Honolulu: Scientists have found two tiny baby octopuses floating on plastic trash they were cleaning up as they monitored coral reefs off Kailua-Kona on the west coast of Hawaii Island.

A tiny baby octopus inside a plastic container at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park in waters off Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Credit:AP

Marine ecologist Sallie Beavers of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park said on Wednesday that the octopuses were the size of green peas.

She believes they were probably either day octopus or night octopus, both species commonly found off Hawaii. They can grow to 5.5 kilograms as adults, with arm spans of one metre.

Scientists found them months ago, but the US Interior Department highlighted them this week when it posted a photo of one on social media.

Octopus babies hide under logs and other floating debris until they're a few months old.

Beavers says one squirted a tiny bit of ink when they released it into the ocean.

AP