![]() ![]() The mechanism of action of stonefish venom is not completely understood. Stonefish venom is a mix of enzymes and non-enzymatic proteins (Ghadessy et al. Stonefish venoms have both cardiovascular and neuromuscular toxicity. "Stonefishes are considered to be the most dangerous venomous fishes in the world (Ghadessy et al., 1996). The following information was kindly supplied by Andrew Wilner, MD, FACP, FAAN, neurologist, USA. Very hot water (not scalding) can be used to relieve the pain, but medical treatment should be sought. Despite this, many people suffer the agony of a sting every year. An antivenom developed in 1959 further reduces the likelihood of death. No deaths have been recorded in Australia since European arrival (Underhill, 1987). The venom causes intense pain and is believed to have killed many Pacific and Indian Ocean islanders. It has thirteen stout spines in the dorsal fin which can inject a highly toxic venom. The Reef Stonefish is the most venomous fish in the world. Stonefish bones have also been found in Aboriginal middens." Danger to humans Also small stonefishes are taken by Stokes Sea Snake, Astrotia stokesii. "I have seen stonefishes in gut contents of large sharks (tigers and white sharks). Jeff Johnson, Fish Collection Manager at the Queensland Museum stated: Predators of the Reef Stonefish include sharks and rays. ![]() The species is extremely well camouflaged and will not swim away when disturbed, but rather erects its poisonous dorsal fin spines. High speed camera equipment is required to record the feeding of this species. It usually waits for prey to swim past, and then strikes with incredible speed. as it was I suffered no pulmonary edema.The Reef Stonefish eats fishes and crustacea. If I had managed to grab it around the more central spines, I would have likely needed supportive care for my lungs. The doctors referred to this as a "dry spine", meaning simply that the amount of venom received was very small. When I described this to the doctors, they said I was luck that i had caught one of the last spines, as several spines get there venom from a common sac and there are no separate chambers for each spine, so the venom tends to squeeze away from the end spines. The pain in my hand and forearm resolved over the next couple of days and the would healed with basic first aide in 1-2 weeks. In all this minor envenomation lasted perhaps 15-30 minutes, but I'm not 100% sure on that. The loss of vision slowly resolved to a sickly yellow and then slowly back to normal. The skin was blanched and bruised and there was a single puncture. By the time help arrived the symptoms were already subsiding and the pain was receding from the most distant points to localize in my hand and forearm. I was conscious, but communicating was nearly impossible. Everything went black and my breathing became severely labored. My heart rate went thru the roof and was pounding so hard my brother could actually see the vibrations of it thru my chest. I was lucky, in that i only caught one of the last dorsal spines as it slipped my grasp, but I got enough venom to put me on my back (luckily again, i made it the 10, or so feet to shore the pain was beyond anything I'd ever felt, it was initially like an electric shock shooting up from the hand thru my neck and chest and into the other arm. I lived for four years on Guam and caught stone fish (smaller ones) for my aquarium and when I arrived there as a 9 year old, not knowing what a stone fish was, i tried to capture one with my hands. so this may well be stonefish, especially the first shot.
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