5 Blue-Ringed Octopus Facts That’ll Leave You Shook!

I present to you the unassuming, but beautifully colored, Blue-Ringed Octopus whose saliva contains a toxin that’s 1,000 times more powerful than cyanide.

Despite their small size, Blue Ringed Octopuses (Hapalochlaena sp., commonly referred to as BRO’s) are recognized as one of the most venomous animals in the world.

You will find the Blue-Ringed Octopus in shallow coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific slinking around coral and rocky reefs, seagrass, and algae beds.

WHERE TO FIND THE BLUE-RINGED OCTOPUS

With so many of you asking us questions about the Blue-Ringed Octopus on our Facebook and Instagram posts, we wanted to share some more fun facts about this small, but deadly octopus.

This type of response is called aposematic behavior when animals flash colors warning predators that if they dare take a bite they won’t live to tell the tale.

‘Try Me If You Dare’ Attitude

Toxic Like Tetrodotoxin

All species in the Blue-Ringed Octopus family have saliva which contains a powerful neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin. It is produced by bacteria and is a powerful, fast-acting toxin.

There is no antidote for TTX. Treatment consists of life-supportive measures, including artificial ventilation. ⁣⁣So, make sure to respect their space and stay clear!

Fun Fact

The Bite Of A Blue-Ringed Octopus

A tiny bite could result in complete: – Paralysis – Blindness – Loss of senses – Nausea And, could result in death within minutes!

Fun Fact Heads up! ALL octopuses are venomous but only two contain the lethal TTX (the Blue-Ringed Octopus and the Mototi Octopus).

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Giant Pacific Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)

Greater Argonaut (Argonauta argo)

Hairy Octopus (Octopus sp.)

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