What began as a simple father-son bonding experience quickly turned into a viral sensation, all thanks to one very surprising octopus. Or should we say, fifty octopuses?
Cameron Clifford from Edmond, Oklahoma, had promised his 9-year-old son, Cal, who was obsessed with cephalopods, that they would get their very own pet octopus. After reaching out to a local aquarium, Cameron fulfilled that promise, and a California two-spot (bimac) octopus, named Terrance, was delivered to their home. Cal’s reaction was pure joy, tears included.
But in hindsight, they may have wanted to name the octopus “Teresa,” because just two months later, Terrance’s already cramped tank was filled with dozens of eggs.
“We estimate there were about 40 to 70 eggs, but every one that hatched, I was able to catch and contain. It was exactly 50,” Cameron told Good Morning America.
As explained in a TikTok video (narrated with a posh British accent for that extra National Geographic flair), when female bimac octopuses lay eggs, it typically signals the end of their life cycle. They stop taking care of themselves to protect their offspring.
https://www.tiktok.com/@doctoktopus/video/7350884816679652650
Even though Terrance (who was eventually renamed Terry) could still recognize Cameron and Cal, nothing could coax her out of her cave once the eggs were laid. However, clinging to their arms remained one of her favorite pastimes.
Initially, experts deemed Terrance's eggs infertile, which made her impending death even more tragic. But when a miracle happened and the eggs began to hatch, Cameron reached out to local aquariums for help—only to be turned away.
So, naturally, he took to TikTok. He shared previously private footage documenting the saga of each hatchling’s capture and the painstaking effort to keep them from eating each other by putting them in their own incubated containers. Their home quickly turned into an impromptu marine biology lab—complete with an endless stream of puns.
Behold, “Clamsterdam”:
https://www.tiktok.com/@doctoktopus/video/7354729711525924142
The TikTok community pitched in, offering up punny names for the octo-babies, such as InverteBrett, Swim Shady, Bill Nye the Octopi, Sea-yoncé, and Jay-Sea.
Thanks to the viral success of his posts, other aquariums, universities, and research facilities agreed to take in the octopuses, as reported by USA Today.
While Cameron may have spent thousands of dollars and countless hours on this unexpected venture, he wouldn’t change a thing.
“As far as regrets, there are many,” Cameron told USA Today. “I wish I hadn’t spilled all that dirty seawater onto my kids’ white carpet—that’s certainly a regret. But overall, it’s been an amazing experience, not just for me, but also for my kids.”
And yes, Terrance (now Terry) is still alive—though she is expected to pass away in the coming weeks. The Cliffords are prepared to be surprised once again.
Cameron now advises that while having an octopus as a pet might not be for everyone, taking care of one can teach you a lot about yourself.
“There’s always some valve or seal that’s not fully closed, and your storm-resistant carpet isn’t rated for gallons of seawater. You’ll learn that seawater and electricity don’t always mix. You’ll discover new things, meet incredible people, and appreciate wildlife in a whole new way. But most of all, you’ll learn to love a not-so-tiny octopus like Terrance.”