Octopus FAQ

• How long do they live?
  Generally speaking, not very long. The lifespan varies from 6 months (dwarf octos) to 12 months (bimacs) to a few years (giant pacific octos).
  

• What do they eat?
  Everything! They prefer crabs, however. Best diet = live crabs, shrimp, clams. They will also take frozen (raw, not cooked) shrimp pretty easily.
  

• Can I keep an octopus with other fish?
  Not recommended. It will eat anything smaller than itself, and anything bigger would scare the octopus and/or pick at it.
  

• What are their special requirements?

  • They require more oxygen than a fish of the same size (an octo has multiple hearts).

  • They produce more waste than a fish of the same size.

  • They are intelligent animals, so they could potentially get bored.

  • They can crawl out of the tank. They are escape artists.
    

• What species should I keep?
  Try to get a bimac. They live longer, aren't prone to escape, are less shy, and are about the perfect size for a home aquarium.
  

• What else can I put in the tank with an octopus?
  This varies by species and the individual octopus. I've been able to keep snails in my tank with a well fed octopus. Generally speaking, however, starfish and live rock are about the only things considered "safe". Everything is either predator or prey to an octopus.
  

• Do they ink?
  Yes, at first when they're scared. Once they get to know you and their new environment, this will no longer be a problem.
  

• What do I do if they ink?
  It really depends on the size of your tank and how much ink. If you have good filtration and a protein skimmer, I wouldn't worry about it. If there's a lot of ink, you may have to do an immediate water change. If the octo breathes the ink, it can coat their respiratory system and they will suffocate.
  

• Is an octo for me?
  This is the question you have to ask yourself. An octopus will not be seen all the time, like a fish. They reside/hide in their dens most of the time. Some people will get bored of this. They also really can't be housed with anything else.