The intensive blue-ringed colouring makes the octopus shine in the Pacific Ocean. However, it’s venom is one of the most fatal in the world.

Although the blue-ringed octopus only reaches a maximum body length of about 50 millimetres it is recognized as one of the most poisonous animals in the world. By nature very shy, high tides sometimes wash it into small tide pools and coral reefs where it hunts small crabs and live clams. This is where humans find them, pick them up and get bitten. The bite itself is small and not very painful but after only a few minutes, respiratory depression and paralysis start to set in.

They only show their intensive colouring when they are under stress. Shortly after mating, the male dies, whereas the female dies after the eggs hatch. The female only lays eggs once in her lifetime.