Dragonscales
Fishaholic
I recently wrote this article on another forum and thought I'd share it here (some prompting from a certain recently modded member for a few articles largely motivated it's creation - Thanks mate, you made me pull my finger out 
). It's just a quick one for now but I hope to write some more in depth ones when time and energy permits (moving to a new house is a chore, feel like I'm 80 atm and still have more stuff to unpack ) Enjoy!
When thinking about setting up an enclosure for an octopus it is important to keep a few things in mind, this thread will attempt to point out some of these basic needs.
The Tank
Octopuses are extremely curious animals and very capable escape artists. The tank used to house one will need to be completely secure before the animal is purchased to avoid any 8 legged wanderers encroaching on your living space. Tanks should be completely sealed with solid coverglass and weighed down by a heavy object if needed, such as an encyclopedia or such. Likewise, all piping leading to and from the tank will need to be covered with mesh, etc that is securely attached so the octopus cannot remove it.
Substrate and decorations
Octopuses are delicate creatures who spend alot of their time on the bottom of the tank and the substrate should reflect this. Fine sand with no sharp edges is a must to ensure the animal doesn't damage itself which may lead to an infection and eventually death. Any decorations within the tank should also be carefully selected to avoid any sharp or jagged edges which may rip the skin of the octopus.
Filtration
Because octopuses have a high protein diet consisting of meaty foods such as fish, prawns, etc, the filtration in the tank needs to be sufficient to cope with the increased bioload. Excessive filtration methods such as overskimming, fluidised sand beds, etc in addition to commonplace reef tank filtration is something to be taken into consideration. Where octopuses (and cuttles) differ from other predatory fish often kept - lionfish, eels, etc - is their metabolism, they are constantly hungry and can consume alot more food more often than the previously mentioned fish.
Care should be taken to securely cover any filter intakes to avoid turning your octopus into sushi as well. Live rock is a great addition to an octopus tank as it adds to the existing filtration as well as provide refuge for the often shy animal. All live rock (and other tank decor) should be set firmly in place to ensure the octopus doesn't dislodge anything and end up trapped underneath.
Tankmates
Octopuses are far from the most social of creatures and should be allocated their own living quarters. Any fish or crustacean added to the tank is a good candidate for lunch unless they are larger than the octopus, in which case the tables are turned (literally). As for other octopuses, the above still applies and they should only be placed in the same tank when breeding is to be attempted (and even then with a continuous, watchful eye from the owner followed by immediate removal upon successful copulation).
). It's just a quick one for now but I hope to write some more in depth ones when time and energy permits (moving to a new house is a chore, feel like I'm 80 atm and still have more stuff to unpack ) Enjoy!When thinking about setting up an enclosure for an octopus it is important to keep a few things in mind, this thread will attempt to point out some of these basic needs.
The Tank
Octopuses are extremely curious animals and very capable escape artists. The tank used to house one will need to be completely secure before the animal is purchased to avoid any 8 legged wanderers encroaching on your living space. Tanks should be completely sealed with solid coverglass and weighed down by a heavy object if needed, such as an encyclopedia or such. Likewise, all piping leading to and from the tank will need to be covered with mesh, etc that is securely attached so the octopus cannot remove it.
Substrate and decorations
Octopuses are delicate creatures who spend alot of their time on the bottom of the tank and the substrate should reflect this. Fine sand with no sharp edges is a must to ensure the animal doesn't damage itself which may lead to an infection and eventually death. Any decorations within the tank should also be carefully selected to avoid any sharp or jagged edges which may rip the skin of the octopus.
Filtration
Because octopuses have a high protein diet consisting of meaty foods such as fish, prawns, etc, the filtration in the tank needs to be sufficient to cope with the increased bioload. Excessive filtration methods such as overskimming, fluidised sand beds, etc in addition to commonplace reef tank filtration is something to be taken into consideration. Where octopuses (and cuttles) differ from other predatory fish often kept - lionfish, eels, etc - is their metabolism, they are constantly hungry and can consume alot more food more often than the previously mentioned fish.
Care should be taken to securely cover any filter intakes to avoid turning your octopus into sushi as well. Live rock is a great addition to an octopus tank as it adds to the existing filtration as well as provide refuge for the often shy animal. All live rock (and other tank decor) should be set firmly in place to ensure the octopus doesn't dislodge anything and end up trapped underneath.
Tankmates
Octopuses are far from the most social of creatures and should be allocated their own living quarters. Any fish or crustacean added to the tank is a good candidate for lunch unless they are larger than the octopus, in which case the tables are turned (literally). As for other octopuses, the above still applies and they should only be placed in the same tank when breeding is to be attempted (and even then with a continuous, watchful eye from the owner followed by immediate removal upon successful copulation).
