A Texas mom says she’ll never return to the San Antonio Aquarium after a giant Pacific octopus attacked her 6-year-old son in a touch tank—and nobody from the aquarium even followed up after the terrifying incident.
According to the New York Post, the incident happened last month when young Leo reached into the tank and was suddenly grabbed by the octopus. His mother, Taryn, said the sea creature latched on and stayed stuck on her son for about five minutes. It reportedly took three employees to remove the animal. In the aftermath, Leo was left with visible bruises shaped like suction cups all over his arm, extending up to his shoulder. Taryn said the ordeal wasn’t just painful for her child—it was traumatic.
She later took to TikTok to call out the aquarium, saying they never contacted her after the incident. Even worse, she claims one of the employees downplayed the situation by telling her the octopus was just “giving kisses”—a response she called both “dismissive and disturbing.”
“It Shouldn’t Be in a Touch Tank”: Mom and Others Question Aquarium Safety Standards
Taryn didn’t hold back about her thoughts on the aquarium’s touch tank setup. She said that the area was unsupervised and noted how dangerous it is to let kids interact with wild, venomous animals—even if the species is known to rarely bite. “Shouldn’t be in a touch tank, end of story,” one commenter wrote on TikTok. “It’s not an animal that should be allowed to be touched or allowed to touch anyone. It’s a safety issue for the animal and people involved, especially a child.”
@britneytaryn My son has visited the same octopus every week for 3 years. She always loved him until today, when she tried to pull him into the tank. It took 3 aquarium employees to get her off. Was it affection? Recognition? Or something more dangerous? We thought it was a sweet animal bond… until it left bruises. And when we walked back later, she changed color the second she saw him.
♬ original sound – Britney TarynWatch til the end.
Tell me: Was this love or a warning sign?
Octopus experts, weigh in. #Octopus #AquariumStory #AnimalBondGoneWrong #OctopusBehavior #SeaLife #AnimalInstinct #MarineBiology #ParentingTikTok
The giant Pacific octopus is known for being strong, intelligent, and yes—venomous. While not typically aggressive toward humans, they’re not your average goldfish. These animals can grip tight with hundreds of suction cups and are capable of powerful takedown reflexes when threatened or irritated.
Taryn says it’s irresponsible to have such a creature in a setting where young children are encouraged to reach in and interact—especially with no staff watching.
We Won’t Be Back” — Mom Says Aquarium Is Unsafe After Octopus Grabs Son
What was supposed to be an educational visit turned into a nightmare for one Texas family—and now, they’re warning others.
Taryn is urging parents to think twice before letting their kids interact with sea creatures in unsupervised touch tanks, especially when venomous animals like octopuses are involved.
The emotional and physical scars may fade for Leo, but the incident has sparked an important conversation about aquarium safety, transparency, and accountability.