Stonefish

The world’s most venomous fish

The stonefish is one of the world’s most venomous fish. On its back it has 13 venomous spines that are connected to venomous bladders inside its body. The venom targets the blood, nerves and heart, causing shock, paralysis and cell death. It is important to get medical attention quickly to have a chance of survival. 

Stonefish inhabits the ocean, in shallow waters among corals and stone shards. It lives on the bottom, camouflaging itself by adopting the same colour as the rocks on which it lies as well as allowing algae to grow on its body. The stonefish sometimes buries itself completely in the sand to protect itself from sharks and rays. When the fish leaves its hiding place in the sand, it is at its most dangerous to humans. Because it lives in shallow water, you may accidentally step on it while swimming. But stepping on stonefish is rare, even in countries where stonefish are abundant. 

The male turns reddish

A stonefish prefers not to move at all, but to lie still and wait for a prey to come near. When the stonefish strikes at its prey, it does so at one of the fastest speeds on record among predatory fish! 

The stonefish are solitary, except during the mating season when they gather in groups. The males turn a reddish hue, and will shove each other around to get space to swim above the females. The females release the eggs on the bottom, after which the dominant male swims over the eggs to fertilise them.