Caribbean Reef Octopuses

## Housing

For Caribbean Reef Octopuses (yes, it's octopuses, not octopi, "pi" comes from the Latin plural for "pus" which is incorrect because octopuses were named from the *Greek* way of saying "octo" meaning eight, and "pous" meaning foot. If you really want to get technical it should be octopods, as that is the Greek plural for "pus".) But enough of my rambling. Let's get on to housing. *sigh... octopi.* Caribbean Reef Octopuses require a 55-75 gallon saltwater reef aquarium. No less, and bigger is most certainly better. Octopuses are shy creatures, and need to have lots of spaces to hide in. Not putting any hiding spots so you can see them more is cruel, those people should not be legally allowed own an octopus. Octopuses are cannibalistic, and on top of that they will eat any other tank mates (with the exception of echinoderms, like starfish, or sand dollars.) Octopuses are very curious as well, and they are very good escape artists. It is very common to wake up in the middle of the night and find the octopus writhing around on the floor. They can also fit through holes you can fit your pinkie finger through. The Pacific Giant Octopus, a 30 foot Goliath can fit through a hole the size of a lemon! (They cannot be kept as pets, unfortunately.) To make sure your octopus doesn't go through the filter, cover the intakes with sponges, and make a hole smaller than your pinkie! Also, buy a protein skimmer, and let the tank cycle for a month to allow the nitrogen cycle to take place and bacteria to thrive there (some bacteria is actually good.) Do water tests daily until this happens, and even after it does happen, and the octopus is in the tank, you still need to do water changes and tests weekly.

## Feeding

Caribbean Octopuses like to be fed live food, like live shrimp or mussels. Any food being fed to the octopus must have been fed spirulina (a good chemical) based foods that were dry (until they enter the aquarium water, have common sense people.) Don't worry about the octopus being pinched, it happens all the time, the octopuses hunting in the video's I've seen don't seem to mind.

## Playing

Octopuses love to play games like tug-of-war, solve Rubik's Cubes, and other mind games. Octopuses require constant mental stimulation. If you reach your hand in, the octopus may bite it, don't worry, octopus bites usually aren't poisonous, (except for blue-ringed octopuses, NEVER get those, they shouldn't be legal to own.)

## Other information

-Octopuses are very shy, prepare hiding spots for them, like live rock or a jar

-Octopuses are extremely intelligent and are capable of opening up jars that contain food, they can also solve Rubik's Cubes and learn through observation

-Make sure your water is treated of copper, and other heavy metals

## Works cited

"Buy Caribbean Reef Octopus." *Fin Addict Saltwater Aquarium*. Fin Addict, n.d.
     Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://finaddictsaltwaterfish.com/
     index.php?l=product\_detail&p=203>.

"Caribbean Reef Octopus." *Octopus World*. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2015.
     <http://www.octopusworlds.com/caribbean-reef-octopus/>.

"Up Close and Personal with a Giant Pacific Octopus." *Seattle Aquarium*. Seattle
     Aquarium, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://www.seattleaquarium.org/
     octopus>.

## Image Credits

http://fishshooter.deviantart.com/art/Caribbean-Reef-Octopus-4-439956235