What is the difference between a freshwater octopus and seawater octopus?

What is the difference between a freshwater octopus and seawater octopus?


If you are reading this article, you must be looking forward to get to know about the differences that exist in between freshwater octopus and seawater octopus. As the first thing, you need to understand that octopus is a sea water creature. They can only be found in sea water. On the other hand, you will not be able to get them to live in freshwater as well. Hence, you should understand that there’s nothing called freshwater octopus. It is true that people breed octopus, but you cannot call them as freshwater octopus. They have taken appropriate measures to create conditions for the octopus to live.

Do octopus live in saltwater?

Octopus belong into the family of cephalopods. All the animals that belong into this family, including cuttlefish and squids live within seawater. They need to have salt water around them in order to ensure their survival. You will be able to discover around 300 different octopus species out there. All of them are living within the oceans as well as connected oceans that are scattered all around the world.

In the meantime, you can also find some rumors about freshwater octopus as well. However, no freshwater octopus have been caught up until now. On the other hand, no scientific method has also proven the existence of freshwater octopus up until now. Due to this reason, you need to think twice before you believe in those rumors.

Even when you take a look at the historical records, you will not be able to find any evidence, which proves that octopus have lived in freshwater. Therefore, freshwater octopus concept is completely a myth and you cannot rely on it at all.

Most of the octopuses are living inside dens

When you take a look at the seawater octopuses, you will figure out that most of them are living inside dens located within sea. They include both small octopuses as well as large octopuses. Due to the same reason, you can go ahead and call them as solitary creatures as well. In other words, octopuses prefer to enjoy the privacy that they are being provided with. They spend most of their time inside the dens and it is quite impossible to see them coming out from the dents.

You will be able to discover lots of octopuses near the coral reefs. That’s because appropriate environments are available for them to live while ensuring privacy. On the other hand, you can easily locate them near the floor of the sea, especially on rock beds. Some of the octopuses are creative enough to go ahead and create their own dens. They are using shells and rocks to create these dens.

You will be able to discover some of the octopus species living in areas, where lots of litter have accumulated. Scientists have conducted researches on this and they have been able to figure out that octopuses prefer to spend their time inside discarded bottles. Along with that, they are in a position to get the help of different discarded elements found in the neighborhood to go ahead with the construction of dens as well.

Octopus don’t prefer to stay in one place for a long period of time

It has also been identified that octopus don’t prefer to stay in one place for an extended duration of time. In other words, you can call them as perpetual travelers. You will never be able to notice them residing in a single place for more than one week. They are changing the locations once in every few days.

Preferred ocean depth for octopus to live

There is a preferred ocean depth for octopus to live in as well. However, it is important to understand that the ocean depth would vary from one octopus species to another. In general, most of the octopus species prefer to live at a depth of more than one mile. They have adapted to live under such environmental conditions and they don’t showcase any issues when living in such a depth. You will be able to find a variety of such deep-water octopus species as well.

Due to the depth, marine biologists have only been able to uncover few facts about their lives. Most of the information remain hidden because the biologists are not in a position to get them to the top of the habitats.

This is not applicable for all octopuses who are living out there. You will be able to discover a handful of octopus species, who are living in shallow water. They are called as common octopus as well. However, shallow water octopus are not in a position to live in fresh water. They need to be provided with salty water to ensure their survival.

Breeding octopus

Since there aren’t any freshwater octopus, you need to be mindful at the time of breeding octopus as well. In other words, you will need to create appropriate conditions within the tanks to get them to live. Otherwise, you will have to face a variety of frustrating situations at the time of taking care of octopus as well.

You need to get an excellent salt solution into the tank that you are using to breed octopus. The right amount of salt should be added to the water, so that it is mimicking ocean water. In addition to that, you need to ensure that no copper is being added into the tank as a part of the solution. That’s because copper is deadly to octopus. Most importantly, you need to make sure that the tank you use is properly cycled. You need to be mindful about water quality as well. That’s because octopus are sensitive to ammonia and pH value of water. Right amount of gravity should also be maintained because octopus usually prefer to live in the bottom of the waters, where there is high gravity. 

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