When used for studies of learning and memory , the octopus is a more interesting subject than the squid . Unlike the free-swimming squid , which relies exclusively on its eyes to guide it to a tasty fish or crab , the octopus often feeds off the bottom of the sea. lt uses not only its eyes but its tentacles to identify a likely meal . The brain of the octopus. Has two separate memory –storage areas, one for visual memories and one for tactile memories.