"There it is."
What looks like a rock or the ocean floor
but can kill you?
This isn't a riddle.
Lumpy, bumpy and arguably ugly,
the stonefish is the living rock you do not want to step on.
This fish is a bad swimmer,
but if you think they're an evolutionary failure,
think again.
"Yeah, they had us in the first half.
I'm not gonna lie."
It may be a master of camouflage,
but its heartstopping defensive mechanism
makes it stand out among its underwater peers.
How lethal is stonefish venom?
What's the venom used for?
The answers may be as surprising as
accidentally stepping on one of these suckers.
The stonefish's small size, speckled coloring and bumpy skin
make it indistinguishable from the rocks,
sand and coral of the Indo-Pacific oceans.
These fish like to hang out in warm, shallow waters.
As ambush hunters, their camouflage
and incredible patience make them great at what they do.
When an unsuspecting fish or crustacean crosses its path,
this spiny assassin makes quick work of their meal.
They don't chew, or nibble. No,
these little swimming rocks just straight up suck up their prey.
In 15 milliseconds to boot, so try not to blink.
It's actually so fast that you can only catch the act
using slow motion.
I thought this fish was supposed to be slow.
"You lied to me!"
But their ambush tactics are precisely the reason why they've
never evolved into better swimmers.
Stillness may be their virtue,
but it also leaves this coral impersonator
open to attack from other predators.
While other smaller fish swim away quickly
to avoid being eaten,
stonefish have developed a unique
and much more aggressive way of protecting themselves.
These underwater Hoovers have a dorsal fin armed
with 13 spines connected to a venom-producing gland.
To make things worse, these spines are incredibly sharp.
With a minimal amount of pressure,
these venomous spikes can pierce through a
rubber flip-flop.
If you're an unsuspecting human who has
accidentally stepped on one, you're in for a world of pain.
The stonefish verrucotoxin can cause blinding agony,
breathing trouble, convulsions and more.
Within minutes, this venom will travel through your entire leg,
and the awful symptoms can last for hours.
Without emergency help,
the toxin can cause paralysis,
cardiovascular issues
and in the worst-case scenario, death.
"Oh, bloody hell."
It's a good thing these suckers are mostly found
closer to the ocean floor
because a single sting to your stomach or chest can kill you.
"I'll kill you...
and everybody you love."
So, if you stay out of the water you're probably safe, right?
I have bad news.
"Go ahead, go ahead.
Spit it out man."
You could get a stonefish sting
even if you keep your feet out of the ocean.
Unlike most fish, these stony scoundrels can
actually survive outside of water.
This is an evolutionary adaptation
that helps stonefish stay alive,
even when the tide is out.
Because they like shallow waters,
it isn't uncommon for them to be exposed to air.
As long as their skin stays moist,
stonefish can absorb oxygen through their skin.
They can live on land for up to 24 hours.
I guess this makes up for their clumsy swimming skills.
The stonefish is a creature of many talents.
Curious to see what other finned monsters
have lightning-fast reflexes?
Check out our episode on the stargazer fish.
They may have a face that only a parent could love
but they use clever camouflage and lethal venom.
That's what stonefish do.
And that's what makes them Crazy Creatures.