You are out snorkeling through the reef
reef when you feel something sting you.
Now severe pain is racing
throughout your entire body.
It was a Lionfish,
and you'll need to act quickly
because a piece of its stinger
could still be inside you.
Lined with 18 venomous spines,
a lionfish and its sting
can leave you in pain for days.
While that's usually the worst part
of an attack,
those who are unlucky enough
to be allergic to its venom
could find themselves in cardiac arrest.
Lionfish are originally from
the South Pacific and Indian oceans.
However, in 1985
the door was opened to them
invading other waters
when lionfish purchased for
home aquariums
began being released into the wild.
It is estimated that the lionfish population
has grown by about 400%
in the western Atlantic Ocean alone.
The fact that females have a lifespan of
15 years and can release
approximately two million eggs per year
has helped accelerate
their population growth.
The sheer number of them
isn't the only problem.
Adult lionfish have no natural predators
where they've forcefully relocated
themselves, so they've been decimating
native fish populations
and will have no problems stinging you
if you get in their way.
As obvious as it sounds
to simply avoid the spines,
they are well hidden within
feathery-looking dorsal fins.
If it feels like you've been stung by a bee,
you've made contact with them.
Studies have theorized that
the lionfish venom not only targets
the nerve cells that make us feel pain,
but that their venom has evolved
specifically to target these cells
for maximum effectiveness.
There's also a chance the venom could
trigger a nasty headache
or a feeling of nausea
to go along with
swelling and redness around the wound.
If you are attacked
and have some pieces of
the spines in your skin,
you will need to remove them as
quickly as possible.
Use gloves and tweezers.
Gently pull them out.
Be careful,
because squeezing too hard
will push more venom into your skin.
Wash the wound with soap and water,
or take a bath no hotter
than 49 °C (120 °F).
Hot water breaks down the proteins
in the venom
and helps to alleviate the discomfort.
Get some rest.
Monitor your symptoms,
and expect the pain
to continue for up to 48 hours.
Not to be an alarmist,
but there are reports of the post-sting
effects lasting for several weeks
in some cases.
If your tetanus shots aren't up to date,
your symptoms could be worse.
If needed,
you can take over-the-counter pain
relievers to help you through everything.
If your symptoms persist, see a doctor.
You may need an X-ray
to make sure there aren't any
spine remnants left behind.
Antibiotics may be required
for any infections.
With this invasive species
spreading rapidly,
they may start to be more common
than you think.
Scientists think they were first dumped
in Florida waters,
and now lionfish can be found in
the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
In 2021,
the first sighting of a lionfish
in the UK was reported.
But what if lionfish started contaminating
the fish we eat?
What if that sushi
you had for lunch was bad?
Could you live to tell the tale?
Find out here