An octopus breathes through a pair of gills located inside its body. When an octopus takes in water, it draws it in through an opening called a siphon, which is a tube-like structure that can also help with movement. The water then flows over the gills, where oxygen is extracted and carbon dioxide is expelled.
The gills function similarly to a fish’s gills, allowing the octopus to absorb oxygen directly from the water. This process of breathing is efficient, enabling the octopus to thrive in its underwater environment. Additionally, octopuses have the ability to expel water forcefully through the siphon, which not only aids in breathing but also helps them propel through the water quickly when they need to escape from predators.