Squid Tanks

[PlecMama]

I don't know if any of you keep squid, but I was reading an article on giant squid and found something I wondered if any one knew about:

Steve O'Shea, a marine biologist from the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand discovered that his tank had two lethal flaws. Firstly, it was rectangular which, for some reason, caused the squid to sink to the bottom and die.

and on success....

...swiming inside a round glass tank were 70 baby squid he had kept alive for 80 days

Why would they die because of the shape of the tank? why do they live happily in a round tank and die in a square?

 

[nanocubeking]

I don't know if any of you keep squid, but I was reading an article on giant squid and found something I wondered if any one knew about:

Steve O'Shea, a marine biologist from the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand discovered that his tank had two lethal flaws. Firstly, it was rectangular which, for some reason, caused the squid to sink to the bottom and die.

and on success....

...swiming inside a round glass tank were 70 baby squid he had kept alive for 80 days

Why would they die because of the shape of the tank? why do they live happily in a round tank and die in a square?

They way that they swim they would die in a rectanglular tank because they would fit the sides of the tank and eventually kill themselves. I a circular tank they can swim in a schooling like motion.

 

[andywg]

I wouldl expect it to be flow related. I know that jellyfish need to be kept in specially designed tanks that have no corners. Also, ram ventilated sharks need round (or rounded) tanks/ponds, though that is more to do with them swimming into the corners.

 

[raptorrex]

would pressure not be part of the problem when trying to keep squid in tanks?

 

[andywg]

would pressure not be part of the problem when trying to keep squid in tanks?

It would depend on the species of squid.

Bobtail squids (Euprymna spp) can be kept in tanks from 50 gallons and up. As they inhabit sand flats near reefs they do not require great pressure. If the creature is hatched and lives at a pressure then it should be fine at that pressure. The biggest problems with pressure ar ethe rapid changes in pressure as you ascend.

 

[Lynden]

Cephalopods are known to do very well in aquaria, assuming one has a suitably sized tank.

 

[chrissaysyes]

Why dont you hear of more people keeping squid then?

 

[Esfa]

Why dont you hear of more people keeping squid then?

I suppose they are expensive and hard to get hold of?

 

[tat2life]

doesnt it all depend on what type of squid ? im sure i have seen some living in square tanks.. and on tv they made obstacle course tanks to train them to find the way out and pick colors or something lol.

 

[chrissaysyes]

I always wanted one but I think it would give me nightmares...creepy huggy buggers.

 

[PlecMama]

I don't remember really seeing them in tanks at all, I remember seeing octopodes doing "tricks" but not squids. I was just reading an old Readers Digest today and found that article about his search for giant squid and wondered for what reason they die in rectangular tanks.

The other of the two reasons cited was his tank being made from polyethylene - which, apparently, is toxic to deep-sea squid, thought I haven't been able to back this up with my old pal Google - all it brings up is the man in question, Steve O'Shea, asking on Tonmo.com why anyone thinks these tanks might be toxic to squid.

.creepy huggy buggers.

This made me laugh