Tell me, O Octopus, I begs; Is those things arms, or is they legs? I marvel at thee, Octopus; If I were thou, I'd call me Us.

[samhexum]

Wilson Menashi palmed a squid in his left hand and extended his arm into an aquarium tank, watching as a giant Pacific octopus stretched out arms to greet him like a friend.

 

Freya latched some of her 2,240 suction cups onto Menashi’s arm, using their powers of taste and smell to gather information about the 84-year-old man known as the octopus whisperer — and the seafood treats he was bearing.

 

“She’s just contacting me and she’s saying, ‘You come to me,’” Menashi said of Freya, a 3-year-old predator weighing 35 to 40 pounds. Her arms span 14 feet and pack enough strength to kill sharks and other enemies.

 

But this afternoon’s gentle interaction left no doubt that Menashi has a special way with the cephalopod, whose body includes a large, sac-like head and eight powerful arms.

 

More than 25 years ago, Menashi retired after a career as a chemical engineer and began volunteering at the New England Aquarium in Boston. He’s spent 7,800 hours — the equivalent of about four years working full time — hanging out with octopuses, the aquarium said.

 

“I’ve been able to interact with them from the beginning. I do not know why. I cannot explain it, but I can connect with them,” Menashi said, standing in front of the Olympic Coast Sanctuary exhibit that is home to Freya and Professor Ludwig Von Drake, a younger male giant Pacific octopus living in a separate tank.

 

Menashi’s eyes twinkled with mischief as he acknowledged that his encounters with the octopuses have left a mark on him.

 

“I will come back home sometimes with hickeys all over my arm and my neck,” he said.

 

So how did he explain them to his wife?

 

“Not too difficult when you have about 10 or 15 marks next to each other,” he said. “It did not take too much. She also knew where I was, anyway.”

 

Menashi’s volunteer work has included designing puzzle boxes for the octopuses as well as rubbing their backs and wrestling their arms — all intended to ensure that the highly intelligent animals receive the mental stimulation to thrive and stay healthy.

 

Two decades of working with the largest members of the octopus species has not dulled his sense of wonder at the animal’s adaptability and mysteries.

 

Experiments have shown these animals to be color blind, but they are supreme masters of camouflage. A complex system of pigment cells, nerves and muscles allows them to change skin color in the blink of an eye to match their surroundings.

 

“What I find totally surprising is how they could tell different people and react differently,” Menashi said.

 

“I’ve also made them a few toys, made up some boxes and…I put different latches so they could get in and figure out how to get the food that I put in the boxes. However, I’ve had some that said, ‘It’s too much time to figure out how you do the latch.’ So they just crushed the box.”

 

That eye for detail, patience and willingness to experiment makes Menashi a perfect octopus whisperer, said Bill Murphy, a senior aquarist.

 

“Every octopus is different. So then you can’t use the same rules for every octopus,” Murphy said. “You need to change it up. And Wilson does that.”

 

Menashi said spending time with octopuses and other animals gives his life a whole new purpose in retirement.

 

“Just being here has been, to me, a lifesaver,” he said.

 

“Gave me something to do. Gave me different interests and showed me the world is a wonderful place to be.”

[samhexum]

[samhexum]

Does an octopus dream?

 

A stunning new video from an upcoming PBS documentary suggests that not only do they dream — but they put on a light show when they do.

 

The clip, titled “Octopus Dreaming,” shows the mollusk clinging to the side of a large fish tank when it begins changing colors in rapid succession — from pale white, to dark brown, back to white and then into a camouflage pattern.

 

The video, which has gone viral, is an excerpt from an upcoming episode of the PBS Nature series called “Octopus: Making Contact.”

 

Scientist David Scheel, who narrates the clip, called it “something I’ve never see recorded before.”

 

“You know if she is dreaming, this is a dramatic moment,” Scheel says. “You could almost just narrate the body changes and narrate the dream.”

 

“It’s a very unusual behavior, to see the color come and go on her mantle like that,” he said. “I mean, Just to be able to see all the color patterns just flashing one after the other. You don’t usually see that when an animal’s sleeping. this really is fascinating.”

 

The episode is scheduled to air Oct. 2.

[MscleLovr]

Fascinating. Thanks for posting this, @samhexum

 

I recently watched and was intrigued by a BBC documentary (“The octopus in my house”) where the same Alaskan marine biologist (David Scheel) had an octopus as a form of pet.

 

Here’s a link to a good review of the documentary https://www.newstatesman.com/the-octopus-in-my-house-bbc-two-review

 

And here’s a link to a clip, tho I don’t know if it will work in the US

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07kpmn1/p07kpm8m

[samhexum]

An octopus has been spotted in the now crystal clear canals of Venice under coronavirus lockdown.

 

The eight-legged visitor has left Venitian scientists confused after it was seen swimming near the Piazzale Roma last week and reported to scientists at the city’s Institute of Marine Sciences.

 

Local Italian experts believe that the octopus has either escaped from a fish market or come from the Adriatic Sea, or it could have been popped in the water by local pranksters.

 

Director of Venice’s Natural History Museum, Luca Mizzan, said: “It’s really very strange that an octopus can get there in that environment so far from the sea and close to the hinterland.

 

“Nothing can be ruled out even if it’s a joke. The video shows that he is a visibly healthy octopus, he is not afraid,” he told Corriere del Veneto.

 

Octopuses are a very rare sight in the lagoon around Venice that has seen jellyfish, crabs and schools of fish return to the waters since the tourists and boats all left.

 

Since the water has stopped being constantly churned by boats, the sediment has settled and the clearer water means that people can now see the fish.

 

Noise pollution has decreased dramatically which encourages living things that would otherwise have been frightened off.

 

Local scientists believe the water has not been this clear in living memory.

 

Zoologist Andrea Mangoni said: “The flora and fauna of the lagoon have not changed during lockdown. What has changed is our chance to see them.”

 

Mangoni’s film of a jellyfish swimming slowly through translucent canal water has gone viral on social media.

 

Mangoni says life in Venice these days is “like being on a coral reef”.

 

He added “The number of colours and lifeforms is extraordinary, which makes the lagoon unique,” he said.

 

But local experts have warned that the few months of lockdown won’t suffice to make a significant impact on the quality of the lagoon’s ecosystem.

 

Tourists are expected to return to the city in June when Italy plans to reopen bars and restaurants.

[samhexum]

A new paper published in the journal Ecology has found that octopuses punch fish — sometimes to ensure collaborative hunting, and sometimes just ’cause.

 

“OCTOPUSES. PUNCH. FISHES!!” study co-author Eduardo Sampaio excitedly tweeted of his research’s publication. “This was probably the most fun I had writing a paper. Ever!”

 

Octopuses and fish are known to hunt together, each benefiting from the other’s strengths — except when the tentacled ocean thugs decide to randomly pop their collaborators right in the scales.

 

An octopus punch looks like “a swift, explosive motion with one arm directed at a specific fish partner,” the paper describes — an act which costs octopuses little of their zeal. “[Actively] punching a fish partner entails a small energetic cost for the actor (i.e. octopus),” the authors explain.

 

Researchers recorded eight octopus-on-fish fight videos between 2018 and 2019 in the Red Sea involving a diversity of victims, including squirrelfish, blacktip, lyretail, groupers, yellow-saddle and goatfishes.

 

While six of the fisticuff outbreaks could be linked to obvious octopus motives — including the wholesome desire to “ensure collaboration” — two appear to be wanton acts of fish violence. The researchers do not fully understand why octopuses sometimes have violent, purposeless episodes but believe it could simply be “spiteful behavior” or a form of “punishment.”

 

How hurt the fish are by such outbursts — physically and emotionally — are also currently beyond the knowledge of science.

 

“We’ve never seen permanent marks or anything like that from getting punched, but can’t say for sure if fish are hurt or not. It’s clear they don’t like it!” Sampaio tweeted.

 

In addition to experiencing apparently unnecessary spurts of aggression, octopuses are also similar to humans in giving hugs, dreaming, being negatively impacted by climate change and preferring feely-touchy group hangs to chilling alone with a Chewbacca action figure when dosed with molly.

[+ Reisr30]

A new paper published in the journal Ecology has found that octopuses punch fish — sometimes to ensure collaborative hunting, and sometimes just ’cause.

 

“OCTOPUSES. PUNCH. FISHES!!” study co-author Eduardo Sampaio excitedly tweeted of his research’s publication. “This was probably the most fun I had writing a paper. Ever!”

 

Octopuses and fish are known to hunt together, each benefiting from the other’s strengths — except when the tentacled ocean thugs decide to randomly pop their collaborators right in the scales.

 

An octopus punch looks like “a swift, explosive motion with one arm directed at a specific fish partner,” the paper describes — an act which costs octopuses little of their zeal. “[Actively] punching a fish partner entails a small energetic cost for the actor (i.e. octopus),” the authors explain.

 

Researchers recorded eight octopus-on-fish fight videos between 2018 and 2019 in the Red Sea involving a diversity of victims, including squirrelfish, blacktip, lyretail, groupers, yellow-saddle and goatfishes.

 

While six of the fisticuff outbreaks could be linked to obvious octopus motives — including the wholesome desire to “ensure collaboration” — two appear to be wanton acts of fish violence. The researchers do not fully understand why octopuses sometimes have violent, purposeless episodes but believe it could simply be “spiteful behavior” or a form of “punishment.”

 

How hurt the fish are by such outbursts — physically and emotionally — are also currently beyond the knowledge of science.

 

“We’ve never seen permanent marks or anything like that from getting punched, but can’t say for sure if fish are hurt or not. It’s clear they don’t like it!” Sampaio tweeted.

 

In addition to experiencing apparently unnecessary spurts of aggression, octopuses are also similar to humans in giving hugs, dreaming, being negatively impacted by climate change and preferring feely-touchy group hangs to chilling alone with a Chewbacca action figure when dosed with molly.

 

?

[samhexum]

A fisherman in Hawaii reportedly caught a large octopus and broke a state record that was once held by his brother.

Michael Matsunaga was bottom-fishing at 400 feet when he felt a tug on his line.

Though he struggled to reel in his line, Matsunaga was finally able to bring the octopus onto his boat.

“I finally got him in the cooler,” Matsunaga told HawaiiNewsNow. “And then I had to sit on the cooler because he was kinda of lifting me up.”

When he returned to shore, Matsunaga brought the octopus to Hana Pa’a Fishing Co., where it weighed in at 25.95 pounds, the record for the largest octopus caught in Hawaii. 

The previous record was held by Matsunaga’s brother, Stewart Matsunaga, who caught a 19-pound octopus in 2000.

Matsunaga plans to eat the octopus, after boiling it in beer, “one leg at a time.”

Why would you boil it one leg at a time? 

Edited September 25, 2022 by samhexum
just for the hell of it.

[samhexum]

Just off California, octopuses are converging by the thousands. Here's why:

 

It was the last hour of a 30-hour dive, nearly two murky miles below the ocean’s surface.

A remotely operated vehicle called the Hercules was exploring the foothills of the Davidson Seamount, an underwater volcano about 90 miles southwest of Monterey. Aboard the boat carrying researchers monitoring the Hercules, it was expected to be a fairly boring dive, said Chad King, the chief scientist on the 2018 cruise. Much research had been done near the top and slope of the seamount, but King and his fellow scientists wanted to explore around its base, expecting to find little sponges or corals amid lots of seafloor muck.

But then, just as Hercules crossed over a ridge, a curious sight floated across the screen: small, almost iridescent bulbs clinging to the seamount wall. The scientists directed Hercules down, farther into the depths.

“And sure enough, that's where we ran into thousands and thousands of these octopus,” King said. “And we were just absolutely floored. We were just giddy.” 

The scientists, led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, had alighted upon what they called an “octopus garden.” The images they captured revealed nearly 6,000 octopuses — leading scientists to estimate the total population of the area could exceed 20,000.

The discovery of the thousands of Muusoctopus robustus — or “pearl octopus,” as researchers dubbed it for the animal’s shape and opalescent shine — led a team of scientists on a five-year quest to solve the mystery: Why are there so many thousands of pearl octopuses at the foot of the Davidson Seamount, and how were they living there?

The researchers visited Octopus Garden more than a dozen times to find out, and a study published last week in the journal Science Advances shows they solved one part of the mystery. The pearl octopus came to the Davidson Seamount, they discovered, to nestle into the warm crooks of its wall and brood baby octopuses. 

The ambient temperature of water around the seamount is about 35 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute scientists. But by using sophisticated marine thermometers, the researchers found that the octopuses were settling into crevices warmed by spring water, where the temperature reached nearly 51 degrees.

“So we're still unsure exactly about what kind of geological circulation drives these springs, but essentially water’s getting heated somewhere underground there,” said Steve Litvin, marine ecologist at the institute. “And just like a warm spring, you know, I don't want to say ‘Old Faithful,’ but it's bubbling up there out of the rocks.”

The relatively warm spring water raises the mother octopus’ metabolism, speeding up the egg development process. Researchers found that octopus eggs in the area hatch in less than two years — far less than the estimated five to eight years it takes in colder temperatures. 

“They’re in warm water, the metabolism is much faster," King said, "so their life history has been very compressed relative to most deep-sea animals.”

Solving one mystery only ignited a burst of other questions for the scientists: Where did the octopus come from? Do they instinctively know that the warm waters will speed up the brooding process? How many other octopus nurseries exist on the seafloor around the world?

“We know so little about the deep ocean,” Litvin said. “The discovery of the garden and all these thousands of octopus … just highlights that this is the biggest ecosystem on our planet, and we know less about it than we know about the surface of the moon.”

Scientists still don’t know where the grapefruit-sized octopuses came from, or how they knew to settle against the Davidson Seamount’s warm rocks. But over years of monitoring them, they watched the octopuses mate, settle, brood and hatch new offspring. 

Once an egg is hatched, the mother octopus dies. Shrimps, snails, anemones and other organisms feed off the octopus' carcass. Most deep-sea animals rely on food floating down from the ocean surface — “marine snow,” Litvin called it. But with such a large number of octopuses living and dying in one area, he said, they provide the seafloor community “about 70% more carbon, more food than if only that marine snow was coming down.” 

“You wouldn't see this specific ecosystem at the garden," Litvin said, "if it wasn't for all those octopus dying.”

Once a new octopus is hatched, the juvenile swims off into the darkness, Litvin said. Where does it go? That’s a question for future research to answer, he said.

“That's the largest aggregation of octopus in the world,” Litvin said. “So the thought that these kinds of ecosystems are still hiding from us — that after a couple of decades of a lot of deep-sea exploration, there's still that scale of a discovery — is just amazing, and really highlights the need for continued investment in technology so we can expand our efforts to explore the deep sea, find the next Octopus Garden and literally, again, understand how that biggest ecosystem in our planet works.” 

 

A female pearl octopus broods her eggs near the Davidson Seamount off California. 

 

 

A 2019 image from video shows female pearl octopuses nesting at the base of an extinct underwater volcano. 

 

 

A time-lapse camera monitors aggregations of female pearl octopuses nesting at the Octopus Garden. 

 

https://www.aol.com/news/just-off-california-octopuses-converging-120006000.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2023 by samhexum
for shits and giggles

[samhexum]

It all started because his 9-year-old son wanted a pet.

Not just any pet. An octopus. Specifically, a California two-spot octopus, also known as a bimac.

So, Cameron Clifford, a 36-year-old dentist in rural Oklahoma, did what many dads would do. He made a call to a local aquarium store inquiring about getting an octopus.

Little did he know, that call would eventually spawn 50 surprise octopus babies in his home, thousands of dollars in water damage and other fees as well as an epic father-son TikTok saga that has warmed the hearts of nearly 400 thousand followers.

"I think there's a lot of people out there that had this crazy pipe dream when they were a kid, and then it just kind of fizzled away as they got older," he says. "I think they also really empathize with kind of this stereotypical story of a father who decides to give his child a pet, and then, of course, turns into the father almost taking exclusive care of that pet, except to the nines in this case."

 

Clifford says his son Cal has always had deep, inexplicable love for octopuses. Since he was 2, Cal has asked for a pet octopus at every birthday, Christmas and major holiday.

Clifford and his wife always thought it was a funny and adorable request − and they happily gifted him toy octopuses as presents. Never, however, did they think owning a pet octopus was a dream they could make a reality.

"His ultimate dream, his cloud nine, the greatest thing that could ever possibly happen in one's life had just become a possibility, and he just broke down," Clifford recalls. "My friends and family, of course, all, as you probably imagine, said to me, 'Well, now you have to get it for him. You can't just dangle that in front of him and then turn around and just flatline that dream.' "

 

So Clifford spent the next several weeks documenting his and his son's preparation for their pet octopus, whom they named Terrance. That meant researching, ordering and installing a proper saltwater tank and water cycling system in their home, as well as making sure they had access to an octopus' food supply. Clifford says he bought most of the materials secondhand on Facebook Marketplace and expected the whole ordeal to cost around $600 to $700.

He was wrong.

Terrance arrived and was bigger than expected − which meant they needed a bigger tank. When Terrance's 50 surprise babies arrived, "all bets were off," Clifford says, and he spent $300 a week to overnight food for the hatchlings. Not to mention the water damage to his house, which he says is still under repair.

All in all, Clifford estimates he's spent around $3,000 to $4,000 on octopuses over the past year. "Do not get a pet octopus unless you're ready to lose sleep and your kids' college fund simultaneously," he jokes.

About two months after her arrival, Terrance laid eggs, signaling the end of her lifespan. As Clifford notes on TikTok, female bimac octopuses usually live one-to-two years. When they lay eggs, they stop eating or taking care of themselves, devoting the rest of their lives to protecting their den until their eggs hatch.

 

Experts assured Clifford that Terrence's eggs couldn't be fertilized, meaning they'd never hatch. Clifford and his family handfed Terrence as she protected her perceived young, letting her live out her final purpose according to nature, even if it was all in vain. But then to Clifford's shock, all 50 of Terrence's eggs hatched.

Clifford called local aquariums and research facilities begging them to take the babies. They all declined. So he did the next logical thing: He resorted to TikTok, sharing the videos he'd only previously posted for friends and family on his private Instagram.

His account exploded in popularity, and now he's in communication with major aquariums, universities and research facilities across the country interested in taking the octopuses off his hands. He's also solicited the internet for names for the babies − the punnier, the better. His favorite? InverteBrett.

The experience has had its fair share of challenges, he says, but seeing the joy it's brought to Cal, as well as his 6-year-old son Lyle, has been worth it. It's also been special to see the internet − a notoriously divisive space − rally in near unanimous support for him and his family as they navigate the ups and downs of their octopus journey.

"As far as regrets, there's so many," he says. "I wish I wouldn't have opened that valve that way and dumped all that dirty seawater onto my kids' white carpet. That's certainly a regret. But overall, no, it's been an absolutely fun experience, not just for me, but also for my kids."

Clifford says the baby octopuses haven't been rehomed yet and are staying with "Dr. Tim," a family friend and reptile scientist. Usually only 1-5% of bimac babies survive into adulthood, Clifford says; two months out from hatching, a staggering 50% of Terrance's babies are still alive: "Every scientist I speak to is always kind of astonished by that fact that we were able to get such a high yield in a kid's bathroom."

Clifford says his ultimate goal is for his TikTok followers across the country to be able to visit Terrance's offspring at their local aquariums once the babies find their new homes.

"I think it would just be such a cool experience, if you had followed along with the account, (to) go to your state aquarium and see one of the babies − JaySea or BeyonSea or Swim Shady or Squid Cudi − in person," he says.

He also intends to go back to his normal life, which has been disrupted by going viral. Clifford and his wife have taken strides to shield their children from knowing just how famous their family has become online. But that's become more difficult now that news cameras have entered their house.

For Clifford, the wellbeing of his kids will always come first. It's something he and Terrance have in common.

"Of course, with this whole social media thing, it's like I'm now missing bedtime because I'm doing some interview. And that of course then becomes counterproductive if you're like, 'OK, well, I'm documenting how great of a dad I am, and now here I am not putting my kids to bed.' So I have to be careful with it as well," he says. "It's just been a little wilder than most of the experiences we have, but my son has absolutely loved this experience."

And for those wondering: Yes, Terrence is, somehow, still alive.

"She's doing good. She is just living out the rest of her life in her tank by herself," Clifford says. "She will probably die in the next several weeks, although my assumptions of her have been wrong consistently."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2024/04/12/tiktok-dad-viral-octopus-50-eggs-babies/73294427007/

[CuriousByNature]

1 hour ago, samhexum said:

It all started because his 9-year-old son wanted a pet.

Not just any pet. An octopus. Specifically, a California two-spot octopus, also known as a bimac.

So, Cameron Clifford, a 36-year-old dentist in rural Oklahoma, did what many dads would do. He made a call to a local aquarium store inquiring about getting an octopus.

Little did he know, that call would eventually spawn 50 surprise octopus babies in his home, thousands of dollars in water damage and other fees as well as an epic father-son TikTok saga that has warmed the hearts of nearly 400 thousand followers.

"I think there's a lot of people out there that had this crazy pipe dream when they were a kid, and then it just kind of fizzled away as they got older," he says. "I think they also really empathize with kind of this stereotypical story of a father who decides to give his child a pet, and then, of course, turns into the father almost taking exclusive care of that pet, except to the nines in this case."

 

Clifford says his son Cal has always had deep, inexplicable love for octopuses. Since he was 2, Cal has asked for a pet octopus at every birthday, Christmas and major holiday.

Clifford and his wife always thought it was a funny and adorable request − and they happily gifted him toy octopuses as presents. Never, however, did they think owning a pet octopus was a dream they could make a reality.

"His ultimate dream, his cloud nine, the greatest thing that could ever possibly happen in one's life had just become a possibility, and he just broke down," Clifford recalls. "My friends and family, of course, all, as you probably imagine, said to me, 'Well, now you have to get it for him. You can't just dangle that in front of him and then turn around and just flatline that dream.' "

 

So Clifford spent the next several weeks documenting his and his son's preparation for their pet octopus, whom they named Terrance. That meant researching, ordering and installing a proper saltwater tank and water cycling system in their home, as well as making sure they had access to an octopus' food supply. Clifford says he bought most of the materials secondhand on Facebook Marketplace and expected the whole ordeal to cost around $600 to $700.

He was wrong.

Terrance arrived and was bigger than expected − which meant they needed a bigger tank. When Terrance's 50 surprise babies arrived, "all bets were off," Clifford says, and he spent $300 a week to overnight food for the hatchlings. Not to mention the water damage to his house, which he says is still under repair.

All in all, Clifford estimates he's spent around $3,000 to $4,000 on octopuses over the past year. "Do not get a pet octopus unless you're ready to lose sleep and your kids' college fund simultaneously," he jokes.

About two months after her arrival, Terrance laid eggs, signaling the end of her lifespan. As Clifford notes on TikTok, female bimac octopuses usually live one-to-two years. When they lay eggs, they stop eating or taking care of themselves, devoting the rest of their lives to protecting their den until their eggs hatch.

 

Experts assured Clifford that Terrence's eggs couldn't be fertilized, meaning they'd never hatch. Clifford and his family handfed Terrence as she protected her perceived young, letting her live out her final purpose according to nature, even if it was all in vain. But then to Clifford's shock, all 50 of Terrence's eggs hatched.

Clifford called local aquariums and research facilities begging them to take the babies. They all declined. So he did the next logical thing: He resorted to TikTok, sharing the videos he'd only previously posted for friends and family on his private Instagram.

His account exploded in popularity, and now he's in communication with major aquariums, universities and research facilities across the country interested in taking the octopuses off his hands. He's also solicited the internet for names for the babies − the punnier, the better. His favorite? InverteBrett.

The experience has had its fair share of challenges, he says, but seeing the joy it's brought to Cal, as well as his 6-year-old son Lyle, has been worth it. It's also been special to see the internet − a notoriously divisive space − rally in near unanimous support for him and his family as they navigate the ups and downs of their octopus journey.

"As far as regrets, there's so many," he says. "I wish I wouldn't have opened that valve that way and dumped all that dirty seawater onto my kids' white carpet. That's certainly a regret. But overall, no, it's been an absolutely fun experience, not just for me, but also for my kids."

Clifford says the baby octopuses haven't been rehomed yet and are staying with "Dr. Tim," a family friend and reptile scientist. Usually only 1-5% of bimac babies survive into adulthood, Clifford says; two months out from hatching, a staggering 50% of Terrance's babies are still alive: "Every scientist I speak to is always kind of astonished by that fact that we were able to get such a high yield in a kid's bathroom."

Clifford says his ultimate goal is for his TikTok followers across the country to be able to visit Terrance's offspring at their local aquariums once the babies find their new homes.

"I think it would just be such a cool experience, if you had followed along with the account, (to) go to your state aquarium and see one of the babies − JaySea or BeyonSea or Swim Shady or Squid Cudi − in person," he says.

He also intends to go back to his normal life, which has been disrupted by going viral. Clifford and his wife have taken strides to shield their children from knowing just how famous their family has become online. But that's become more difficult now that news cameras have entered their house.

For Clifford, the wellbeing of his kids will always come first. It's something he and Terrance have in common.

"Of course, with this whole social media thing, it's like I'm now missing bedtime because I'm doing some interview. And that of course then becomes counterproductive if you're like, 'OK, well, I'm documenting how great of a dad I am, and now here I am not putting my kids to bed.' So I have to be careful with it as well," he says. "It's just been a little wilder than most of the experiences we have, but my son has absolutely loved this experience."

And for those wondering: Yes, Terrence is, somehow, still alive.

"She's doing good. She is just living out the rest of her life in her tank by herself," Clifford says. "She will probably die in the next several weeks, although my assumptions of her have been wrong consistently."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2024/04/12/tiktok-dad-viral-octopus-50-eggs-babies/73294427007/