During a night dive on the house reef at Sand Dollar Sports, diver Catherine Anne Hoelzer captured a breathtaking encounter with a Caribbean reef octopus as it fed and expanded across coral formations in search of prey. The footage, filmed in low light, reveals the octopus’s exquisite colour shifts and fluid movements—an underwater ballet of camouflage and curiosity.

The good-sized octopus can be seen “blowing up” as it stretches and glides over the reef, its iridescent hues shimmering against the moonlit water. Known for their intelligence and ability to change colour and texture, Caribbean reef octopuses are nocturnal hunters, making this sighting especially vivid and rare.

I was doing a night dive on the house reef at Sand Dollar Sports in Cozumel when this good-sized Caribbean reef octopus began feeding and blowing up as it covered corals in search of food. The colors of the octopus are exquisite!