A Swedish musician has amazed the internet by teaching an octopus to play the piano. Mattias Krantz, a YouTuber known for his musical experiments, spent six months training his octopus, Takoyaki—nicknamed Tako—to tap piano keys in exchange for his favourite snack: crab.
Krantz bought Tako from a fishery in Portugal earlier this year. At first, it took time for the two to build trust. To help the octopus interact with a special underwater keyboard, Krantz designed levers that Tako could pull using his tentacles. Progress was slow at first, with Tako only playing one or two notes.
But things changed when Krantz invented a “crab elevator” that dropped a crab closer for every note Tako played. This clever reward system helped the octopus stay motivated.
Eventually, Krantz began playing his guitar alongside Tako’s piano taps. They even managed a rough version of the song “Baby Shark,” though it wasn’t quite in time.
Marine experts have pointed out that Tako isn’t truly making music but is simply doing tricks for treats. “The octopus is not perceiving rhythm,” explained marine scientist Jenny Hofmeister.
Still, Krantz says playing music with an octopus is one of the most unusual and exciting things he has ever done. Today, he and Tako play together every other day in a very unique musical partnership.
