- SEA LIFE, Jurassic Seas
Common Sydney Octopus
Meet One of Sydney’s Cleverest Cephalopods
Discover the remarkable Common Sydney octopus at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. Also known as the Gloomy octopus, this highly adaptable marine animal is recognised for its intelligence, camouflage skills and eight powerful arms.
Octopuses belong to a group of marine molluscs called cephalopods, alongside squid, cuttlefish and nautiluses. The word “cephalopod” means “head-foot”, referring to the way their arms are connected directly around their head.
You can find our Common Sydney octopus in Jurassic Seas. Octopuses are naturally secretive and may spend time resting inside their den, so they may not always be immediately visible.
Please note, sometimes our octopus may be off display.
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General Admission
- Price includes Digi Photo Pass with 8 digital photos included – valued at $26!
- Get your ticket on your phone
- Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult (18+)
- Guarantee entry by booking online
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Ticket Type Weekdays Weekends School Holidays & Public Holidays On the day Advanced On the day Advanced On the day Advanced Adult $49.00 $39.00 $57.00 $45.00 $57.00 $53.00 Child $42.00 $26.00 $42.00 $33.60 $42.00 $40.00 Concession $43.00 $29.00 $48.00 $38.40 $48.00 $48.00 Child (0-1 yrs) FREE *All concession holders must have a valid concession/student/health care card to gain access to the attraction with a Student/Senior ticket.
*Please note peak includes school holidays from other Australian states and public holidays.
Please note: Our ticket pricing is subject to available capacity and prices may fluctuate during periods of high demand.
2 Attraction Pass
- Choose from: WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, Madame Tussauds Sydney or Sydney Tower Eye
- Visit your second attraction within 60 days after you have visited SEA LIFE
- Price includes Digi Photo Pass with 8 digital photos included
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Savings percentages are based on the maximum cost of purchasing individual entry tickets for each attraction when compared to purchasing a combo pass for the same date type (e.g. peak/off-peak, advance/on-the-day purchase).
SEA LIFE Sydney Annual Pass
- 12 months of family fun at SEA LIFE Sydney
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This pass does not allow entry on the below dates. You can instead purchase entry at a 50% discount or upgrade to a Merlin Annual Pass at the attraction.
- 3 - 6 April
- 25 December - 3 January
- Receive 20% off food & experiences and 10% off retail
- Pre-Booking is essential across all attractions
Merlin Annual Pass
- 12 months of family fun at 8 top attractions in Australia and New Zealand
- Receive 20% off food & experiences and 10% off retail
- No blackout periods
- Pre-Booking is essential across all attractions
Fast Facts About Octopuses
Three Hearts and Blue Blood
Octopuses have three hearts. Their blood contains a copper-based protein called haemocyanin, which gives it a blue appearance rather than red.
Masters of Camouflage
Cephalopods are masters of camouflage and can change not just their colour but their texture as well to help blend in to their surroundings.
No Backbone or Bones
Octopuses are invertebrates and have no backbone. Their soft bodies allow them to squeeze through very small openings, provided their hard beak can fit through the gap.
Clever Problem Solvers
Octopuses have complex nervous systems and are capable of learning, remembering and solving problems.
IUCN Conservation Status
Least Concern
The most recently verifiable species record lists the Common Sydney octopus as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Scientific Name
Octopus tetricus
Alternative Name
Gloomy octopus
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Octopoda
Family: Octopodidae
Genus: Octopus
Identification and Size
Common Sydney octopuses are generally grey or mottled brown, with rusty-orange colouring along their tentacles and distinctive pale or white pupils. Their skin can appear smooth, rough or spiky depending on how they are camouflaging themselves. They can reach approximately 80cm in body length, with an arm span of up to 2m.
Habitat
Common Sydney octopuses live along intertidal rocky shores and in coastal waters. They use rocky reefs, crevices and seagrass habitats, but may also spend considerable time on sandy or soft sediment seabeds.
Distribution
This species occurs along the east coast of Australia and is particularly well known in the coastal waters of New South Wales, including Sydney Harbour. Its distribution has also extended farther south as ocean temperatures have changed.
Feeding and Diet
Common Sydney octopuses are carnivores. They mainly eat crustaceans and molluscs, including crabs, lobsters, scallops, sea snails and bivalves.
Breeding
During reproduction, the male uses a specially adapted arm to help fertilise the female’s eggs. She later lays thousands of tiny eggs in long strings, attaching them safely inside her den. The female stays with her eggs as they grow, gently cleaning them and moving fresh water over them. She does not leave to hunt during this time. After the eggs hatch, the female reaches the natural end of her life cycle.
Threats
The Common Sydney octopus is not currently considered globally threatened. However, individuals may be caught through targeted fishing or as bycatch, and warming oceans are changing the species’ distribution. Changes to rocky reefs, seagrass and other coastal habitats may also affect the availability of food and suitable dens.
Conservation
Because the species is currently listed as Least Concern, conservation efforts are primarily centred on maintaining healthy coastal habitats, reducing unnecessary bycatch and ensuring fisheries remain sustainable. Protecting rocky reefs, seagrass beds and diverse coastal ecosystems benefits the Common Sydney octopus and the many other animals that share its habitat.
Discover Jurassic Seas
Journey into Jurassic Seas at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and meet fascinating animals whose ancestors have lived in our oceans for millions of years.
Explore the aquarium, discover incredible marine life and see whether you can spot our Common Sydney octopus resting inside its den.
Discover Jurassic Seas
Common Sydney Octopus FAQs
Yes. Octopuses belong to the class Cephalopoda, together with squid, cuttlefish and nautiluses. Cephalopods are a group of marine molluscs with arms or tentacles positioned around their head.
No. An octopus is a mollusc and an invertebrate, not a fish. Unlike fish, octopuses do not have bones, scales or a backbone.
No. Octopuses are invertebrates, meaning they have no backbone or internal skeleton. Their only significant hard body part is their beak.
An octopus has three hearts. Two pump blood through the gills, while the third circulates oxygenated blood around the rest of its body.
Octopus blood uses a copper-rich protein called haemocyanin to transport oxygen. This gives the blood a blue appearance.
Yes. Octopuses can rapidly change their colour and patterns using specialised skin cells called chromatophores. They can also alter the texture of their skin to resemble rocks, sand or seaweed.
Common Sydney octopuses mainly eat crustaceans and molluscs, including crabs, lobsters, scallops, snails and other shellfish.
Common Sydney octopuses grow quickly and generally have a short lifespan of approximately one to two years. Their exact lifespan can vary depending on environmental conditions.
You can look for our Common Sydney octopus in the Jurassic Seas area at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. Octopuses are naturally secretive and may sometimes be resting or hidden inside their den.
Please Note: Sometimes our octopus may be off display.
Find an Octopus Friend
Explore octopus toys and other underwater favourites from the SEA LIFE Sydney online shop.
Understand the evolution of colours in animals and watch Veronica the Octopus change colour!
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium called in the colour experts to discuss the evolution of colours in animals.
Read more
Octopus Lends A Tentacle
Rocky the Octopus lends an arm for construction of all new Jurassic Seas experience
Read more
How to make a Blue-ringed octopus clay craft
Get crafty this weekend and make your very own blue-ringed ocotpus out of clay!
Read more- Australian Museum. Common Sydney Octopus – Octopus tetricus. Information on identification, size, habitat, distribution, feeding and behaviour.
- Australian Museum. Octopus, Squid and Cuttlefish – Class Cephalopoda. General information on cephalopod classification, anatomy, diet and adaptations.
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Octopus tetricus. Assessed as Least Concern.
- World Register of Marine Species. Octopus tetricus A. A. Gould, 1852. Accepted scientific name and taxonomic classification.
- Atlas of Living Australia. Octopus tetricus – Gloomy Octopus. Australian taxonomy, alternative names and recorded distribution.
- Smithsonian Ocean. Cephalopods: Octopus, Squid, Cuttlefish and Nautilus. General information on living cephalopods, intelligence, camouflage and other adaptations.
- Anderson, T.J. (1997). “Habitat selection and shelter use by Octopus tetricus.” Marine Ecology Progress Series, 150, 137–148.
- Joll, L.M. (1976). “Mating, egg-laying and hatching of Octopus tetricus in the laboratory.” Marine Biology, 36, 327–333.
- Ramos, J.E., Pecl, G.T., Moltschaniwskyj, N.A., Strugnell, J.M., León, R.I. and Semmens, J.M. (2014). “Body size, growth and life span: implications for the polewards range shift of Octopus tetricus in south-eastern Australia.” PLOS ONE, 9(8).
- Scheel, D., Godfrey-Smith, P. and Lawrence, M. (2014). “Octopus tetricus as an ecosystem engineer.” Scientia Marina, 78(4).
