Below are the upmost poisonous fish that roam below the depths of the blue abyss. You probably don’t want to catch the fish on this list, they may end in a bad time for you. However, it is better to know about them and be safe than to not know about them and make a mistake. Without further ado, let’s get on with the list.
#1 – The Puffer Fish. Already been given the title of “Most Poisonous Fish”, which is probably not the most desirable title around nowadays, this spiky ball of toxin may prove to be dangerous if not approached with caution. This fish deals in tetrodotoxin, the poison responsible for achieving its title. At relatively low concentrations, this toxin can cause death and is also know to cause weakness and paralysis. The tetrodotoxin is found in the liver, intestines, ovaries and skin of the puffer fish leaving the muscle tissue somewhat safe to eat (However, I wouldn’t chance it myself). Despite the muscle tissue being supposedly safe to eat, only the most highly trained chefs are allowed to prepare it.
#2 – Stonefish. Often resembling encrusted stones, which gave them their name, this fish blends into its habitat extremely well. A row of spines on the back is the dealer of the stonefish’s poison, they can be extended when threatened or stood on making it easier to inject potential dangers with a lethal dose. Fortunately for anyone living outside of these areas, this fish resides in the Indo-Pacific region and Australia. From a sting off of one of these fish, you can expect excruciating pain, rapid swelling, tissue death, muscle weakness and temporary paralysis. It has also been known that on rare occasions this fish can bring death.
#3 – Lionfish. These fish, once thought to top this list, have dorsal, anal and pelvic spines which are potentially venomous. If you contract a sting from a lionfish, you could be in for extreme pain, swelling and in the odd case, cardiovascular collapse. Once again, most lionfish reside in the Indo-Pacific region so you should be safe if living anywhere else.
#4 – Stingrays. Being one of the most common groups of fish accountable for applying venom to humans, it is not a surprise that they have made this list. The reason they are highly at fault is because they bury themselves in the sea bed and unsuspecting human victims stand on them, prompting the stingray to attack. Out of all stingrays in the world, the bluespotted is thought to be the most venomous, displaying a back of bright-blue spots to its predators as a warning of its putrid sting.
#5 – Boxfish. This type of fish is closely related to the pufferfish and shares a similar sort of look with the only difference being that they are square, not round – hence the name. Whilst not being as fatal as the pufferfish, the boxfish can cause a huge amount of discomfort if you happen to be stung by one, so I would advise that you steer clear. Boxfish have an area of effect venom and when they feel threatened they will shoot their toxin into the surrounding area, poisoning all marine life in its vicinity.
So, that wraps up the list of the top 5 most poisonous sea fish. Make sure to take extreme caution if you ever come across one of the species above and handle the situation with extreme care. Otherwise, you could end up with a bad case of dead leg, or worse – death.
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