How to catch an octopus?

[Dave1993]

omg, i think i want one now! i have a couple tanks in my garage, but there's no way my wife will let me keep one in the house if she reads any of these escape stories.

she was traumatized by the movie Alien and would think the octo would be on her face one night.

tell her you will divorce her if she don't let you have 1 i bet she would

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I grew up on the water. We didn't catch them that small. But we used to used Beer Bottles with a string tied around the neck. Mickey's Big Mouth Bottles worked the best. Octopus loved the safety of a beer bottle cave.

Once they go in and curl up, just yank the bottle up byt the string.

Caught dozens this way.

If you need to bait the trap put some hermit crabs inside the bottom of the beer bottle.

Dave B

Id have 12 traps for ya right quick now. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

You:
Octopus:

Seriously cool hitchhiker though. Definitely would be getting another tank for it ASAP. Or another for the fish... either way...

That is not an octopus. Just sayin.

 

[Tired]

That is not an octopus. Just sayin.

The thing in the first post? That sure looks like an octopus to me.

 

[Operation Philo Beddoe]

Hey everyone. I got my first load of live rock from TBS a little over a week ago. Last night, I found this guy. I will be adding fish to the tank (transferring over from my current tank) so I need to figure out how to catch him. I look in this tank for hours a day and last night at 1 am is the first time I’ve ever seen him. Any advice on how to catch him?

View attachment 3143754 View attachment 3143755

A glass jar with a wide mouth, cork it, bore a hole maybe smaller than diameter of head through cork.(can fit beak wide). Put food in. Wait. Oh secure lid, it’ll maybe pull lid off if not secured.

 

[rennjidk]

Lol you underestimate the intelligence of these animals. They can open jars and screw off bottlecaps from the inside

Well, it also had the entire ocean to live in, but instead went with some dude in a scuba mask collecting live rock, so maybe it varies from cephalopod to cephalopod?

 

[Tavero]

honestly i have no idea, i was just relaying what was told to me- but I would hope the docents don’t lie to the kids/ teens (how old was i? Lol) on a regular basis! Haha She was telling me the story to show me how smart it was and it definitely got me even more interested!

Every time I hear this story from someone, the octopus gets smarter. Next time it will probably also have found the refrigeratior and stole food from there. And after that it will just order food from the internet.

They are smart but locks and security is a human concept, animals don't have.
It makes for a more fascinating story though.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Every time I hear this story from someone, the octopus gets smarter. Next time it will probably also have found the refrigeratior and stole food from there. And after that it will just order food from the internet.

They are smart but locks and security is a human concept, animals don't have.
It makes for a more fascinating story thoough

We can do this all day

 

[Tavero]

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We can do this all day

Yes really. The octopus did not close the jar again after it opened it, right? Thanks for proving my point.

Btw opening jars is something a lot of mammals are able to do, but opening their enclosure and closing it again after they came back from a trip is not.

 

[Operation Philo Beddoe]

Yes really. The octopus did not close the jar again after it opened it, right? Thanks for proving my point.

Btw opening jars is something a lot of mammals are able to do, but opening their enclosure and closing it again after they came back from a trip is not.

I remember a video like 10-20 yrs ago of one that crossed the room on conduit or something, visited a tank and went home. It was a long time ago

 

[Tavero]

I remember a video like 10-20 yrs ago of one that crossed the room on conduit or something, visited a tank and went home. It was a long time ago

Can you find/post it? I am quite suspicious because i have heard the story @TinyReefObsession posted several times already and every time it gets more fantastic.
A few years ago the octopus just changed tanks and ate the fish
Then it came back to its original tank.
Then it opened its locked enclosure.
And now it even closes it again after returning to the original tank.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Yes really. The octopus did not close the jar again after it opened it, right? Thanks for proving my point.

Btw opening jars is something a lot of mammals are able to do, but opening their enclosure and closing it again after they came back from a trip is not.

It lacks opposable thumbs and had no desire to close itself in. Clearly it understood the scenario and concept when it figured out how to torque the lid off of peanut butter.

 

[fishybizzness]

I had one come in on a piece of live rock a few months back and was going to release it by my wife suggested I keep it. This is it now! She works from home so she is there to interact with it throughout the day. I have it in a 50 cube. It has a screen top but it could get out at any time but it hasn't yet. Lol. The tank is right behind the couch and when I turn on the TV it comes over and seems to be watching it! Most interesting aquarium pet I've ever had! The last pic is it watching television. Lol

 

[fishybizzness]

That was today. It's a shame that they don't live very long.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

That was today. It's a shame that they don't live very long.

What an incredible pet.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Ok, I would be changing plans and doing an octopus tank!

 

[fishybizzness]

I'm not really looking forward to when it's short lifespan is over. We have grown very attached to squidward!

 

[fishybizzness]

Here it is peeping at me!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I'm not really looking forward to when it's short lifespan is over. We have grown very attached to squidward!

This is why I'll never get one.

 

[ImperialWookie]

Update!!! So I got another shipment of rock in from TBS. I took out 2 of the pieces I had in the tank (all this before fish or anything went in) and replaced it with a few “premium” pieces of LR. A week went back…never saw the octopus. I thought maybe he was on one of the rocks I removed from the tank. Lo and behold, my dogs got me up at 3 am this morning so I went to the tank with a flashlight like I always do. I’m checking out my warhead scoly and I see movement just above him…Mr Octopus is still here! I run to grab a net, come back in 15 seconds and he’s GONE. My dogs get me up at 6:15 again, guess who I spot in the same exact spot. This time I was ready. He darts to the glass, I pin my net against the glass and eventually he loosened and dove in to the net. I could not believe how fast he is. He’s currently sitting in my empty 13.5 that I had just transferred over. I’d love to keep him but if he’s not going in my 25 gallon lagoon then I’d rather him go to someone who will take good care of him in an octopus/species tank the proper way! So if anyone is in the Jax area…lol