Chikan Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 Hi to all, I have successfully mated two octupus in a aquarium and i'm trying to feed the babies. They are about 7 days old and about 6mm in length. In the wild the babies would eat copepods derived from plankton. So far I have collected plankton and there has been no real success and a high mortality. Wondering if anyone out there has also tried rearing baby octopuses, and if so any suggestions to their feed. They are a local species of octopus found in the Hauraki gulf (spp unsure). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 first of all, cool do the babies have the ability to catch small prey or to they need to stumble across the food? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 Two suggestions. Firstly, would brine shrimp be any use? At least they would stay alive until eaten. Secondly, a trip to a sandy bottomed rock pool with a net can yeild all sorts of little critters, just swoosh the net around and see what you get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chikan Posted March 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 At this size the babies need tiny marine crusteans such as rotifers. I have been collecting plankton and siphoning that into the tank this seems to be holding them but unfortunrly this is very labour intensive. Trying to source a easier way, in regards to artemia there has been success with this but unfortunely the babies need to capture the free swimming crusteans and artemia seem s to be too big. I am going to try a live algal culture next but would be grateful to anyone who has seen, hear or tried any feeding methods on young octopuses wish me luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Can't help but would love to see some photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Chikan - Live food as small as rotifers can be hard. I know someone who does this for clownfish, not sure if its much use to you. He takes seaweed (wet) from the beech or rockpools hom with a bucked on NSW. He said he loads the bucked so its about 50/50 kelp/water. Hir stirs thebucket every day. The life thats growing on the kelp releases into the bucket and he feeds the babies with this until they are large enough to take the artimedia. Not sure if this is of any help at all. Cheers pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chikan Posted March 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Thanks Pies sounds like a good idea I will try it out. As seaweed and other marcoalgae make good substrate for all sorts of macro and micro organisms. Octopus babies also are benthic for there first stage of their lifecycle then turn into pelagic and surface feeding from the surface on small rotifers feeding in the plankton. If they are benthic then maybe they do source food from the substrate like plants and seaweed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Good luck. I think the theory is that there are millions of lifeforms growing on the surface of the kelp the release into the water and provide food. The mix will spoil but have no idea how long it takes before it may need replacing. Piemania Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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