octopus in a reef tank?

[musicalocean]

Your welcome I know how much you love your tank & hate to think of how I would feel in the same situation. Bet you have lost alot of Z's worrying over it too. We would need some of those large containers so as we take the rockwork out we can keep everything wet & some bubblewrap to try to cushion everything. Thats how I did mine & thank God I didnt loose a single coral. Just takes alot of patience & I really took my time with it. Let me know ok! I think you are about a hour from me. Send me a pic of your tank to

 

[musicalocean]

Would love to lend a hand anytime! I really enjoy aquascaping & it gives me a chance to be creative I get so darn bored being at home all the time & cleaning :yuk:

Ayveq;568111 wrote: Hmm, sounds like you could have a side career to help out the aquascaped challenged among us, myself included!

 

[hnguyen]

I was wondering if any knows this, but does an octopus release any kind of toxin when it dies? I'm starting to see my coral die off. I have a brain that is about 1/4 of the way dead. 2 of my SPS is also dieing. So I was wondering if maybe my octopus died and it released some kind of toxin into my tank.

I just put in some fresh carbon last night and I got some salt today which is mixing right now and I'm about to do a 20% water change in a little bit once my salt mix is ready.

My LFS also recommended me using Medicoral coral dip to dip the coral that is dieing and hopefully that will help it stop to spreading.

So If anyone knows thing about this please pitch in with advise.

Thanks,

Hoang

 

[musicalocean]

I'm so sorry that sucks! Did somebody earlier in the thread say when a octopus dies it releases a large amount of ammonia? I'm going back to see if I can find the post. Did you check your ammonia levels?

 

[musicalocean]

Do you have a quarintine tank of any sort that you could move your most expensive & favorite corals to? Until your tank recovers!

 

[hnguyen]

musicalocean;568778 wrote: I'm so sorry that sucks! Did somebody earlier in the thread say when a octopus dies it releases a large amount of ammonia? I'm going back to see if I can find the post. Did you check your ammonia levels?

I had my LFS check it when I was there yesterday but it seems like it was fine.. well actually I was the one that checked it but I think I messed up on it. Let me check it again right now before I do my WC to see. Thanks for the reminder musicalocean!! :thumbs:

 

[musicalocean]

Your welcome buddy..wish there was something I could do to help. That silly store should be responsible for replacing your lost corals. Selling a reefsafe octopus thats retarded! but I know we live in the real world & they will say that they are not responsible for any losses in your tank due to their greed/stupidity!
Maybe if you can clean your water fast enough it will save your corals. The carbon was a great idea! PM ricksconnected! He has a excellent emergency plan for things like this but he would have to explain it to ya. Very inexpensive & very effective. I need to get him to tell me again what to go buy so I can have one on standby as well for emergencies like this.

 

[hnguyen]

musicalocean;568780 wrote: Do you have a quarintine tank of any sort that you could move your most expensive & favorite corals to? Until your tank recovers!

No I don't have one so I'll just have to stick it out. I'm waiting for my water to mix so I can do a water change and than I'm going to dip my coral with the medicoral coral dip and just pray that it works.

 

[musicalocean]

here it is!

gnashty;564405 wrote: from Tonmo

An octopus produces approximately three times more ammonia than a fish of a similar mass; partly due to it's having three hearts and therefore three times the oxygen requirement of fish. As a result oxygen levels should always be kept as high as possible. To do this (and to remove all the excess waste) always use oversized filters and skimmers. When an octopus feels threatened it may eject viscous ink as a smoke screen. Although it is not poisonous it can and will coat gills and this may lead to asphyxiation. The ink can often be removed by catching it in a fine net but protein skimmers and good quality carbon is a must have! Always work slowly to avoid startling a new octopus.

Salinity is the other water quality parameter that must be controlled carefully. It is of paramount importance that the octopus aquarium has full strength seawater. Aim for 1.026 at all times, a lower salinity will kill them.

Here is a thread over at RC about some as a hitchhiker

 

[hnguyen]

My ammonia is at about .6 ppm at the moment. I do have a over-sized skimmer for my tank. I think its rated for a tank a bit over 300g and I'm only running a 120g. with a 30g sump. Also with new carbon as I stated above. I'm going to do a water change now and hope it helps.

 

[musicalocean]

I will be praying for ya too. I'm going to see if I can get Rick & find out what that thing was he was telling me about that would pull toxins out of your tank incase something like this happened. I dont have a quarintine tank either! I definitely need to do one though. What corals are looking the worst?

 

[hnguyen]

musicalocean;568790 wrote: I will be praying for ya too. I'm going to see if I can get Rick & find out what that thing was he was telling me about that would pull toxins out of your tank incase something like this happened. I dont have a quarintine tank either! I definitely need to do one though. What corals are looking the worst?

as of right now I only see 3 of my coral that are dieing. everything else seems to be doing one. I have a pink brain and 2 sps that are dieing.

 

[ricksconnected]

you need to go get you a hang on the back filter and run polyfilter asap to help get out the toxins in the water. run as much carbon as possible.

 

[hnguyen]

ricksconnected;568796 wrote: you need to go get you a hang on the back filter and run polyfilter asap to help get out the toxins in the water. run as much carbon as possible.

Whats a polyfilter? I have a mag 350 collecting dust in the garage of thats what you mean

 

[ricksconnected]

do a quick search on it. its good stuff to have on hand for emergencies.

 

[hnguyen]

ricksconnected;568802 wrote: do a quick search on it. its good stuff to have on hand for emergencies.

Hmmm I gotta ask my LFS to see if he has any.

 

[ricksconnected]

imagine ocean always has some.
call jenn asap in the morning and get over there and get some.
you should ALWAYS have this on hand.

 

[musicalocean]

Jenn is great! She will help you find a solution for whatever the octupus has done in your tank. Be sure to take her some of your water too. Rick would any of the pink stuff I have from Cody's tank help? It's some kind of filter isnt it?

ricksconnected;568811 wrote: imagine ocean always has some.
call jenn asap in the morning and get over there and get some.
you should ALWAYS have this on hand.

 

[dwhatley]

It is unlikely that the octopus has anything to do with your corals dying. Octos are not like cucumbers or puffers, they do not release any kind of toxin when they die. They do decompose and, like a fish, and it is possible to see an ammonia spike but unless you have a small tank, an octo this small is not likely to have a large impact. If your tank is well cycled, you may not even see ammonia.

If an octopus inks, and it is not removed it can suffocate corals but your skimmer should handle that with ease.

Have you added other new things to your tank? It never hurts to do a water change when something is amiss.

 

[hnguyen]

Just got done with a 20% WC and now I'm soaking the dieing coral in the medicoral dip. I'll leave them in there for about 7 to 8 min. and than put them back in the tank.