Chameleons no match for Melb octopus

Move over chameleons, Melbourne Aquarium's latest underwater addition can change colour, texture and patterns.

Gustav is also a great help in the kitchen, having learned over the past month how to open jars with his eight tentacles.

The young Maori octopus is like most adolescents - balancing an inquisitive nature with some attitude.

"Maori octopuses are known for being temperamental and having lots of different personalities," exhibit manager Terza Todd says.

"They have a lot of personality and quite often approach divers to investigate what is going on."

Gustav was shy at showing off his jar-opening skills on Thursday but enthusiastically engaged in tug-of-war with keepers.

And with eight tentacles each measuring around 90 centimetres, he can put up quite a fight.

He has a daily life enrichment program aimed at keeping the highly-intelligent invertebrate stimulated.

It keeps Gustav adept at gathering king prawns tucked inside jars.

He is fantastic at hide-and-seek and, like every other octopus, Gustav's camouflaging abilities extend beyond colour.

Muscles under his skin allow him to mimic the texture or pattern of the rock behind him.

Maori octopuses are native to New Zealand and southern Australia.