strange octopus behaviour

[Oceandvr]

Wasn't there a story about an octopus (this could be an urban legend) that was at a restaurant and during the night it would leave its tank, motor across the floor and climb up into the Crab? Lobster? tank and have a meal, and then go back to his own tank?

The Discovery Channel (or maybe it was Animal Planet or TLC or Nat. Geo.) had a documentary on octopi - how they can fit in tight places and of their intelligence, etc. And during this filming, they couldn't figure out how some crabs in a separate tank were disappearing so, they set up cameras to film while they were gone. They caught the suspect, it was the octopus actually crawling out of the tank, across the floor, into the crab tank where it feasted and then it went back to it's own tank. Pretty smart octopus.

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

"Just as we were leaving a quiet bay after snorkelling an OCTOPUS attatched itself to my sons legs. It let go but then proceded to come out of the water onto the rocks - it did this a couple of times and also "chased" another swimmer. Is this normal behaviour? why was it doing this?"

Mating season?

 

[MarkH]

Wasn't there a story about an octopus (this could be an urban legend) that was at a restaurant and during the night it would leave its tank, motor across the floor and climb up into the Crab? Lobster? tank and have a meal, and then go back to his own tank?

That sounds like a similar story to the one I heard from the Vancouver Aquarium. Fish were disappearing. One night they caught it on video and solved the mystery. Of course I've never seen the video.

 

[LavaSurfer]

"Just as we were leaving a quiet bay after snorkelling an OCTOPUS attatched itself to my sons legs. It let go but then proceded to come out of the water onto the rocks - it did this a couple of times and also "chased" another swimmer. Is this normal behaviour? why was it doing this?"

In Cayman I have seen DM's work with an octopus and coax it for a bit. After the Octopi feels safe it will climb all over the DM and eventually let anyone hold it as much as they want. They warm up and get real friendly. Maybe this Octopus has had good experiences with divers in the past and lost its fear of humans and your friend was the recipient of its affection.

Personally, I am a bit jealous; I wish it were me that had the chance to play.
Most I get is a tug of war over small rocks.

 

[lilycat]

Like these stories. I hope to see one some day.

 

[DandyDon]

The Discovery Channel (or maybe it was Animal Planet or TLC or Nat. Geo.) had a documentary on octopi - how they can fit in tight places and of their intelligence, etc. And during this filming, they couldn't figure out how some crabs in a separate tank were disappearing so, they set up cameras to film while they were gone. They caught the suspect, it was the octopus actually crawling out of the tank, across the floor, into the crab tank where it feasted and then it went back to it's own tank. Pretty smart octopus.

You saw this flick, or heard about it...?

That sounds like a similar story to the one I heard from the Vancouver Aquarium. Fish were disappearing. One night they caught it on video and solved the mystery. Of course I've never seen the video.

That one is well published - the one I reference at the top of this thread. As I recall, the big Pacific octopus was catching sharks - perhaps the small Leopards?

Like these stories. I hope to see one some day.

Book some trips, you will. They're easier to find on night dives. I pissed one off once on one in Cozumel, inked all over the place. :11: I felt like I was the ugly tourist for having handled him badly.

 

[doole]

I saw an old Jacques Cousteau movie years ago.

etc etc

I saw that, too. The thing that struck me about it was the fact that the octopus had a few arms around the bottle and a few others around the cork, and he was visibly twisting the cork out. Smart.

The tale about the octopus changing tanks to steal lobsters is true, BTW. It was observed by an aquarium curator - Stephen Spotte - who wrote about it in one of his books.The Octopus would actually return to his own tank afterwards, so Spotte had to stay up all night in order to catch him in the act.

 

[caveseeker7]

In one of the octopus threads here is a link to a video of an octopus attacking a shark. All that's missing is a little sign that says 'Sushi Bar - Open'.

 

[devolution365]

I've read several threads from people wishing they could see an octopus. I find it kinda funny, 'cause the first time I snorkeled in the caribbean (Megan's Bay in St Thomas) my brother started pointing at the sea floor... at first I was confused, but then one of the "rocks" I was seeing moved -the whole floor was small (dinner plate sized, the way they were lying kinda curled up) octopi. -Lots of 'em. -And out in the open.

Are these not the octopus some are "wishing" they could see? Was I super-lucky? What's the deal???

(I can't speak to their behaviour. Despite the fact that people were selling dog food on the beach to feed to the fish, the octopus were almost asleep down there. -If you dove down to check 'em out they got nervous and would start to swim away. I didn't hassle them much, though...)

 

[DandyDon]

I've read several threads from people wishing they could see an octopus. I find it kinda funny, 'cause the first time I snorkeled in the caribbean (Megan's Bay in St Thomas) my brother started pointing at the sea floor... at first I was confused, but then one of the "rocks" I was seeing moved -the whole floor was small (dinner plate sized, the way they were lying kinda curled up) octopi. -Lots of 'em. -And out in the open.

Are these not the octopus some are "wishing" they could see? Was I super-lucky? What's the deal???

(I can't speak to their behaviour. Despite the fact that people were selling dog food on the beach to feed to the fish, the octopus were almost asleep down there. -If you dove down to check 'em out they got nervous and would start to swim away. I didn't hassle them much, though...)

Dinner plate size is large for the Carib, and I have never seen more than one at a time. Yes, you got a rare sight!! It was probably the fish food that attracted them.