Happy World Octopus Day: 5 Octopuses You'll Want to Meet

Today is World Octopus Day, so let's celebrate one of the coolest animals in the ocean. Octopuses are smart, strange, and a lot of fun to watch. Here are five favorites, plus how you can see some of them yourself.

1. Giant Pacific Octopus: The Big One

This is the largest octopus species in the world. A typical adult runs about 10 to 16 feet long and 22 to 110 pounds. It lives along the Pacific coast from Southern California up to Alaska, and in Japan.

It also has roughly 2,000 suckers, and each one can taste what it touches. It can squeeze through any opening larger than its beak, so a "locked" aquarium tank is more of a suggestion.

2. Mimic Octopus: The Impersonator

This one acts. The mimic octopus changes its color, shape, and the way it moves to pretend to be something else, like a flounder, a lionfish, or a sea snake. Predators think twice, and the octopus swims away.

Divers have the best luck finding one around river mouths and estuaries, mostly in Indonesia.

3. Blue-Ringed Octopus: Small but Serious

It's only about 4 to 8 inches long, and it's a good example of "look, don't touch." It hides during the day and flashes bright blue rings when it feels threatened. Its venom can paralyze and even kill a person.

It isn't aggressive. It just wants to be left alone. You'll find it on reefs and in tide pools across the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

4. Coconut Octopus: The Tool User

This octopus finds coconut shells or clam shells and carries them around as a portable hideout. It even walks on two arms while hauling its shell. Scientists see that as a sign of how smart it is.

It's a fun one to spot in the tropical Pacific, and a great reason to bring a camera.

5. Caribbean Reef Octopus: The Night Shift

This blue-green octopus lives on reefs and grass beds in the tropical western Atlantic, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. It hunts at night, and its reflective skin shows up in a dive light. It only lives about a year to a year and a half, so every sighting is a bit special.

If you're planning a Caribbean trip, a night dive is your best shot at meeting one.

Want to See Them for Yourself?

Octopuses are even better in person. Watching one change color, slip into a crack, or peek out at you from its den is something you don't forget.

Getting certified is the first step. Our PADI Open Water course teaches you everything you need to start diving with confidence, and it opens the door to reefs all over the world.

Happy World Octopus Day. Go find some eight-armed friends.