# Anyone here ever keep octopuses (octopi?) as pets? Tell me about it. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930 "2010-05-10T17:09:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930/21 "2010-05-12T08:22:51Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > I am fascinated with intelligent marine animals. I’m already going through the motions to purchase an aquarium and accessories for a mantis shrimp and after watching a documentary about the octopus the other night, I did some research on keeping one of those in a separate aquarium. > > Has anyone here ever owned an octopus? The research I’ve done says octopi are fairly high-maintenance to keep. Can you tell me about your experiences? How expensive was it for you to keep it since it requires a diet of high-quality (even live) seafood? Mantis shrimp are awesome, but I thought in tanks they simply hide out 99.99 % of the time. Is this not true? ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930/22 "2010-05-12T09:59:29Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > :eek: Okay, so now I don’t only have to worry about a spider crawling across my face in the night, I have to worry about an _octopus_ crawling across my face in the night!? :eek: > > It’s not like I keep any octopuses around the house or anything, but this thread is really sort of freaking me out. Only if you live in the Pacific Northwe… ohhh, maybe that’s why the cats don’t climb the trees around here. I thought it was because there’s no birds up there, but it could be octopodes again. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930/23 "2010-05-12T10:04:39Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Mantis shrimp are awesome, but I thought in tanks they simply hide out 99.99 % of the time. Is this not true? I was curious wtf a mantis shrimp was so I looked it up. They scare the shit out of me. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930/24 "2010-05-12T15:32:37Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > I was curious wtf a mantis shrimp was so I looked it up. They scare the shit out of me. Yeah, but those little buggers are smart as a whip and supposedly have some of the [best eyesight](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis_shrimp#The_eyes) of all creatures on Earth. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930/25 "2010-05-12T16:12:36Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Yeah, but those little buggers are smart as a whip and supposedly have some of the [best eyesight](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis_shrimp#The_eyes) of all creatures on Earth. But they look scary… ☹ Apparently some species are sort of monogamous, too. ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930/26 "2010-05-12T16:54:04Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > :eek: Okay, so now I don’t only have to worry about a spider crawling across my face in the night, I have to worry about an _octopus_ crawling across my face in the night!? :eek: > > It’s not like I keep any octopuses around the house or anything, but this thread is really sort of freaking me out. Eek, me too! I do live near water… okay so it’s a tidal river. This is a horrifying mental image. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930/27 "2010-05-12T21:24:25Z")
> [@Rasa](#): > > Eek, me too! I do live near water… okay so it’s a tidal river. This is a horrifying mental image. If by horrifying, you mean ‘‘wonderful.’’ (I kind of have a thing for octopodes.) [QUOTE=Malacandra] Ever see the Japanese painting “Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife”? (I’m not linking to it - Google at your own risk. ) [/QUOTE] :eek: Not THAT kind of a thing! Eeeeeew. ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930/28 "2010-05-12T22:00:25Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > If by horrifying, you mean ‘‘wonderful.’’ > > (I kind of have a thing for octopodes.) See, I kinda have an irrational (and mostly for entertainment value) fear of giant squid, and octopus are squidlike enough to fall under this fear-umbrella. So how’s this for a deal? If any octopus, or squid for that matter, take up residence in my living room, I’ll send 'em along to you? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930/29 "2010-05-12T22:04:47Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > Yes, but it’s been used incorrectly so often that some dictionaries now accept [“octopi”](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/octopus) as a correct English plural. Except that the correct answer is… [spoiler]octopuses _Octopus is another of these third declension nouns in Latin, borrowed from Greek. The Latin plural is octopodes, which is acceptable in English, but octopuses (or even octopus) seems more at home in English. The form octopi is quite common in English, but it is pseudo-Latin. It is based on the mistaken belief that octopus was a second-declension noun like fungus. It has made its way into many English dictionaries, but I would not recommend getting tangled up with octopi. It is true that many standard English words have entered the language through mistakes (an apron from a napron, pea from pease, etc.), so octopi may not be totally indefensible. But people who know Latin, admittedly not a large group, will think less of you for using it._ [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2139/what-is-the-plural-of-penis[/spoiler]](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2139/what-is-the-plural-of-penis%5B/spoiler%5D) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930/30 "2010-05-12T22:45:34Z")
> [@Rasa](#): > > See, I kinda have an irrational (and mostly for entertainment value) fear of giant squid, and octopus are squidlike enough to fall under this fear-umbrella. So how’s this for a deal? If any octopus, or squid for that matter, take up residence in my living room, I’ll send 'em along to you? Yes, please! They will be loved forever and ever. ( **Sr. Olives** is convinced that I will be the downfall of civilization. Particularly if there if there is an [elder god](http://www.suvudu.com/suvudumedia/Cthulhu.jpg) uprising.) He strongly discourages anyone placing me in a position of political leadership for this reason.) ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930/31 "2010-05-13T00:46:30Z")
Picture of my [octopus](http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2034456860098000304uuDcVv) here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-keep-octopuses-octopi-as-pets-tell-me-about-it/538930.md?page=1)