A routine visit to a Texas aquarium turned unsettling for one family when a 6-year-old boy was left with extensive bruises after an octopus latched onto his arm and wouldn’t let go.
Britney Taryn, the child’s mother, shared details of the July 14 incident in a TikTok video following a visit to the San Antonio Aquarium. According to her, the giant Pacific octopus grabbed her son Leo’s arm while he was interacting with it at a touch tank.
Taryn explained that the family had visited the aquarium before — and had even encountered the same octopus during prior visits.
Neither the San Antonio Aquarium nor Taryn responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
In the TikTok video, Taryn shows Leo’s arm covered with clusters of deep purple suction marks stretching from his wrist to his armpit.
“My son is usually calm around animals. So when he started saying, ‘Mom, it’s not letting go’ — and in a very calm tone — I realized something was wrong,” she recalled. “As I helped him step down from the ledge, I tried pulling him away, but the octopus just wouldn’t let go.”
She added, “It even started coming out of the tank — and that’s part of why we don’t have photos or video. My friend who was with me was also panicking.”
On July 26, the San Antonio Aquarium posted a TikTok video explaining the type of bruises a Pacific octopus can leave and how long they can last — typically between seven to 14 days.
“So there’s around 200 suction cups per arm,” an aquarium employee explained. “As they grow, they’ll actually shed their suction cups.”
The aquarium also noted that the giant Pacific octopus is capable of lifting up to 700 pounds.
In a follow-up video, Taryn said she now plans to advocate for improved safety measures and more humane living conditions for the animals in the facility — including the octopus involved.
She also stated that she had contacted the San Antonio Aquarium to formally document the incident and asked for transparency regarding their animal interaction policies and safety protocols.
As of now, Taryn claims she has not received a response from the Texas-based aquarium.
