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An octopus at the San Antonio Aquarium left a six-year-old boy with “hickeys” covering his arm after the child reached into a touch tank, and the sea animal wouldn’t let go.
The boy’s mom, Britney Taryn, has gone viral in a series of TikToks – two of which have garnered over 3 million views – after sharing how a giant Pacific octopus named Cthulhu latched onto her son Leo’s arm during their July 14 visit. She said they visit often and had touched the octopus before without incident.
Taryn shared glimpses of Leo’s arm, decorated with dark purple solution cup bruises from his wrist to his armpit.
"He started saying, 'Mom, it's not letting me go,'" Taryn said in one video, adding that it took three adults to remove the animals from the youngster’s arm.
The San Antonio Aquarium responded indirectly to the incident by posting two videos shortly after Taryn’s posts gained popularity. In a TikTok on July 23, an aquarium employee explained that giant Pacific Octopuses have been known to use their suction cups to move objects up to 700 pounds.
“If you look around, this whole tank is open, okay?” the employee said of Cthulhu’s larger-than-recommended 1,000-gallon tank. “A lot of times you will go to an aquarium and it will be completely enclosed, and it's enclosed because these guys are expert problem solvers, and they're known to escape.”
“We have never had an octopus escape,” she claimed. “We make them very, very happy. They have a lot of toys, enrichment, and problem-solving activities. We also give them a very mixed diet, a nutritious diet, and they realize that this is a great place.”
The video ends with Cthulhu giving the employee some “tough love” by latching onto her arm. The adult was able to remove the “very strong” animal by herself, but Taryn was less than impressed by the clip.
“Now, imagine that that is a six-year-old,” she said in response.
The aquarium posted another TikTok with Cthulhu and the employee last week, where she shares that octopus bruises aren't harmful and typically fade within seven to 14 days. She said giant Pacific Octopuses have around 200 suction cups per arm.
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“She loves people, so she gets so excited sometimes, especially if it's food time, and she's trying to pry open my hand to get the shrimp,” the employee said, holding the crustacean.
“She's so intelligent. She has this giant beak. She could bite me if she really wanted to. I'm not her food source, but this is her food source, and she has a great time trying to get a hold of it.
“So with that, all this suction motion sometimes will create hickeys. We call them octopus kisses, but they're bruises, and it's basically where red blood comes up to the surface of your skin. She's not trying to be harmful in any manner.”
The employee concluded, “Suction marks are actually common and normal for strong, inquisitive animals like her. I promise it's not a cosmic cry for help.”
Taryn’s videos have sparked debate about the safety of kids interacting with animals like octopuses. While she hasn’t called the incident an attack and has since revisited the octopus with Leo, she said they were never warned about potential risks.
She's using social media to caution others and advocate for better animal care. Taryn has asked the San Antonio Aquarium to document the incident and explain their safety protocols, but says she hasn’t received a response.
The Independent has contacted the San Antonio Aquarium for comment.
