Is my Pacific Brown Octopus still alive?

[coralcroucher05]

Around 3 weeks ago I purchased a Pacific Brown Octopus from my LFS. It was around 5 inches at the time of purchase. When I got home we placed the octopus in a "critter cage" in my 180-gallon tank while we were getting its own tank set up. Within about an hour of it being in the "critter cage" in the 180-gallon tank it escaped through one of the holes and has not been seen since. My 180-gallon tank has a very nice rock aquascape with hundreds of places for an octopus to hide. The tank has tangs, wrasses, clownfish, a triggerfish, and a few other inverts in it. We have looked numerous times a day using a flashlight over the past 3 weeks. I was wondering what the chances are that the octopus is still alive?

We have looked all over the ground, walls, and ceiling as well everyday and have seen no sign of him so we do not think that he has escaped. We have also checked the sump, all the pumps, really any place imaginable outside of the tank

 

[Cell]

Missing any fish or inverts? That would be your best indicator, I think.

 

[BeanAnimal]

No idea if it is alive or not, but it does sound like an impulse by with not enough understanding or prep.

If their beak can fit through it, their body can. So your little guy can squeeze though a tiny hole the size of a pea... They are smart and like to explore but have no concept of safety.

It could be inside of just about anything, dead or alive or be puree from entering a pump, etc. or dried up under your dishwasher or dried up in your AC vent, in your floor drain, sump, pump, etc. They can make it a long way in the 20-30 minutes it would take them to expire outside of the tank.

Even if it IS alive in the tank, you can't find it and there is nothing stopping it from randomly exiting the tank or entering a pump, etc.

 

[littlefoxx]

Or one of your triggers found it…

 

[Stomatopods17]

I read a story where someone had an octopus on the 2nd floor on their home, it escaped and was found in the tank on the first floor, ate everything, and then when it was done it went back to its original tank on the second floor.

Unironically check your other tanks as well lol, I guess anywhere damp they’d think is just another tide pool.

 

[Lavey29]

Escape artist and intelligent.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DE3N0i_KM8cI&ved=2ahUKEwjN_YXWwamFAxWMLUQIHTs6A5IQwqsBegQIDxAG&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw1qTNSeJz1uoTTdFYLI3G9m

 

[littlefoxx]

I read a story where someone had an octopus on the 2nd floor on their home, it escaped and was found in the tank on the first floor, ate everything, and then when it was done it went back to its original tank on the second floor.

Unironically check your other tanks as well lol, I guess anywhere damp they’d think is just another tide pool.

So it pulled off the trip the octopus in Finding Dory did lol

 

[Stomatopods17]

So it pulled off the trip the octopus in Finding Dory did lol

Pretty much lol

Maybe someday I'll attempt cephalopods with cuttlefish, but octopus its very easy to make 1 oversight or blink while doing tank maintenance and its gone.

OP could even be staring at it this whole time with their camo.

 

[6t4nova]

Could be dead or alive - but they are also great at hiding. I had one for 8-9 months until it passed (short lifespan). It was fun while we had it, very friendly and curious. Mine loved to eat clams and would often take 1-2 a day. Try putting a clam from the store or LFS in your tank and see if that convinces it to come out.

 

[6t4nova]

This was ocho

 

[Readywriter]

The tank has tangs, wrasses, clownfish, a triggerfish, and a few other inverts in it.

Had

 

[twentyleagues]

Triggers would make a quick meal of it. Also depending on what wrasses they may too.