New Octopus on View
Credit: Photo by Robin Riggs
June 19, 2017
A female north Pacific bigeye octopus (Octopus californicus) is now on display in a cylinder exhibit in the Northern Pacific Gallery. The exhibit is located in the Jewels of the Northern Pacific area between the sea otters and the giant spider crab exhibits. Its age is unknown, but staff members can tell its sex by looking at the octopus’s arms, namely their third arm on the right. Females have suction cups all the way down that arm, and males do not have suction cups near the end of the arm.
At the Aquarium, this species is fed fish, shrimp, squid, clams, crabs, and mussels. While there is just one of these octopuses in the exhibit now, this species can be housed with multiple octopuses in one enclosure. Aquarists may add another bigeye octopus to the exhibit in coming weeks.
This octopus is a deep water species.
