The video of octopuses punching fish is quite surprising and funny to me. I know animals display certain odd behaviors from time to time, but seeing an octopus sucker punch a fish is very amusing. What are the octopuses thinking when they do that? Is it a reflex reaction or was it intentional? Furthermore, what did the fish do to provoke the ire of the octopus? A paper suggests that the reason for this is that certain fish are taking advantage of the octopus on a hunt, and the octopus is merely retaliating.
On another note, Marina Wang from Hakai Magazine had created a comic based on a new study where researchers looked into the biomechanics of the octopus punch. Take a look at the comic here.
(Video credit: Hakai Magazine)
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And the octopus with feet would be thinking "Kick them in the bass!" and You are my anemone!" Which might explain why sea bass are so ill tempered
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If octopi had feet then they would kick those fish away from their lair but since they have no feet but 8 arms then punching those fish is the better option. I wonder what they would do if they had 8 tails instead of arms. Maybe wag them to death?
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they punch fish to warn them to keep their distance. if they don't, the fish will nibble the ends of the octopus tentacles, till there's nothing left. octopus are edible, they remind the fish that fish are edible too.
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