The Octopus Etiquette Guide

Scott Neal   Oct 08, 2026

octopus Avelo Scuba Equipment Scuba Diving Certification

How to behave around marine life without stressing it out.

Happy World Octopus Day! October 8 was picked because an octopus has eight arms. It's not an official holiday. It's just a day for ocean nerds to celebrate, and we're happy to be among them.

Octopuses are curious, clever, and a little bit weird. They're also easy to stress out without meaning to. Here's how to be a good guest.

Look, don't touch

This is the first rule you learn in a dive class, and it's the one that matters most. PADI says divers learn in their very first scuba class not to damage, touch, or harass underwater life.

Touching feels harmless. But an octopus's arms are covered in suction cups that can taste whatever they touch, so your hand is a much bigger deal to them than it is to you.

An octopus may also reach out to you. That's different from you grabbing it. Even then, stay calm and let it set the pace.

Don't chase

If an octopus slips into a crevice, let it go. PADI notes that chasing animals stresses them out and changes their natural behavior. If one looks frightened, back off, stay low, and stay still.

A good dive photo is never worth a stressed animal.

Remember, they bite

Cute doesn't mean harmless. Undercurrent, a long-running dive publication, points out that every octopus has a beak and injects venom to subdue prey. Most octopuses divers meet around here aren't dangerous to people, but a big one biting bare skin can do real damage. Handling also stresses the animal and can disorient it.

Hands to yourself is better for both of you.

Watch your fins and your buoyancy

You can disturb an octopus without ever touching it. Fins kick up silt and knock into the rocks and coral where octopuses live. Good buoyancy is basically good manners.

Don't block the exits

An octopus has its den, and it needs a clear way in and out. Don't crowd the opening or park your whole group in front of it. If you're sharing a spot, take a quick look and make room for the next diver.

Speak up

Spot a fellow diver grabbing or chasing an animal? Say something kindly. PADI encourages divers to share what they know about responsible marine life interactions with people who don't.

How we do it

[Add 1 to 2 sentences on what your dive briefings cover and how your crew handles a diver who gets too grabby.]

The biggest thing we can teach is buoyancy. Divers who hover well don't bump the bottom, kick up silt, or crash into an octopus's front door.

That's one reason we're an official Avelo Dive Center. Instead of a traditional BCD and weight belt, the Avelo System uses water in the tank to manage buoyancy. According to Avelo, it's nearly half the weight of standard scuba, and your buoyancy doesn't change with depth. Less fiddling with gear means more attention on what's in front of you, like an octopus tucked into a rock.

Ask us about getting certified on Avelo

Diving Avelo takes its own certification, separate from your regular open water card. Here's where you'd start:

• New to diving? The Avelo Diver course needs no prior certification. You do the eLearning on your own schedule, then train in the water with a certified Avelo Instructor.
• Already certified? Avelo Essentials is a two-dive add-on for open water divers and up.

It's all private or semi-private instruction, built around your schedule. No crowded classroom, no waiting for a group to fill up.

Want to sharpen your skills the traditional way? Ask us about PADI's Peak Performance Buoyancy course too.

Happy World Octopus Day. Now go be polite to something with eight arms.