Britney Taryn, the mother of a 6-year-old boy who was left with welts on his arm after an octopus latched onto him at the San Antonio Aquarium, shared video of the incident on TikTok, sparking widespread attention. The video shows the child’s arm covered in scars, with some reaching up to his armpit. Taryn explained that her son had previously interacted with the octopus at the aquarium, where the creature would typically suction onto him before releasing. This time, however, the octopus clung onto the child and refused to let go, prompting her to try to pull the child away from the tank. Three aquarium staff members were needed to assist in separating the child from the octopus.
The San Antonio Aquarium issued a statement on TikTok, addressing the incident and acknowledging the unusual nature of the encounter. The aquarium noted that the octopus displayed