Octopi are most definitely intelligent, expensive, and short-lived. They are very sensitive to changes in water parameters, also.
I hope to at some point have the money and time to raise them, but I don't know that I will ever be able to do so. They are able to learn complex tasks such as unscrewing a soda bottle to remove a fish from the bottle.
One more thing to note, all species of octopus are poisonous, it's how they digest their food. Some, however, are more poisonous than others (as far as I understand it, some will leave burns on the body, while some, like the blue ringed octopus, will give you little chance of survival). Be sure you are buying from a reputable dealer and have researched the genus of octopus you are buying.
Good luck. If you set up a tank, post pictures.
