6 replies to this topic

[lil BIG dwarf]

Disclaimer-I personally like octopi, but I'm not interested in caring for aquatic animals. A sibling of mine really wants one, and I'd like to research them myself as well (plus, there kind of impulsive so I'm concerned).

 

Sorry I know basically nothing.

 

Is there really such a thing as a pygmy/dwarf octopus that wont become full sized?

Are they ethical to keep?

Where can I ethically get one?

Any care guides, forums, links, etc.?

Can they be kept with other fish?

Would a 20G breeder, 30G, or 55ish (less floorspace, around 450, but 24 inches tall) G be best? I've heard the minimum be anything from 10G to 50G.

Whats a way I can try to be sure my sibling will take good care of the animal without prying (for reference, I found a link for pygmy octopi and thought they were cool and sent it to them, now they realllly want one and when I asked about finding an ethical source they made an excuse than left)?

Should I talk to my parents about my concerns on there care, research, etc.?

How long do they live?

How can it have good enrichment and quality of life?

Should I discourage them from getting one (ofc they would discuss it with everyone else first)?

Can you safely interact with them?

Are these ethical?

https://www.saltybottomreefcompany.com/DwarfOctopus

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/2282/?pcatid=2282

https://www.kpaquatics.com/product/dwarf-octopus-waiting-list-only/

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this/answer!

[ajuniceuhamsters]

Disclaimer-I personally like octopi, but I'm not interested in caring for aquatic animals. A sibling of mine really wants one, and I'd like to research them myself as well (plus, there kind of impulsive so I'm concerned).

 

Sorry I know basically nothing.

My friend's dad has a pet octopus this info is from my friend

Is there really such a thing as a pygmy/dwarf octopus that wont become full sized? not sure....

Are they ethical to keep? I'd say it depend on their living conditions. Some places it may be illegal so look out for that

Where can I ethically get one?breeders are probably your only choice considering how uncommon they are

Any care guides, forums, links, etc.? my dad said this is good https://www.tfhmagazine.com/articles/saltwater/so-you-want-to-keep-an-octopus 

Can they be kept with other fish? as far as I know, no

Would a 20G breeder, 30G, or 55ish (less floorspace, around 450, but 24 inches tall) G be best? I've heard the minimum be anything from 10G to 50G.  generally done minimum 50G but I say prefer 75G and up, my dad's one is in a 125 gal

Whats a way I can try to be sure my sibling will take good care of the animal without prying (for reference, I found a link for pygmy octopi and thought they were cool and sent it to them, now they realllly want one and when I asked about finding an ethical source they made an excuse than left)? ummm just ask questions and make sure to present yourself properly- youre their sibling after all, prying shouldnt be as much as a problem as approaching some random person on social media and bugging them about their care

Should I talk to my parents about my concerns on there care, research, etc.? if you feel they'll care, then yes, but some parent's couldn't care less about quality of care

How long do they live? short lifespans, about same as a hamster

How can it have good enrichment and quality of life? large tank, good water pH and tank setup

Should I discourage them from getting one (ofc they would discuss it with everyone else first)? (from ajunice) Due to the fact that I could barely find any care info, I'd probably say yes since there aren't many sources to know whether their care is good and many vets i've seen don't take aquatics.

Can you safely interact with them? not really

Are these ethical? sorry don't know

https://www.saltybottomreefcompany.com/DwarfOctopus

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/2282/?pcatid=2282

https://www.kpaquatics.com/product/dwarf-octopus-waiting-list-only/

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this/answer!

[daisy~]

I would give it two weeks before looking into too much as there's a good chance they will lose interest before then.

 

Octopuses are highly intelligent and are escape artists, so you need a very big, secure tank with lots of enrichment. They can squeeze through tiny gaps. Some species are ethical to keep as pets, but honestly, they're not the best species for someone who is new to aquariums because they need a saltwater tank which in itself is complicated to manage. Most people start with a cold or tropical freshwater aquarium.

 

This article is quite good: Can you keep an octopus as a pet? | Pets4Homes

[NougatTheHamster]

I don't know about octopi but if you need help convincing your parents and sibling to not get them you can always bring up the cost (and exaggerate it)

[lil BIG dwarf]

Thanks guys! I'll go through these links and try to share them. He told some friends and there giving him a 30 gallon tank for free if my parents agree, which he seems to think is a good size.

 

 

I don't know about octopi but if you need help convincing your parents and sibling to not get them you can always bring up the cost (and exaggerate it)

 

idk, he *is* the older sibling so they'll probably listen to him moreee ;-;

[NougatTheHamster]

money can do powerful things...

 

 

Just bring up all the equipment needed and the cost of it and all the work and vet bills and lifespan and im pretty sure ur parents will side with you ;)

[nebit]

Octopi are NOT for minors or beginning fish keepers. Unless your brother has EXTENSIVE experience with salt water tanks, the answer is no, an Octopus is not an ethical pet choice.