gooyferret]

Octos rule i wanna get one now thanks alot! 8O How did you set up your Protein skimmer inside the tank? If you go inside the tank to clean the glass is it going to scare the octo enough to release his ink?

 

[Black96WS6]

Octos rule i wanna get one now thanks alot! 8O How did you set up your Protein skimmer inside the tank? If you go inside the tank to clean the glass is it going to scare the octo enough to release his ink?

I got an in-tank (or in-sump) protein skimmer that came with suction cups and it just fit *almost* perfectly on the left side of the tank. I did have to trim the plastic hood a little to get it to fit.

Once they get used to you they don't ink. I've been lucky so far, he hasn't inked at all yet.

 

[Black96WS6]

Well I'm happy to report Thomas is doing EXTREMELY well. He's already decimated my entire hermit crab population, and I can't find my shrimp or one of the fiddler crabs from Jim I dropped into the tank last night for him.

Now all I have to do is wait for him to get used to people (i.e. me )

I was able to snap a few photos, Thomas was curious about the camera and came over to the glass by his cave:

And here's another shot of him hanging out: