# Octopus farming: They're that good to eat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 9, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585 "2022-04-09T17:34:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/21 "2022-04-09T20:35:14Z")
Had some amazing grilled octopus at a tapas restaurant in Barcelona. Came as 2-inch tentacle pieces and potato chunks on a skewer hanging from an iron hook. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/22 "2022-04-09T20:46:06Z")
It’s delicious and I love the critters but I’ve kind of stopped eating them because they’re really smart and it makes me feel bad. Plus, overfishing is a huge problem and I think we would all do better to stop eating ocean fish for a while, let the seas replenish themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/23 "2022-04-09T20:48:52Z")
Tentacles! Why is it always _tentacles?!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/24 "2022-04-09T20:49:52Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Plus, overfishing is a huge problem […] That is precisely the argument in favour of farming. The farmers say. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/25 "2022-04-09T20:56:20Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Tentacles! Why is it always _tentacles?!!_ Did you know that each tentacle has its own brain? Octopus nervous systems are a little less centralized and a little more distributed than most other brainy animals. Each tentacle has its own nerve cluster that enables them all to operate quasi-independently of Central Control and one another. [Nine Brains Are Better Than One: An Octopus’ Nervous System](https://sites.nd.edu/biomechanics-in-the-wild/2021/04/07/nine-brains-are-better-than-one-an-octopus-nervous-system/) > [@](#): > > So how does this partially de-centralized nervous system work? The octopus does, in fact, have a central brain located between its eyes containing about 180 million neurons. This is the part of the nervous system that determines what the octopus wants or needs, such as if it needs to search for food. These are sent as messages through groupings of neurons. Commands like “search for food” are then received by each of the tentacles, who all have their own smaller, independent brains. With these commands in mind, each tentacle gathers its own sensory and position data, processes it, and then issues its own commands on how to move by stiffening or relaxing different parts of the arm, all without consulting the central brain upstairs. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/26 "2022-04-09T21:05:32Z")
Uh huh. Factory fish farming is horrendous for both the fish AND the ecosystem, not to mention that farmed fish tends to suck real bad. Turns out concentrating a million fish in the space that normally would only have a few thousand leads to incredible levels of ammonia and wipes out anything that isn’t being actively farmed. Gee, who knew? ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/27 "2022-04-09T22:36:35Z")
The obligatory, some people eat octopus, shrimp and fish live post. WARNING. People have choked to death when eating live octopus whole small ones or tentacles because they didn’t chew it enough to stop the tentacles from moving. I’ve never had it, but as Andrew Zimmern says: “If it looks good, EAT IT!” ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/28 "2022-04-09T22:40:54Z")
I’ve cooked octopus a few times, but it never came out right. I both the, cook it just until it turns red and the beat the hell out of it, including putting it through the washing machine without any soap of course and cook it forever! IMO, good octopus (tako in Japanese) shouldn’t be melt in your mouth, but slightly chewy like abalone or other shellfish. I suspect eating it raw (don’t know about alive) might be a good choice. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/29 "2022-04-09T22:42:43Z")
I apologize if this comes off as thread-shitting, but it’s my belief that octopuses are sentient creatures, much like dolphins and whales, and for that reason, I won’t eat them. I mean, they have advanced puzzle-solving capabilities. ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/30 "2022-04-09T22:52:19Z")
When I was young, is used to love eating the soft part above the tentacles of dried octopus (small sized, about 4-5" long) until my parents told me it was soft because it was the head! The suckers on tentacles sometimes makes a nice pop in your mouth as you’re chewing. _I apologize if this comes off as thread-shitting, but it’s my belief that octopuses are sentient creatures, much like dolphins and whales, and for that reason, I won’t eat them. I mean, they have advanced puzzle-solving capabilities._ Pigs have been proven to be highly intelligent, but I have no problem eating them. As some comedian said, “If God didn’t want us to eat them, he wouldn’t have made them so DELICOUS!” ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/31 "2022-04-10T02:38:05Z")
I have pickled octopus before; and used the ink for home-made black pasta. The octopus was great, but having since then learnt how sentient they are, I don’t want to do that again. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/32 "2022-04-10T03:07:06Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > I apologize if this comes off as thread-shitting, but it’s my belief that octopuses are sentient creatures, much like dolphins and whales, and for that reason, I won’t eat them. I mean, they have advanced puzzle-solving capabilities. My second semester college calculus teacher was an octopus. My differential equations teacher was a dolphin. They’re some smart cookies! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/33 "2022-04-10T03:35:42Z")
> [@Didi44](#): > > suspect eating it raw (don’t know about alive) might be a good choice. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/j1oByXmohhU/maxresdefault.jpg "Octopus attacks live-streamer as she tries to eat it alive in China") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1oByXmohhU) Not a good choice. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/34 "2022-04-10T03:37:03Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > My second semester college calculus teacher was an octopus. My differential equations teacher was a dolphin. They’re some smart cookies! My college physics professor was a cookie. Unfortunately, he was a crumb. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/35 "2022-04-10T03:39:38Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > They’re some smart cookies! Oh, shit, you’re telling me _cookies_ are sapient, too? Well, I’m not giving _them_ up. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/36 "2022-04-10T03:40:44Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > Oh, shit, you’re telling me _cookies_ are sapient, too? Well, I’m not giving _them_ up.   Just don’t bite them while they’re still wriggling, and kill them humanely first. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/37 "2022-04-10T04:30:37Z")
What you say is relevant to the content of the OP, and several others in the thread have made similar points. I agree with most of what’s been said in this thread - correctly cooked octopus is a treat indeed, but now that I’m aware of their sentience, I won’t eat them anymore. Seems like a lot of people feel that way, and most likely trends will only go in one direction (in other words, over time more and more people will not want to eat octopus out of ethical concerns - not fewer). So yeah, octopus farming is quite possibly a questionable venture from an economic standpoint if one is looking to create a business that will be viable for many years to come. On a related note, pigs are smart too. I’ve reduced my consumption of commercially processed pork to negligible levels - a pound or two a year and when I consume what I’ve got on hand I may never buy it again - but once in a while I get pork from feral pigs that are causing a huge problem here on the Big Island. I just cooked up a 4 lb hunk of feral pig from an animal that had been hit by a car, after which a local hunter shot it and put it out of its misery, then butchered it. Delicious pork adobe, and little to no guilt. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/38 "2022-04-10T04:38:04Z")
I went to the annual four-day convention of the International Marine Animal Trainers Association (IMATA) a few times. One day, someone showed a video of their trained octopus. They had a tank with a board in it, dividing the tank into two spaces. The board had several holes in it of various sizes. They put the octopus in one side of the tank. When a signal was given (I think it was a light, IIRC), the octopus was trained to go through the board to the other side of the tank. It took several minutes to do. At first, the various tentacles all tried going through different holes all at the same time. But eventually, when the head got through one of the holes, all the tentacles followed. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/39 "2022-04-10T14:14:33Z")
I am of the same opinion, particularly after reading [The Soul of an Octopus](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LD1RZX0/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title), by Sy Montgomery. ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585/40 "2022-04-10T15:17:05Z")
How about just cutting off [a few of] their tentacles since they’ll regrow? That’s the best part anyway. They do that with Stone Crabs. Break off one claw and throw it back. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-farming-theyre-that-good-to-eat/962585.md?page=3)