Octopuses are truly remarkable creatures. Their intelligence, combined with their mesmerizing beauty and the fact that they can be housed in aquariums, often leads people to believe they could be fascinating, low-maintenance pets. But before you envision an octopus gracefully swimming in your living room, it’s essential to delve into the realities of octopus ownership. Is bringing an octopus into your home a responsible and rewarding endeavor? The answer, as many experts and experienced keepers suggest, is more complex than you might think.
The Intriguing Appeal of an Intelligent Companion
Octopuses stand out in the animal kingdom for their exceptional intelligence. They are known for their problem-solving skills, their ability to learn and adapt, and their capacity for interaction. Many octopus enthusiasts, like Denise Whatley from Gainesville, Georgia, who has cared for over 30 octopuses since 2006, can attest to the unique bond that can form. Whatley has observed that octopuses learn to recognize her and respond to interaction. In a video from 2011, her eight-month-old octopus named Cassy can be seen approaching her hand in the tank, associating this action with attention.
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“The home-kept species often seem to enjoy a short petting session if they acclimate to humans,” Whatley explains. She clarifies, however, that this “petting” might be more akin to relieving an itch for the octopus rather than an expression of affection in the human sense. Nevertheless, the ability of octopuses to distinguish individuals and interact differently with them highlights their cognitive abilities and makes them seem like engaging companions.
Rose Blanco-Chamberland, another experienced aquarist, kept two saltwater aquariums before welcoming a bimaculoides, also known as a California two-spot octopus, named Cthulhu, into her home. She was immediately captivated by Cthulhu’s intelligence and made sure to provide him with stimulating toys. Cthulhu particularly enjoyed chasing toys around his tank and developed a peculiar fondness for zip ties.
“One of his favorite things was when I would put live food in a baby food jar, screw on the lid, and then drop it into his tank,” Blanco-Chamberland recounts. “He would have to work out how to open the jar and that was incredible to watch.” These anecdotes illustrate the intellectual curiosity and problem-solving capabilities that make octopuses so fascinating to observe.
The Reality Check: Understanding the Demanding Care Requirements
While the prospect of interacting with such an intelligent creature is alluring, it’s crucial to understand that keeping an octopus is far from simple. These animals have very specific and demanding needs that require significant commitment in terms of time, resources, and financial investment. The initial cost of the octopus itself, ranging from $20 to $1,000 depending on the species and source, is often dwarfed by the expenses associated with creating and maintaining a suitable habitat. It is also critically important to note the danger of certain species; under no circumstances should you consider a blue-ringed octopus as a pet due to its extremely potent venom.
Tank Specifications and Setup
Providing adequate space is paramount. Whatley advises that a minimum of a 55-gallon aquarium is necessary, and this is just for the primary tank. A second large tank is also required to house the filtration equipment. Many experts recommend an even larger tank, with 70 gallons considered a more appropriate minimum for a softball-sized octopus. Furthermore, the tank’s dimensions are important. A long and low tank is preferable to a tall one as it better mimics the octopus’s natural ocean-floor habitat. A secure lid is an absolute necessity because octopuses are notorious escape artists, capable of squeezing through incredibly small openings.
The Complexities of Feeding
Feeding an octopus presents another significant challenge. Unlike common pets, you can’t simply buy octopus food at your local pet store. Octopuses are natural predators that require live prey. Their diet consists of live food such as grass shrimp, crayfish, and fiddler crabs. This necessitates setting up and maintaining a separate tank to house and culture these live food sources.
Blanco-Chamberland emphasizes the necessity of live food: “Octopus are hunters so it is really important to feed them live food. I had a holding tank in our back bedroom where I would keep his food and I generally dropped two or three live critters in there a day for him.” While frozen krill can be offered as a backup, it is not a preferred food source for most octopuses and should not be the staple of their diet. The commitment to providing live food adds considerable complexity and ongoing expense to octopus care.
Significant Downsides: Why Octopuses May Not Be Suitable Pets
Beyond the demanding care requirements, there are significant ethical and practical downsides to keeping octopuses as pets. Katherine Harmon Courage, author of “Octopus! The Most Mysterious Creature In the Sea,” argues strongly against keeping octopuses in captivity, even under the best possible conditions.
Ethical Concerns and the Wild-Caught Issue
Courage points out a crucial ethical dilemma: the vast majority of pet octopuses are wild-caught. Breeding octopuses in captivity is extremely difficult, making the pet trade reliant on capturing these animals from their natural habitats. Removing intelligent creatures from the wild for the purpose of keeping them as pets raises serious ethical questions about conservation and animal welfare. These animals are arguably better left in their natural environment where they play a vital role in the ecosystem.
Boredom, Distress, and Unsuitability for Captivity
Octopuses are incredibly intelligent and require complex environments to thrive. “They are incredibly intelligent and seem to easily get bored,” Courage wrote in Scientific American. Studies have shown that even when provided with enrichment like flowerpots, stones, beads, and shells in smaller tanks, octopuses still exhibit signs of distress and self-mutilation. A typical home aquarium setup is unlikely to meet the complex psychological needs of these animals.
Octopuses are not domesticated animals and are not naturally suited for confinement. Keeping such intelligent, resourceful creatures, capable of strategy, problem-solving, memory, and playfulness, solely for entertainment or novelty raises concerns about animal welfare. Confining them to a limited environment can be seen as a form of cruelty, especially when their natural behaviors begin to diminish in captivity.
Nocturnal Habits and Limited Interaction
Another practical consideration is that many octopus species are nocturnal. This means they are most active at night and tend to hide during daylight hours. As they become familiar with their confined environment, they may spend even more time hidden, reducing the interaction and observation opportunities for their owners. This can lead to disappointment for those expecting a constantly engaging pet.
Whatley notes, “Octopuses are shy animals so it takes time to establish a relationship. Some never acclimate to a captive environment or to human keepers.” This highlights the unpredictable nature of keeping octopuses; some individuals may never adjust to captivity, regardless of the owner’s efforts.
Messy Habits, Sensitivity, and Short Lifespan
Octopuses can also be surprisingly messy pets. One octopus owner described their pet’s habit of squirting water out of the tank when seeking attention, even managing to squirt ink onto the ceiling on occasion, resulting in damage and loss of a security deposit. Unlike more conventional pets, octopuses cannot communicate their needs in ways humans readily understand.
Furthermore, octopuses are highly sensitive to changes in water parameters, particularly pH balance. Maintaining stable and pristine water quality is crucial and demands constant monitoring and diligent water changes. Blanco-Chamberland emphasizes that water quality is the biggest challenge: “Octopuses are very messy eaters and the water quality degrades very quickly as a result. If you don’t do regular water changes and have proper filtration, your octopus will not survive long.”
Finally, even with the best care, the lifespan of most octopus species kept in home aquariums is relatively short, often only a couple of years. Smaller species may live even less than a year. Whatley states, “The biggest downside by far is the short lifespan. The home-sized animals only live about one year and the dwarfs often less.” This short lifespan means that even the most dedicated owner will have a limited time to bond with their pet octopus.
Considering Alternatives to Pet Ownership
Given the significant challenges and ethical considerations, many experts advise against keeping octopuses as pets. Blanco-Chamberland urges potential octopus owners to be fully prepared for the financial and time commitments involved and to only purchase from reputable sources to avoid supporting unethical or unhealthy practices. Whatley recommends thorough research and caution against attempting to keep exotic species, as even experienced keepers struggle with them.
Instead of keeping an octopus in captivity, consider appreciating these amazing creatures in their natural environment. Stories like that of Giovanni DiGarimore, a fish market owner who released a 70-pound octopus back into the ocean, highlight a more respectful approach. DiGarimore, who developed a fascination with octopuses after a memorable encounter while scuba diving, chose to return the octopus to the sea, prioritizing its well-being over potential profit or novelty.
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Conclusion: Rethinking Octopus Ownership
While the idea of owning an octopus is undeniably captivating, a realistic assessment reveals that it is a highly demanding and ethically questionable endeavor for most individuals. The complex care requirements, ethical concerns surrounding wild-caught animals, and the inherent limitations of captivity make octopuses unsuitable pets for the average person. Before considering bringing an octopus into your home, it is crucial to thoroughly research their needs, honestly evaluate your capacity to meet those needs, and consider the ethical implications. For most, admiring these intelligent and fascinating creatures in their natural ocean habitat is a far more responsible and rewarding approach.
