Octopuses are increasingly popular as pets but have welfare needs that almost no home aquarium can meet.
Octopus keeping as a companion animal is welfare-problematic for several reasons. Their cognitive complexity means they need substantial enrichment to avoid boredom and stereotypic behaviors. Their escape artistry means tanks must be exceptionally secure or animals frequently die from desiccation after escaping. They need live or fresh prey in quantities that require sustained effort. Despite their short lifespan, they suffer significantly in inadequate conditions. Aquariums capable of meeting octopus welfare needs are expensive and technically demanding. The impulse purchase of an octopus almost invariably ends in welfare failure.