Fact of the Day: 12/01/2023

You may have seen some videos going around of octopuses ‘punching’ fish for what seems like fun. Is this real? Yes, octopuses can punch fish, or at least have been seen hitting them with a tentacle. But it’s not for fun. The thing is, octopuses and fish will occasionally work together to go and hunt for food (par 1). The reason they do this is so that they can cover more ground. But things don’t always work out. According to LiveScience.com, “when big blue octopuses, also known as day octopuses, are displeased with their fish partners, they demonstrate their ire by suddenly punching the fish in the head” (par. 2). This has apparently been going on for years across many different locations and with many species. Who knew? Reprimanding teammates is not just unique to humans.

Reference(s): https://www.livescience.com/octopuses-punch-fish.html 

Fact Author: Bailey W.

Fact Editor: Ace

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