Beloved giant Pacific octopus 'Ghost' spends final days guarding unfertilized eggs at Long Beach aquarium

A giant Pacific octopus at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is in the final stage of her life, tending unfertilized eggs as staff and visitors bid her farewell.

Ghost laid eggs earlier this week and has entered senescence, a terminal phase in which female octopuses stop eating and devote their remaining energy to protecting and aerating their eggs. Aquarium officials said the eggs are unfertilized and will never hatch.

"She is a wonderful octopus and has made an eight-armed impression on all of our hearts," the Aquarium of the Pacific said on Instagram. The aquarium's vice president of animal care, Nate Jaros, said octopus senescence involves behaviors that prioritize egg care over the animal's own basic needs, including forgoing food and continually tending the eggs to prevent bacterial growth.

Ghost arrived at the Long Beach facility in May 2024 after being collected off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. Weighing about 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) at the time of arrival, she has grown to more than 50 pounds (22.7 kilograms), Jaros said. The giant Pacific octopus typically lives three to five years; Ghost is estimated to be between two and four years old.

Octopus reproduction in the wild is brief and solitary. Males and females meet only to mate and do not naturally cohabitate, a behavior that Aquarium of the Pacific officials said makes combining sexes in a shared space dangerous because of the risk of aggression or death. For that reason, the aquarium did not have a fertilized clutch of eggs.

Staff at the aquarium have long worked with Ghost in enrichment and husbandry activities designed to stimulate natural hunting and problem-solving behaviors. Jaros described her as a "super active and very physical octopus" who learned to voluntarily enter a basket for weighing and to accept routine care. Caregivers placed food inside toys and puzzles and once built a large acrylic maze for her; Jaros said she mastered it almost immediately.

While Ghost receives special attention in a private tank during her final days, the aquarium has already taken in a new octopus. The newcomer, weighing about 2 pounds (900 grams), will be evaluated for personality before staff choose a name. Jaros said the animal appears "super curious" and "seems to be a very outgoing animal."

Visitors and followers on social media have shared memories and tributes to Ghost. Some recounted seeing her on past visits to the aquarium, while others posted photos of tattoos or clothing bearing her likeness. Marine biology student Jay McMahon of Los Angeles said he was glad to have seen Ghost recently and called the connection people form with such animals meaningful, especially given their relatively short lives.

In the wild, female giant Pacific octopuses guard their eggs without feeding until the eggs hatch, after which the mother typically dies. In captivity, the same biological process occurs during senescence even when eggs are not fertilized. The Aquarium of the Pacific said staff will continue to provide dedicated care and monitoring throughout Ghost’s final stage.