An octopus expert says even if they have the best entertainment and living conditions, octopuses still don’t make good pets.
Part of a growing trend, celebrity Tracy Morgan recently appeared on the show “Tanked” with his beloved pet Giant Pacific octopus. However, an octopus expert says even if they have the best entertainment and living conditions, octopuses still don’t make good pets.
Katherine Harmon Courage understands people’s excitement about having a fun and intelligent pet like an octopus, but she insists they’re much better off in the wild. Aside from emotional attachments, octopuses require heavy investments of time, attention, and money.
They have their own personalities, interact with us, and get bored quickly. Studies showed that octopuses who had a larger, exciting environment to explore were much healthier than others who showed panic and self-mutilation in smaller tanks containing standard aquarium fare like beads and shells.
Octopuses need at least a 55-gallon tank maintaining a specifc pH balance, a second filtration system tank, and a strong lid to prevent escapes; they’ll also eat any other creature with them, including another octopus. Plus, the nocturnal animal likes spending a good portion of the daylight hours hiding in its den.
Food is expensive. One owner said, “You go to Whole Foods and buy shrimp.” Experts recommend live seafood.
Lastly, octopus life spans are fairly short; most only live about 1 year with some species living up to 5.
