Top 5 Most Poisonous and Venomous Fishes in the World

Tantalizing, mouth-watering, savory and appetizing are all the terms that come to mind when the term fish is mentioned till I learn that there are actually poisonous and venomous fishes in the World of the aquatic.

Fish is known to be all gill-bearing aquatic craniate animals that lack limbs with digits and does include the living hagfish, bony fish, lampreys, and cartilaginous. Below is a list of the most Poisonous and venomous fishes in the World;

1. Stonefish

Fish that come from the family of stone fishes are dangerous and extremely fatal for human beings. It is described as one of the ‘most venomous ‘fish currently in the World.

Stonefishes are found along the coastal regions of the Indo-Pacific and predominantly inhabit the marine. Some of the species are however also known to live in rivers. These venomous aquatic creature springs from its ability to camouflage to a grey and mottled color, this is similar to that of a stone.

People who tour areas where Stone fishes exist face the risk of stepping on them which could trigger a sting that is likely to inject venom levels proportional to the level of pressure applied while stepping.

A sting by a stone fish is not only lethal but is also awfully painful. The stone fishes are able to stay out of the water for up to 24 hours and given their colors similarity to rocks, they are not easily detected which increases the risk of stings.

2.      Lionfish or Pterois

Lionfish also are known as Pterois is a venomous marine fish. It is found at the Indo-Pacific and is also referred to as firefish, zebrafish, turkey fish or butterfly-cod.

Lionfishes have an eye- catchy warning color which is red, white, black bands or creamy. They are famous for their ornamental beauty with showy pectoral fins and venomous spines and spiky fin rays plus their distinctive tentacles.

It is characterized by conspicuous warning coloration with red, white, creamy or black bands, showy pectoral fins, and venomous spiky fin rays. They are well known for their ornate beauty, venomous spines, and unique tentacles.

Lionfishes live from five to 15 years and are predated by large groupers, Moray eels, blue spotted cornet fish, Nassau, and tiger grouper.

A lionfish can cause detrimental effects such as nausea, vomiting, extreme pain, breathing difficulties, convulsions fever, dizziness, redness on the affected area, headache, numbness, paresthesia, heartburn, diarrhea, and sweating

3.      Scorpionfish

Scorpionfish resembles the actual scorpion and is a marine fish.

The family of scorpion fish includes one of the most venomous species the World has had.

Scorpionfishes have a “sting” from their sharp spines coated with venomous mucus. The spines of the dorsal, anal and pelvic fins all have venom glands at their bases.

They are mostly found at tropical and temperate seas but most especially in the Indo-Pacific.

Scorpion fish is also referred to as turkey fish, firefish, dragon fish, and sting fish. Most species are bottom-dwellers that feed on crustaceans and smaller fish. A majority of the scorpionfish inhabits shallow waters with a few living as deep as 2,200 meters. They feed by swallowing their prey which they wait upon in disguise before attacking.

4.      Stargazer Fish

Probably because of the eyes on top of their big heads and an upward-like mouth that seem to gaze at the stars as they wait to attack their, Stargazers are a family of the Uranoscopidae, of perciform fish. They are venomous.

The family of Stargazer fish includes about 51 species though one is extinct in the eight genera. The species in this family are all marine and are found worldwide in both shallow and deep salt waters. Stargazers bury themselves in sand and dive upwards to trap their targeted prey.

Stargazers have two large venomous spines behind their opercles and above their pectoral fins. They are able to cause electric shock up to 50 volts and are some of the few marine bio-electrogenic bony fishes other than the striped catfish.

Stargazers once created panic in Virginia beach after they were spotted despite the knowledge that they live in deep waters at the Chesapeake Bay.

5.      Toadfish

Fishes in the family of toadfish have a toad-like appearance hence the name. Scale-less and with eyes set high on their large heads, toadfishes have large mouths with both a maxilla and pre-maxilla which is often adorned with barbels and skin flaps.

They are commonly drab in color; however, those living on coral reefs may have brighter patterns.

Fishes in this family are found worldwide but most of them are marine while some are found in brackish water.

Toadfish are ambush predators that choose sandy or muddy substrates where their cryptic coloration helps them avoid detection by their prey.

Fish in the toadfish family especially males are famous for their ability to “sing” using the swim bladder as a sound-production device which attracts mates.