What you need to know before you adopt a pet octopus
There are all kinds of exotic pets you can choose from, and a pet octopus will certainly make life interesting at your house. However, you’ve got to be ready for the large amount of responsibility that comes along with owning a pet octopus. An octopus is not like other pets, so the responsibility is very different from that which comes with other kinds of pets.
Let’s start with a basic understanding of where your pet octopus comes from. The octopus is found in all oceans throughout the world, so it’s important to understand what kind of environment your pet octopus is from. An octopus can live in cold or warm water, depending on what climate it came from. It also can live in shallow or deep water. Some octopuses are very tiny, and these are the ones that make the best pets. They have eight arms and no bones, and they can squeeze through some very tight spaces, so keep this in mind when you’re planning a habitat for your pet octopus.
Now that you understand a little bit about what you’re getting yourself into by adopting a pet octopus, it’s time to start planning ahead. A pet octopus will live in an aquarium, but you’ve got to set up that aquarium at least three months before you get your pet. Set up your tank in a shaded area in your home and place some mollies or damsels. These are test fish only, so you can make sure your tank is set up properly. If you don’t care to keep the fish after you have your octopus, you can leave them in there after you get your new pet. Just remember that they’ll end up being a meal for your pet octopus, so don’t be shocked if they disappear not long after you release your new pet into the aquarium.
One of the most important things to remember is that you need a very tight-fitting lid on your aquarium. The lid must be secure and not able to be moved. There shouldn’t be any openings at all. Even a hole the size of a nickel may be large enough to let your octopus out. A pygmy octopus, which is probably the kind you’ll buy as a pet, can fit through a hole the size of a pin. They can also knock the lid off your aquarium if it’s not held in place securely.
During the three months you have your aquarium set up before you buy your pet, you’ve got to check your water levels for metal. Copper is especially toxic to the octopus, so make sure you treat your water if tests show any level of copper in it.
You’ll also need a sump pump and a mechanical power filter. These two things will make sure your octopus has plenty of oxygen, even though you’ve completely sealed up the aquarium. Place a few caves or small structures inside the aquarium to give your octopus places to hide.