Los Angeles - A playful octopus managed to disassemble a valve in her enclosure and flood a California aquarium with 760 litres of seawater, it was reported Friday.

The two-spotted, tiny octopus at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium apparently swam to the top of her enclosure and took apart the valve of the recycling system.

"It grabbed the tube that pulls out the water and caused it to spray outside the tank," the aquarium's education specialist Nick Fash told the Los Angeles Times.

The water that swirled around for ten hours caused no major damage, except to the new ecologically sensitive, linseed-and-cork flooring in many offices.

Taking into account the fact that octopuses are considered to be intelligent invertebrates with good memories, the aquarium has now fastened the tank with clamps and tape. "She would need tools," Fash said of the unnamed octopus.

"Some people are suggesting we call her 'Flo'," he said. (dpa)