![]() One victim wrote online (which was later reported by ABC News) that after being stung on the finger, it was like “having each knuckle, then the wrist, elbow and shoulder being hit in turn with a sledgehammer over the course of about an hour.” Stings result in terrible pain, swelling, necrosis (tissue death) and even death. Unsurprisingly, the more venom that is injected, the worse it is for you. If you inadvertently step on a stonefish thinking it’s a harmless rock, it will pop up its dorsal spines and release venom from two sacs at the base of each spine. Stonefish have 13 spines lining its back that release venom under pressure. If you step on the fish however, it’s a different story. The good news is that stonefish use their spines defensively, NOT offensively, so the fish won’t go out of its way to attack you. Now, you might be thinking … ” I don’t love the idea of being next to the most venomous fish in the world and not know it.” And you’re right! You definitely don’t want to be surprised by this guy. You could swim right by a stonefish and never know it was there! Stonefish use this to their advantage while hunting, and will wait for fish to swim by then swiftly attack and swallow their prey. They have excellent camouflage-their bodies are typically brown with orange, yellow or red patches and are textured to resemble the surrounding rocks or coral. Stonefish are found in rocky or muddy bottoms of marine habitats in the Indo-Pacific region. If we take one further taxonomic step backwards, they are in the order Scorpaeniformes, which includes some other well-known ocean residents, like lionfish, lumpsuckers and sculpins. The name “stonefish” refers to one of several fish in the genus Synanceia within the family Synanceiidae. Our ocean is full of toxic creatures, from the blue-ringed octopus to the lionfish, but the stonefish holds the title of most venomous fish in the sea. But you especially should not touch marine wildlife that can kill you. Anyone stung by this creature should leave the water and get medical attention as fast as possible.As a rule, you should not touch marine wildlife. ![]() Stings usually occur on the feet of swimmers, so be careful whenever you are swimming. ![]() The fish typically remain motionless and bury themselves in rocky reefs. Stonefish are the most venomous among all fishes and are commonly found in coastal rivers in the northern half of Australia. He had two of the 13 spikes of the stonefish stuck into his foot, which leaked venom and he was not able to walk for two about days, as his mother issued a desperate plea to parents. Stonefish has led to at least one death of a 53-year-old man, in 1915, one fateful Thursday on an Island off the coast of Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland. Last Christmas, a boy, who was nine-year-old was stung by a venomous fish while playing in shallow water on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. (Photo : Mali Maeder) Cases of Stonefish Attack If you are stung by this venomous creature, apply hot water to the area affected and seek medical attention instantly. People that visit the beach are advised to put on strong footwear when on reef flats, or while paddling on soft-bottom substrates close to weedy or rocky areas. Most usually discovered in waters that are not deep in northern Australia, most stonefish stings happen due to stepping on the creature and can lead to death if not treated.'The venomous dorsal fin spines can lead to extremely painful injuries and other acute medical problems,' according to the Queensland Museum website.The pain occurs immediately, it is very painful and may last for many days.īreathing difficulties, muscular paralysis, shock, and at times heart failure and death can occur. Stonefish are the most venomous among all fishes and possess 13 stout spines in their dorsal fin which introduces a very toxic venom.Īlso Read: Aquaculture Causes Stress and Suffering for Certain Fish Species This Way Effect of Stonefish Sting Most viewers mistook the scary finding for another brown item. One of the commenters commented: "'Had a friend step on one these ugly things around 20 years ago - they were in the hospital for about three months, almost died two times." The photo of the venomous fish has since been bombarded with hundreds of reactions and comments. (Photo : Getty Images) Photo of the Venomous FishĪ woman captioned the photo that was shared to the Australian Native Animals Facebook page saying she didn't get to have a glance at it but her partner and friend viewed their first wild stone fish close to Townsville.
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