Octopus Memory Test - How Well Do They Remember

How well does an octopus remember? Not much is known about their memory. Some say they have a terrific memory while others state that their long term memory (more than 30 seconds) is terrible. In today's experiment, we'll be placing 4 tubes in the experiment tank. We will place a small fish in one of them. The holes will be large enough to allow him to fit an arm through in order to retrieve the food, yet small enough to prevent him from seeing it.
We ran this experiment for 15 days always placing the fish in the same tube to see if he would remember where he usually finds his snack.
The octopus is a very curious animal and can't resist poking around when he finds a hole. In many of the scenes you will notice he places multiple arms simultaneously in the holes. However, try to see if he is favoring a certain one.
This experiment is is by no means going to give us conclusive results but it was interesting to run and does appear to give us some insight on how good his memory is. We'll continue to run this experiment along with many, many more memory experiments.
We would love to hear your thoughts on anything you observe during the video. Although we don't reply to all your comments, we do read them and find value in all of them. The reason we don't reply often is to allow everyone to voice their opinion on each experiment. People tend to view a channel's author as "authority" and this is not the roadmap for OctolabTV. We want to observe and come to conclusions collectively with all of you. We do not want to influence anyone's opinion and observations. This is a group effort and hopefully with multiple octopus memory tests down the road, together, we can come to some very interesting conclusions.

[@FlyTyer1948]

Have you considered the possibility that, after completing essentially the same task several times, he is testing you?

[@nowvoyagerNE]

"how long can i keep these clowns interested in watching me" *mwahaha.*

[@kevinnapier1014]

It looks like from where he sits at the top, that he has a clear line of sight of the fish within that one tube. FYI.

[@toryfox4580]

He may be expecting it to be a trick at some point

[@agathajaden9343]

😂😂😂

[@bmw.pi314]

He did seem a bit skeptical at times

[@marylong8780]

Years ago I came across a video of a Marine lab where the fish in the various tanks kept disappearing. They finally put up a night vision camera only the find that the resident octopus would leave his tank go across the floor and help himself to the buffet, then go back to his tank. Ever since then I've been fascinated by these amazing creatures. I'm so glad I stumbled on your site. Thank You!

[@hakimmahardhikaproductions5160]

can you tell me where you found the video? i would like to watch that, thanks :D

[@veronicaravello-arceo]

Man, the loopholes this guy finds to everything.....send him to law school he’d make a great contract attorney

[@qixinxiang6072]

Veronica Ravello-Arceo I’m laughing so hard I spilled my juice

[@infallibleblue]

Hahaha

[@lizannewhitlow1085]

Send him to the White Haus for more legal loopholes. 🙈

[@YautjaSpacePirate]

Good one! 🤣

[@mcfuckits]

Why not try a different color blocking plate for different holes? See if he remembers which hole a different color corresponds to. i.e. red top hole, blue second, yellow third etc. And see how he responds over time.

[@Snyper1188]

I second this idea. That would be super interesting.

[@shannonskye2116]

Yes it would be very interesting to see if it remembers a colour and not the placement of the hole.

[@ginglyst]

@@RobespierreThePoof COLOURBLIND (I think they are new to this channel 😁)

[@Miesrabe]

@@ginglyst sure? I mean, they change color for camouflage and stuff... sounds ineffective, if they cant see diverent colors by themselves. How do they know, they fit to the underground? - at least, they could differ black, white and grey for example

[@atchanih]

@@RobespierreThePoof and because of that question, this idea would be interesting to realize.

[@purplealice]

I love the way he moves - it's so smooth and graceful, it looks like high-class animation. And how he notices that the air-breathers have put something in his tank *again*, so he swims over to it to satisfy his curiosity. And, oh yes, it's the "where did we hide your fish" trick. If I could get out of this tank, I'd go fill their coffeepot with ink!

[@MrSlanderer]

Ace Lightning That’s squid, not octopus. EDIT: Someone mentioned that they indeed do have ink, deep-sea species being an exception.

[@purplealice]

@@MrSlanderer Most cephalopods are intelligent enough that I think eating them is a bad idea.

[@MrSlanderer]

TheCrossedEyedGamer I stand corrected!

[@kevinbeazy]

@Ace Lightning What? Octopus is delicious.

[@MrSlanderer]

Kevin B. Some people think ape meat tastes good.

[@booper343]

Ok. I was totally bummed when he didn't get a goody

[@tyson31415]

He looked kind of pissed off...

[@bulletsfordinner8307]

He turned his butt to the camera 😅

[@booper343]

@@bulletsfordinner8307 lol! Serves the team right

[@janedoe6181]

Booper 343 It was an absolutely critical aspect of the testing though. They had to do that to rule out that the octopus wasn’t using some other sense to determine the fish was in there and not using just his memory.

[@booper343]

@@janedoe6181 I understand that. But to a non scientific person it was heartbreaking. I just hope he's happy

[@IntrepidFraidyCat]

When he was expecting that treat but it wasn't there.....he looked angry. 🐙😉

[@GlennDavey]

Very interesting experiments! Some things you might want to consider: You are testing memory, but the methodology failed to account for hope, (the flipside of which is disappointment, exhibited towards the end). I can't help think that if you are an intelligent creature with 8 arms and a belly to fill, it stands to reason you always check every hole. Simultaneously. And if you can smell the water with your hands, forget about it. This experiment could be refined though: dealing with very long arms, the holes have to be much more inaccessible from one another so the "choice" is unambiguous. Horizontally placed, so gravity isn't a factor (I know it isn't as much with octopus but still, science). At least 8 or 10 tubes, instead of 4, would be also preferable. The ultimate is if all the tubes were separate from one another, such that the octopus had to enter a chamber to make the choice and access the tube, and couldn't access any other tubes with its arms. Then you'll be testing whether the octopus remembered or is simply being opportunistic. The choice needs to take more effort for the octopus so it must commit to one of the holes, or have to return out of the hole again if it finds no reward. This will force the octopus to make a choice up front about which chamber to check first, rather than approaching the tubes and "assessing" them all at once. Then repeat the experiment on a regular basis, being now able to tally the hits and misses accurately, to determine if the octopus becomes more adept at finding the snack first time. In other words, you're gonna need a bigger tank.

[@AdmiralpedersonLP]

first one with actualy good ideas and not just crying about how bad this experiment was i liked that!

[@hughtuck5147]

pretty much put me off eating octopus ever again! I think I'll just leave them to get on with their lives...

[@kevinbeazy]

@Hugh Tuck Their lives are extremely short and they lay tens of thousands of eggs at a time. Feast on.

[@maddygreenb]

Kevin B. they aren’t that short. They’re extremely intelligent creatures who obviously feel pain.

[@gabrielabetinsoli7205]

I hope you can 💛 Do it for them 🙏🐙

[@LadyCoyKoi]

A video on octopi learning from observing others made me stop eating them altogether. Their level of intelligence made me question the whole idea of what constitute a human being. Is being human really define by intelligence or something more? I see them as another form of primate even if we don't share a family tree. The way they can problem solve faster than most humans has made me reconsider the whole idea of eating them. It is cannibalism.

[@KatorNia]

How is their "intelligence" relevant to their place in the food chain? How is our intelligence (& emotions) relevant to our place in the food chain? Moral (pseudo)dilemmas & emotions have no place in Nature. It's all about "survival of the fittest". "You can kill it = you can eat it", simple as that. Generally speaking, people today are self-righteous hypocrites. They denounce their rightful place in the food chain to "protect the cute-looking octopus/cow/chicken/whatever", while at the same time they screw the planet because they want cheaper diesel for their 3000cc SUV. & they want ME to give up thousands-of-years-old nutritional habits?! Yeeaah... nope, not happening. You care about the "poor animals"? Then set an example by stop screwing their environment!

[@clubsport9334]

I never knew I needed octopus videos in my life. Now it's a crack like addiction.

[@lorriesmith5086]

I'm so glad someone is finally telling the world how smart octopuses are! I despise seeing them eaten live, knowing what I know, but they must be terribly bored in those tanks. I hate seeing the real big ones in aquariums where they have no room to stretch out. But this is progress!

[@platinakuka]

Please make a video about the octo-everydays, I mean, introduce their container where they live, a daily routine, or something 😁

[@booper343]

Does he live in this barren tank or is it just the experiment tank?

[@CopalFreak]

@@booper343 This is just an experiment tank. They are housed in much larger tanks with a more suitable environment. The experiment tanks are setup to try and minimize distraction and optimize observation.

[@booper343]

@@BT-uq3qw now you are pure evil. LOL

[@glengraham7080]

@@CopalFreak Glad to read that. I was worried these animals need far more stimulation and it would be cruel to keep them in a barren tank. It would be nice to see what enrichment their living tank has for them and what their daily routine is re feeding etc when they are not "working" so to speak.

[@LavendarRoses]

Glen Graham This video clip answers your concerns. All octopuses at this same place are housed to this similar tank: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXzIeqObn8hlfsU

[@yvessioui2716]

Clearly a memory. At 15 days, realizing there is no fish he double-check, proof he was expecting something from that specific hole (and we can not expect something without some kind of memory). That behavior wasn't there for the other holes. When sure the source is empty he just leave, another proof he taught he knew the others were supposed to be empty. To my eyes those are 2 proofs of memory.

[@mattrogers5188]

It's really after 5 days, though, because he found a fish there on the 10th day

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

I wonder if the exploration of the other tubes in the earlier experiments was because he was thinking that you'd be tricking him into having to find the fish somewhere else each time, rather than being unsure of his memory? The 'blooper reel' didn't surprise me - they're clever and crafty creatures!

[@nipunagunarathne4882]

Or he probably thinks there maybe more snackies in the other tubes

[@janedoe6181]

Mandy B If I found a snack in one tube, I’d certainly be checking the others for goodies too. I’m betting the octopus was thinking this way too. Later on in the testing the octopus did less exploring of the other tubes. Animals can’t reason that someone might be trying to trick them.

[@LadyCoyKoi]

@@janedoe6181 Don't underestimate octopi. In the wild humans and nonhuman animals are always tricking one another so yes, other species do have the the capacity of reason as humans do to know when someone or something is going to trick them or not... otherwise how else would they be able survive in a world where everyone and everything either wants to eat you or simply just kill you for the LOLs.

[@laurenkraft2836]

He seemed pretty PO'd when he didn't get his last fish.

[@achillesbuchanan2095]

You should get him to translate the complete works of Shakespeare into Mandarin.

[@JoseEduardo-rw2rh]

Me: It's 3AM I should probably get some sleep. KZbin: OCTOPUS MEMORY TEST

[@caroldavies2162]

I could watch for hours! Such curious, smart, & fascinating creatures. Beautiful & graceful. Not even sure how I ended up here but I am glad I did 🥰

[@pinchikassandra]

Why not surround each hole with a different pattern that can be moved about to see if he remembers that pattern that gives a fish?

[@aucuneideejsp8891]

Do you consider the fact that your fish snack has undoutedly a smell carried out by water?

[@mmt4013]

@Arigato Cat but didn't the fish smell linger in the tube?

[@janedoe6181]

Mardi Taylor If they were smart, and I’m thinking these people are fairly smart, they would have used new tubes or switched to order of the tubes to make sure it wasn’t fish residue the octopus was going after. If I can think about changing the tubes, I’m sure PhD’s will have thought of it.

[@rowynnecrowley1689]

That's what I was thinking too. He seemed to go for the right tube the very first time.

[@Jessiesaurus]

@@janedoe6181 Doesn't look like the tubes were changed at all. If you see the marking at the bottom/end of the fish tube it's the same one every time.

[@janedoe6181]

Jessika Rawlings I don’t know what you’re seeing, but I don’t see any markings. IF, and that’s a really big if, they are the same tubes every time, I’m am betting they’ve been thoroughly washed (both for the health of the octopus and for the testing). If the lab can’t remove all other reasons why the octopus is choosing the same tube, other than memory, then they have no business running experiments and deserve to have every cent of grant money removed. Removing all other variables other than the one you’re testing for is experimentation 101.

[@ThePodVon]

It must be quite an adventure trying to devise tests for a creature with 8 arms, the ability to multitask, squeeze through tiny spaces, and possesses the raw strength to just crush small objects that frustrate it - lmfao! I feel this test would better serve if the holes were placed such that the octopus could not reach all of them at once. Tubes at either end of a tank so you could see which set he approached first would give a more definitive answer. This test provokes in me the questions of; "Does he have a favourite arm to search with?" and "Do you get the same results with a horizontally placed set of tubes as with a vertical one?".

[@denisestover2416]

Maybe he's checking all of the tubes to see if y'all added one or more as a new test, an extra twist or just as a treat. I'm soooo happy I found your channel! I LOVE octopi! God did a wonderful job with them. Thanks for generously sharing your octopi world with us! God Bless!

[@elizabethlinsay9193]

They are so elegant and graceful when they move.

[@Asher_Tye]

It honestly looks like he was doing morning stretches there at the beginning. "Okay, another day another test."

[@murasakinokami9882]

It's very likely that you're right. He's prolly learned what it means to be placed in there.

[@robinboyle5786]

The octopus did better than me, I never could see the fish. Fascinating creature!

[@Shocke89]

wasn't that he could see it... he could taste it... aka no memory really here... even when they placed the tubes empty in the water the fish still had made the one tube smell and taste different than the others...Octo's are smart but the test they was using is flawed...

[@janedoe6181]

Shocke89 I’m sure they weren’t dumb enough to use the same tube that had the fish in it for the empty test. If you and I could figure out that there could be residual fish in the tube and that it would invalidate the testing, I’m sure a bunch of PhD’s would know to switch the tubes or use new ones.

[@virginiamoss7045]

I never saw the snack/fish anywhere, so this made no sense to me.

[@TragoudistrosMPH]

They can taste/smell with their arms, so if the other tubes have no fish scent, the test is easier for them.

[@janedoe6181]

Tragoudistros.MPH That’s why it was critical that they run the experiment without a fish in the tube. When he still went to that tube, even though there wasn’t a fish in it, that showed it was memory and not some other sense the octopus was using to find the fish.

[@dapoop33]

It's amazing that it can fit through that tiny space and just play around. 😂

[@MissMolly3377]

I am so glad I found this channel. What a treat.

[@kempossibleprivateinvestig9998]

I was lucky enough to take care of a baby octopus in my high school biology class. I loved that little guy! I used to bring my friends in to see him and he would shoot water at them! He used to wrap a tentacle around my finger to try to keep me there longer. They are the most amazing and brilliant creatures. I am so glad i had that time with him. I will never forget that little guy! Try playing a joke on them....they will play! Just remember they will get you back!

[@christopherbolanos3751]

Do octopuses have a dominant tentacle(s)

[@rhiannascyster9806]

Christopher Bolanos I think one of their tentacles is their sexual organ. Maybe that’s the “dominant” one?

[@justinedellinger4856]

There are studies being done to find out!

[@Nocturnalux]

I was wondering about that myself. They seem to wield all of their tentacles with great skill.

[@mattrogers5188]

They seem to favor certain combinations of tentacles. With their eight limbs, they have 448 possible combinations. They used only 49 of them in a study at the University of Vienna.

[@janedoe6181]

Matt Rogers Very interesting.

[@gabriellelacompte7912]

Foil your plans?! You foiled his snack time! Serves you right! 🤣

[@PureXLR8tion]

I first watched "Octopus with a big dilemma" and this is the second video I watch...I must tell you I'm now hooked and you just got yourself(selves) a new subscriber! Other than eating octopus and finding them to be delicious, I know nothing else about them (but will start researching to find out everything about them) I now feel that I'll never be able to eat another octopus in my life! My conclusion from this video is that this little guy knew exactly where to find his snack every time.

[@ontherockz]

This ladies and gentlemen, is as alien as it gets. That's why there's nothing up there, cause it's down here disguised as other living creatures.

[@Einnor084]

Iced Cube U wish..... Sorry bud, BUTT God does not know DUH petty limitationz, u seek 2 mpose on da universe.

[@Mamamia90210]

Yes definitely! It’s always been so crazy to me we live during a time with all these incredible creatures. I especially think giraffes are just insane! They’re huge and we are so used to the idea of them that we take them for granted

[@MB-wx2jp]

I've always said that the secrets of the world are in our oceans.

[@gabrielabetinsoli7205]

@@MB-wx2jp I agree!

[@toryfox4580]

Life has a way of making things seem alien when in fact they were here long before us.

[@SunTzuLao]

I find it somewhat depressing to see an intelligent creature in a plain glass cage. I hope that's not where it stays all the time.

[@LavendarRoses]

Sun Tzu Lao According to their website, all octopuses are housed in larger tanks that have reefs and fishes. This is an experimental tank where octopus can only stay for a short time to perform some experiments. They even rescue octopuses and rehabilitate them before returning to the wild (ocean).

[@SSR00000]

@@BT-uq3qw - troll.

[@stellar7760]

Leanne Carter THANKS FOR THIS INFO!! Love to hear it!

[@LavendarRoses]

Sun Tzu Lao here's the video clip of the nice tank they built for this rescued octopus. I am sure all octopuses at OctoLab have their own nice tanks. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXzIeqObn8hlfsU

[@dalpaengi]

Sun Tzu Lao perhaps you’re clenching too much and the dingle berries won’t drop. you gotta let that anger go, bruh. but yeah protect the animals, i agree

[@bmell1252]

They MUST have an amazing memory! I think they must be incredibly intelligent & have great memory to do things like find 2 coordinating shells to hide in. They must know what they want, what they’re looking for and what shape and size is best from memory. I know the “shell” coverup they do in the wild isn’t in this video, but still, observations in their natural habitat are good tests as well. 😁😁great Video! I just subscribed - these boneless dudes are fascinating !

[@PacificBoysFishandDive]

i love these videos, octopus are so intelligent, great job!

[@lorenzop.7822]

Also they are great in salads

[@PacificBoysFishandDive]

@@lorenzop.7822 true that, true that

[@user-qx4ny1zr2d]

@@lorenzop.7822 you are disguasting

[@kajun8561]

Fascinating! Subscribed 💛

[@joylives_4her668]

Oh my goodness these freaky creatures are too smart. Everytime I watch one of your octolab videos or so many other videos on KZbin or IG or wherever! They never cease to amaze me. Who knew octopus were so smart!!!🦑

[@gabriellelacompte7912]

That's a squid emoji. OxO. 🐙

[@joylives_4her668]

@@gabriellelacompte7912 Thx. LoL

[@gabriellelacompte7912]

I gotcha back, home fry! 😃

[@joylives_4her668]

@@gabriellelacompte7912 okie Dokes homeslice!👍

[@FixedFace]

i did

[@totukimou]

Thank you for this beautiful video, I love them so much!

[@helencosta4234]

Thank you. I have always loved this creature and now to be able to observe and enjoy its behaviors is a real joy and will hopefully enlighten a lot of people about this incredible life form.

[@queenvictoria9378]

Enjoyed the outtakes!

[@ShyDragoness]

Im dying at the fact you had to blur the octopus from Finding nemo 2

[@pjp9383]

In the case of Octopus vs Octolab TV, I rule in favour of the plaintiff. In the agreed statement of facts, on Day 15, Octolab TV did place 4 empty tubes into the testing tank, hereby violating the unwritten understanding that Octopus participates in these experiments solely because he is paid for doing so by finding a fish in the end. Having violated the spirit of this agreement on this occasion, Octolab TV is hereby ordered to immediately and without delay, provide Octopus with no less than 10 fish. Double damages are also ordered, due to the fact that it was a dirty rotten trick to lead Octopus, over the previous 14 days, to expect that a fish would 100% be in the second tube from the top, each time the tubes appeared in the tank. Disappointment damages are hereby ordered in this case, wherein for all future experiments, at least 2 fish will be provided to Octopus. Case closed! *gavel bang*

[@karenlloyd1705]

😂 thanks for the laugh

[@CopalFreak]

LOL! "Do you have Mesothelioma? Has someone unjustly taken away your fish?? Call PJP.. The Aquatic Attorney. " hehe

[@pjp9383]

@@CopalFreak ☺ It was an open and shut case. I had video evidence and a confession broadcast via KZbin. (Lol at "the Aquatic Attorney! ")

[@mateosmind751]

I specialize in bird law myself.

[@teahgurl]

I waited a mighty long time for a channel on octopus with in-depth coverage on their intelligence. I just love octopus 🐙

[@jonathancantu7700]

He totally threw a fit when he didn't get that last fish. That was anger. Checked it once, checked it twice and then jumped on the glass and threw it's tentacles up and flared them. He played your game. He wants his fish.

[@karenlloyd1705]

I love watching these videos. I have a question, do they allow handling?

[@layersofsnark6347]

What would be really scary is if they knew they were being experimented on.

[@toryfox4580]

He looks right at the camera and gets mad at them during the "barrel full of tile" video, he definitely knows who did it and that they are filming him...

[@fionabarrie9697]

They probably do, just like our pets know when we are teasing them!

[@helpingnikki6787]

He does.

[@bealightnthedarkness7662]

That's amazing, it's like he knows you're testing him....and he sits there likes hes trying to remember before he checks any of them!

[@kevjo3576]

Fascinating animal thanks for challenging the octopuses the way you do to show their intelligence

[@FriedFreya]

Ah man those bloopers were so fun to watch. That cutie's got one hell of a personality. 🐙💖

[@camillepalmer9337]

It seemed to me that the octopus was testing the watter with the tips of its tentacles, rather than remembering. ( smelling or tasting) the water in the tubes. Like a dog following its nose to where it found food before. I felt certain they're had to be some sensory per option going g on, were unaware of. After all an octopus in the wild pokes and prods exploring cracks and crannys in rock piles, coral areas it can not see into, but knows when it reaches in and if there is something good to eat in there. Then uses its memory and experience to catch it.

[@1spoiledbabygirl]

That 10 day reaction was quite interesting compared to the others! Hmmm..... this lil guy is awesome and I enjoy watching him and his antics!!

[@bethanypuleo]

Very interesting. Once he found there was no food in that one hole he seemed to say "this isn't worth my time" and did not investigate the other holes like a dog would. 😁 I love these videos. Thank you for showing them.

[@user-sq8ez7ch9p]

With the music it's like watching a dancing contortionist

[@chrisk8187]

They deserve to be treated with the utmost respect for their intelligence and tolerance for putting up with these human generated "problems" to "solve". I'm sure these are "yawners" for them.

[@janedoe6181]

Chris K It gives the octopus something to do besides just sitting around. They may not be difficult problems for the octopus, but at least it’s something.

[@leonardo9259]

You must be a great biologist then, seem to know a lot

[@teowachowski1143]

@@janedoe6181 what about letting the octopus leave freely in the ocean?

[@TamsPsychAdvice]

I watch the bloopers every single day!

[@NJHeart2Heart]

Hahaa!! Loved the outtakes!! He really looks like he's got quite a personality! Does his handler talk to him and does he respond?

[@deevnn]

You'll have to be smarter than the octopus to properly test them...I guess we now know who to blame for memory malfunction test.

[@jonathansantos6009]

I am proud of such people research helping grace. I wonder if there are more extrastential labs for octopus courtings? Even bigger swimming tanks and other fun ways?

[@gmail3885]

octopus: "No fish... What should I eat now? ...Wait, what's behind that camera?

[@hlwatts9979]

Octopuses are both fascinating and terrifying at the same time.

[@VerifyTheTruth]

You should try communicating telepathically with him.

[@MuffHam]

He clearly remembers which hole the fish is in every time. And grabs the fish right away. It also makes sense to check every hole after just to be sure because you never knew if something else is there And that is a sign of intelligence.

[@kevinouellette1893]

That is an impressive video!!! They are magnificent lil animals

[@keatonblackman472]

Octopods Have Great Memories Because An Octopus Never Forget

[@mii481]

It's like "Dudes, I know where it is, but I've got 8 arms so might aswell check the other holes"

[@luiscavalcanti3431]

I love em. They seem so cute. Lovely adorable. They are so gentle and smooth in their manners that looks like I’m seeing a baby, kid doing it

[@mr.tomahawkthefirst4433]

I think he searches other tubes in an attempt to understand the entire design of what he's sticking his lil tentacles in

[@stevengoldstein7890]

After watching a few of these I never knew how much I actually love to octopi I wish I had the expertise or the wherewithal to keep one or two of them

[@pinkcarnation231]

When I was a little girl, my father and I never missed "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau". I vividly remember him placing an octopus inside of a tank with a big glass jar with a screw top. A fish was inside. It was fascinating to watch the octopus test and touch; you could almost see him reasoning it out. Finally he tried to unscrew the lid, and the fish was immediately lunch. I have loved them since then. I heard a story of a microbiology lab with multiple kinds of smaller labs in the building, each with a secure door. On the same floor was a lab with many tanks of different kinds of fish, and another lab down the hall had a variety of octopi. The biologists in the fish lab started coming in every morning to find the lab locked and secure, but fish were missing and there were traces of water on the floor. mystified, they installed cameras. Lo and behold, an enterprising octopus was climbing out of his tank, getting underneath the doors of his lab and the fish lab, climbing up to the fish tanks, helping himself nightly to some tasty snacks, and returning to his own tank before the staff came back in in the morning. They are highly intelligent creatures!

[@juliehowman3912]

What a clever little critter

[@misschief4283]

I have a question, well several really... while I have watched a lot of Octopussies (yep that is what I am going with ;) over the years, I noticed something watching your archive of videos (think it was the barrel & box one specifically) that has never stood out to me before... I see the _tube_ they use to suck water in (presumably to both breath and get some locomotive powers) but I noticed what I always thought of as their head seems to inflate and deflate... is this actually a kind of bladder (used for earlier mentioned locomotion)? Also is it this bladder (presumably when it is full of water) that allows them to 'breath' out of the water for an extended period? Is their head actually the bit between their eyes? I am aware they have some stuff located in their legs/arms which we would normally assume to be located somewhere else... which brings me to my final question... can they survive the loss of and regrow any of their legs/arms even if they contain some essential piece of anatomy (sorry I don't precisely recall what is located where). Sorry for all the questions and thank you if you take the time to respond... loving your channel, I really like these enigmatic, curious, intelligent and playful creatures and I am fond of shorter videos (don't know why since I will happily watch five twenty minute vids there you go) so you are hitting the spot ;)

[@lolnoorly]

Lol here we are watching an octopus check out a variety of holes but always going back to the same one. A summary of all the imperial palace dramas of the Ching Dynasty

[@likeablekiwi6265]

I like the twist at the end lmao!

[@tim_henderson]

It almost seems that at the 10 day mark, he is expecting the fish to have been moved to a different location, hence the exploration of the other three locations before going for the fish.

[@enriquevia-reque6522]

Another idea- set a grid of 12. Place fish in same hole for whatever 10 days so it learns which hole the fish is in. Then switch the tube and see if the octopus goes straight for the same tube (memory) or senses it in a different tube and that's why it kept going to that same tube prior... this isolates the variable of it being another sense...

[@kaalen24]

This animal is like a living cheat code. Just remarkable in every conceivable way.

[@Shoot4AlarmFire]

He is so precious! That last clip, was he trying to take the tubes with him across the tank??

[@b1njjj95]

I love how the last bit is him just fucking around and entering the area with the test tubes. 😂

[@EmoryM]

If there's no penalty for picking the wrong hole, and there's no time constraint then what's the Octopus' motivation to pick the correct hole first?

[@sunandaKdas]

Conserving energy. Energy is life. If you have to expend more energy getting at food than the food will replenish you with, then it is wasted energy and your lifespan is not helped at all ( say you are too tired to evade a predator) All intelligent animals will opt for the path of least resistance for food. That's where memory helps. If you can remember where a steady food source is, you wake up every morning and make a beeline for it! I have seen crows do this. My grandmother leaves food out early morning everyday for crows. One day she was late and when she came out the door, there was one of her her crow friends hopping behind her, tugging at her dress with its beak, demanding to know where the food was! The crow didn't go after my uncle who had just left the house, only my grandmother because it is she who keeps the plate out everyday🙂 The video in the experiment establishes that octopi also use memory to make some easy meals🙂

[@MrFiddleedee]

@@sunandaKdas that is more of a paradigm for a creature living in the wild. the creature in captivity doesn't need a burst of speed to escape a predator and as such doesn't need to worry about conserving energy for such an instance. Speaking as a bike courier that used to have to dodge large vehicles or die (and muscle energy comes into play) I can speak from experience.

[@sunandaKdas]

@@MrFiddleedee overcoming behaviors rewarded by evolution doesn't happen overnight. Look at us humans. 5000 years of settlement lifestyle and civilized behavior forced down our throats but when push comes to shove all our instincts are from whatever was rewarded down 3 million years of H. sapiens evolution. How do you think we became a dominant species from the brink of extinction. sapiens sapiens wiped out at least 8 other human species to come out on top and even today all human organizations follow a one leader tribal model which consistently rewards competition behaviors. If you think rationally you will realize that like most species that became top dog of their environment we have simply become too unsustainable due to our own behavior. Other species became extinct due to that and so will we. People who develop solutions for Human problems without taking evolution into account end up worsening the problems

[@poisonking]

It’s a badly designed experiment. But this happens all the time

[@SuperVendetta9]

"Imma fix these scientists. Outtakes!? Whatever!!! Imma pull this here barrier apart! See about that, homeboys. Catch me outside!!!"

[@mookyo9602]

I love this channel!!!!🐙

[@vonniebristow]

I like the idea of colors in this experiment. Put the treat in the black tube but vary the placement of the black one once he’s found it.. That would test his memory for sure.

[@mancheezethegreat8617]

This channel is awesome.

[@allisfaith]

Poor guy, he wants out of there so bad. He doesn’t want to do the puzzle. What does his main tank look like?

[@seecanon5840]

He sure knows what up and around means.

[@jandrews6254]

You know that intelligent extraterrestrial life we keep wondering about? I think they found us and we’d better stop making calamari of them.

[@jeanine6492]

I thought for sure he was stuck at the end there! Do they get upset at not getting the fish after the prior learning or do they see at a bonus/ supplement? Yes please more bloopers!

[@thomastruthseeker]

Is it possible they have smell receptors on each arm? Great video, but next time maybe indicate where the fish is? I couldn't always see the fish before he got it. Keep up the awesome work!

[@krab1791]

Seems he always checked one of the adjacent tubes as if he was hoping you might have surprised him with an extra snack but then he appeared to have a temper tantrum when there was no fish in the tube instead of checking the others to see if you changed tubes. Interesting.

[@masamikolbenschlag8941]

It's always amazes me that an octopus is very creative and outsmart humans ! :-)

[@No1tgffgh]

It seemed to favor the hole with the fish after the first time. It seemed to not remember as well after 10 days, but definitely didnt seem happy when it didnt find a fish. Also seemed like he wanted out. They're smart creatures. Pretty amazing too.

[@Zer01neBDTDev]

This creature is impressive, his Camo, Elasticity, Sneak In abbility are impressive. They will never ceasing amaze me.

[@ErikOlsen1]

Plus, it would make sense that he would check other holes even if he remembers the right hole because the holes, in general, seem to offer the opportunity for food. Maybe he knows there's going to be food there, but it checking the others just in case.

[@paulprecour3636]

Sauron: "Now if I can just get the Ring Bearer to stand second in line from the front of the group...".

[@lindamaxsonsheets8295]

I love this Chanel . Only thing I would like to see is the comment read aloud. That would be very helpful thank you

[@ShadowofManda]

I think a better test would have been to cycle through the tubes. Day 1 it's the bottom tube, Day 2 it's the next one up, etc. Repeat when you get to Day 5. See if Arnold starts to remember the pattern. Then, after running the experiment for a few cycles post-remembering, stop and wait a while. Try again one or two cycles worth of days again and see if he still remembers the pattern.

[@nadinehackman2358]

That an octopus has only a long term memory of 30 seconds belies the fact that they return to favorite spots to hide.

[@Ancient0fDays]

yeah, he favors the second from the top, but he's seeing if someone gave him a bonus snack...!

[@PowWowCowGirl]

He wanted to speak to the manager after there was no fish in that last tube lol.