Octopus opens valve, floods Santa Monica aquarium

An octopus today managed to pry loose a water-control valve at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, flooding the facility with more than 200 gallons of saltwater.

The valve is inside the sea creature's tank, and officials think the octopus grabbed hold of it while exploring.

"It found something loose and just pulled on it," said Tara Treiber, the aquarium's education manager. "They are very smart creatures."

A worker arriving this morning found water overflowing out of the tank and "a lovely little lake" on the floor — about 3 inches of water that damaged newly installed carpets, as well as walls and facades, Treiber said.

The damage could have been much worse had workers discovered the open valve later — potentially harming the sea life inside, Treiber said.

The female California two-spotted octopus has been housed at the aquarium for two months, she said.

"They are solitary but curious creatures," Treiber said.

—Andrew Blankstein

Photo: The octopus believed to have flooded Santa Monica's aquarium.

Credit: Tara Crow / Heal the Bay

Comments

[steve rodriguez]

That octopus really knows how to screw things up, he ready for the LA City Council!

[GeneTierney]

You just have to give the octopus points for ingenuity.

[Maverick]

This is just the beginning. Soon they shall take over the world, as soon as the signal is sent.

[pitbullstew]

the 'ol...the octopus did it trick again is it?

[Jim]

Octopi are scary smart. Now that this one has learned a new trick, expect her to keep trying to do it.

[mister jones]

I have this sudden hunger for calimari.

[Kriss]

Apparently, the octopus was trying to move to an adjacent, rent-controlled tank.

[Roger]

Yes I worry too. I'm reminded of The Onion story on Dolphins developing opposable thumbs and the resulting end of the human world. I trust there are monitoring procedures at the Aquarium on this new "Fifth Column"?

[way]

Never forget watching a Octopus get itself into a jar and then setting the jar top back on the jar. Octopus inside lid on.

[WiseOwl]

that little guy didn't want to be in there;)

[Daniel]

I used to be a bartender until I was laid off and replaced by an octopus. But I gotta hand it to em, they know how to multi task.

[acc]

I think he's trying to find the door to his real home. Animals are amazing!

[corollabruce]

You go, girl!

[jmags]

I for one etc., etc.

[Brettzky]

Maybe he was looking for his true love, the octo-mom,

[Cepha Lopod]

"The valve is inside the sea creature's tank"

Sheer genius.

[pinkerton]

Poor creature was probably bored out of its gord, considering the endless hours it's locked in the acquarium left to its own devices.

Amazing how intelligent they really are, which means they have a functioning brain. Perhaps the operators of the acquarium can figure out ways to occupy the octupi with some sort of "learning toys and tools" where they can lock and unlock knobs and such, providing an outlet for their boredom.

Luckily, I'm not a fan of calimari. I don't relish the idea of eating a creature that may be more intelligent than my neighbor.

[Jam]

Man, this is why I love the octopus. Best critter ever.

[Islander]

It must have thought it had found a tasty bivalve.

[Rob Nel]

maybe the Octopus is smarter than we think. We humans assume we are the smartest creatures on earth. If that was true, why would we have voted for G. Bush not only once but twice?

[Meredith]

Maybe the curator at the aquarium should take a tip from home aquarists who keep these guys - give them hard plastic baby and toddler toys (rings, etc.) Many of them do play with them - or just give the poor gal a high def TV and she can live like the rest of us. I hope the L.A. Times doesn't mind this "cephlapod watch hi-def story" link from the Sydney Morning Herald:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/octopuses-give-eight-thumbs-up-for-highdefinition-tv/2008/12/19/1229189886181.html

[Boo]

Well, you know what they say about "idle hands" or should I say idle arms especially if you have 8 ot them.