Giant Pacific octopus
Beautiful, bashful, and brainy, the giant Pacific octopus leads a life of mystery.
With a personality that's as complex as its appearance, this animal is a master of disguise that can solve a maze, recognize our aquarists, and has the power to jet across the exhibit in a whoosh of water. Find this brilliant, bright creature in the Deep Reef gallery.
- Location
- First floor
- Ecosystem
- Reefs & pilings
In our Giant Pacific octopus exhibit, you may have to look closely to find the octopus, as this animal can change its skin color to blend in with the rocks around it—and squeeze itself into tiny, out-of-the-way spaces.
Stretched from tip to tip, a giant Pacific octopus’ arms measure 7 feet (2 m) to 13 feet (4 m) or more.
Animals in this exhibit
Giant Pacific octopus
Giant Pacific octopus
This octopus hatches from a rice-sized egg. On day one, its eight arms already have about 14 suckers each.
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Fragile pink sea urchin
Fragile pink sea urchin
This beautifully-hued urchin can go for long periods without food by surviving on stores of fat.
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Purple sea urchin
Purple sea urchin
A purple sea urchin uses its teeth and spines to dig holes in stones, which become the sea urchin's hideaway.
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Rockfish
Rockfish
Rockfish come in different shapes, sizes and color patterns. Their colors vary from black and drab green to bright orange and red.
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Exhibit highlights
Stretched from tip to tip, a giant Pacific octopus’ arms measure 7 feet (2 m) to 13 feet (4 m) or more.
Cool facts
A mollusc without its shell
Octopuses are molluscs—boneless invertebrates related to clams and snails. Lacking a shell, octopuses protect themselves with one of the most sophisticated camouflage systems in the animal world.
What a brain
The giant Pacific octopus is a very intelligent animal that can learn to open jars, play with toys and interact with—and even recognize—its handlers.
Dedicated mothers
A month or more after mating, the female lays 18,000 to 74,000 eggs (occasionally more). She hangs them from the roof of a deep-water den, where she lives for up to seven months to care for the eggs as they develop. During this time she doesn't eat and usually dies shortly after the young hatch.
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