Call to arms

Meet the giant Pacific octopuses of Ripley’s Aquarium

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Experiments have shown that octopuses can tell humans apart.

Release the Kraken!

The stuff of nightmares for many people, the octopus has been depicted in literature and art for centuries as terrors of the sea.

Prathamesh Kulkarni wants to dispel that myth. “Octopuses are not some fearsome sea monsters who enjoy chomping on fish and ships,” says the aquarist in charge of the exhibit at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada on Bremner Boulevard. If anything, Spaghetti and Noodle — the giant Pacific octopuses in residence — are more reminiscent of puppies.

“Weird as it may sound, they both like water being sprayed or trickled on them,” Kulkarni says. While Spaghetti, a two-year-old male, loves his toy watering can, Noodle, a sevenmonth-old female, enjoys head pats and tickles. “Spaghetti,” Kulkarni says, “is more into showing off his strength and gets into a tug of war with me for his feeding pole — and more often than not, wins. He would hold on to it for a while and then just drop it at the bottom of his tank for me to fish it out later.”

According to Kulkarni, giant Pacific octopuses have gotten lots of attention since the documentary “My Octopus Teacher” began streaming on Netflix. And when people find out he works with them, he says, “(they) react with awe and interest.”

The largest of the species, giant Pacific octopuses usually weigh around 33 pounds, although they can grow upwards of 110 pounds. Spaghetti, who has been with Ripley’s since July, weighs 44 pounds.

It takes these predators one-tenth of a second to change colour, allowing them to blend with their surroundings and become more effective hunters. Since giant Pacific octopuses can only be kept with certain other species, Spaghetti shares a tank with striped surfperch, anemones and starfish. Noodle, a fivepound juvenile who arrived at Ripley’s late last year, is not yet on display. She will live alone in a holding tank until Spaghetti goes into senescence and will be retired.

Native to the north Pacific region, these octopuses are not endangered, Kulkarni says, but face threats including pollution and overfishing of their prey: shrimps, clams, lobsters, crabs and scallops. In the wild, they prefer cool water, low light levels, rocky terrain and caves where they can hide, all of which is replicated in the octopus exhibit’s 12,000litre tank.

Intelligent and sentient animals, they can recognize human faces. “Experiments have shown than octopuses can tell humans apart,” say Kulkarni, who adds that they can also form bonds with their handlers. “Both Noodle and Spaghetti appear to be a lot calmer when we are interacting with them.”

Noodle, he adds, appears to have taken a dislike to someone on the team. “Three times now,” Kukarni says, “I’ve seen Noodle start to siphon and squirt water as that particular staff member came close to say hello.”

A certified diving instructor who has worked with sharks, rays, eels and jellyfish, Kulkarni joined Ripley’s as a diver in 2018, moving on to the husbandry team in 2020. The primary aquarist for the giant Pacific octopus tank for the past six months, he is responsible for monitoring health and maintaining the cleanliness of the tank and its water chemistry.

Kulkarni and assistant aquarist Caroline Dyer also do training and enrichment. “Training for them is mostly to get them used to getting in a bucket and staying there – or a net for Spaghetti, as he is too big for a bucket — so the vet can have a look or if they need to be weighed,” says Kulkarni. Every interaction with the aquarist is a form of enrichment, including feeding time, which Kulkarni begins by putting a target in the water and splashing five times — the cue for them to come over. “They will then start feeling my hand with their suckers,” he says, “which not only gives them a strong grip, but also sense of taste and smell.

“About 66 per cent of octopuses’ neurons are in their arms, which can also feature more than 2,000 suckers,” he adds. “That’s why sometimes, they are said to have nine brains — one main centralized brain and one from each arm.”

Despite being raised in captivity, both Noodle and Spaghetti are very good at foraging, a skill their handlers keep sharp by zip-tying food to plants in the tanks. “It is always gone by the next day,” Kulkarni says. “They have figured out how to twist and turn to open a ball with food in it, and Noodle can open a lid on a plastic jar to reach for food inside.”

Kulkani’s job is not without risk: octopuses use their sharp beaks to inject venom in their prey. “One has to be careful to not put their hand right by the beak,” he says. But that hasn’t stopped him from diving into the tanks once a month to get up close. “It’s a relationship of trust. I would like to believe that (we’re) best friends.”