Some octopuses strike fish while hunting in mixed-species groups. Researchers interpret these strikes as a way to displace particular partners and influence the hunt, rather than proof of humanlike anger.
Partners can benefit without behaving identically
Field research on Octopus cyanea shows fish and octopuses working together during hunts. Fish can help find prey locations, while an octopus can explore spaces differently. A shared meal opportunity does not remove competition between the hunters. [1]
A punch changes where another animal goes
The observed strikes can push a fish away. In the studied groups, aggressive displacement was part of the interaction network, not just an amusing isolated action. The important scientific question is what happens before and after the strike: which partner is displaced, where it moves, and how that affects the hunt. [1]
Why calling it punishment needs care
Imagine a crowded buffet where one person repeatedly blocks the serving area. Moving that person could change access to food, but observing the movement alone would not tell you the mover’s emotions. The same reasoning applies underwater. A behavioral function can be studied without assuming resentment, moral rules or deliberate revenge.
What a short video cannot establish
A viral clip typically leaves out the surrounding hunt. It may not show food discovery, earlier interactions or whether the struck fish returned. The published work provides a stronger basis than a caption, but it still concerns specific groups and species. It does not establish that every octopus hunts with fish or strikes partners for the same reason. [2]
Frequently asked questions
Do all octopuses punch fish?
The observations concern particular animals and hunting contexts.
Is the fish always an enemy?
No. Some strikes occur between partners in a shared hunt.
Does this prove an octopus is angry?
The action alone does not establish a humanlike emotional state.
Keep exploring
How do octopuses change color. How do deep sea animals make light.
Sources and evidence
- Sampaio and colleagues — Mixed-species hunting ↗
Field observations of leadership, hunting and aggressive displacement.
- Study full text ↗
Methods and limits of the studied hunting interactions.
Sources consulted: 12 October 2026. Written with AI assistance and checked against the linked references; not independently reviewed by a subject specialist. Sources do not endorse this article. See our editorial policy.
Revision: Initial publication with linked evidence, distinctions between established mechanisms and interpretation, and original explanatory examples.