Ouch!
That rock you just stepped on
was really sharp.
But wait a minute,
that rock is moving.
And as your foot begins to sting,
you realize that was no rock.
That was a stonefish,
and it stung you.
Stonefish are the most dangerous,
venomous fish on Earth.
Their 13 dorsal spines are so sharp
that they could pierce through
a soft-soled shoe.
Each spine contains 5 to 10 mg of venom.
And if you get stung,
intense pain and swelling
can last for weeks,
and it could take months
before you fully recover.
The stonefish gets its name
because it's an expert in camouflage.
It often looks like an encrusted rock
or a lump of coral.
They can be a combination of gray,
brown, orange, red, and yellow.
These fish have big, bulbous eyes.
They measure about 38 cm (15 in)
and weigh about 1.5 kg (3.5 lb).
While they don’t attack humans,
they are deadly to other ocean creatures,
especially fish and crustaceans.
If you think a sports car is fast,
stonefish attack their prey
in just 0.015 seconds.
Stonefish are so fast
that researchers need high-speed
camera equipment
to record them feeding.
And contrary to popular belief,
they do not use the venom in their spines
to kill prey.
Instead, they capture their prey
with their incredible speed,
and suck their prey out of the water
in a blink of an eye.
So, while you may not be their prey,
if you stepped on one by accident,
you are going to be
in some serious pain.
Always wear shoes while walking on
shores, beaches,
and even in shallow water.
If you're going to walk in deeper water,
wear thick-soled shoes if possible.
Since stonefish usually live on rubble
or coral bottoms,
often under rocks or ledges,
it is easy to step on them accidentally.
They are also known to bury in sand
using their large pectoral fins.
Each venomous dorsal fin spine
is armed with two venom glands,
which release venom
when the fish is disturbed or stepped on.
In addition, the stonefish also has
two pelvic and three anal spines
hidden underneath its thick skin.
Some spikes on the fish
are not venomous.
But others are.
Regardless, getting stung or scratched
by the spine
is extremely painful.
If the fish stings you,
get out of the water as fast as you can.
Use the hottest water you can tolerate
on the wound for 30 to 90 minutes.
It should be up to 60 °C (140 °F).
Poisons are heat-sensitive.
This technique can help
weaken the venom and lessen some pain.
A stonefish sting causes intense pain
and swelling at the site of the sting.
The swelling can spread
to an entire arm or leg within minutes.
Usually, you have around
45 minutes to an hour
to seek help before things get really bad,
depending on the severity of the sting.
This is because it takes less than an hour
for stonefish venom to kill a human.
In 2010, a diver in Okinawa, Japan
died of a stonefish sting,
the first reported death in 27 years.
The 58-year-old man
was giving tourists a diving lesson,
standing barefoot in shallow water,
when he suddenly felt a sharp pain
on the bottom of his foot
and quickly lost consciousness.
Another instructor at the beach
provided first aid by pouring warm water
on the bite
and sucking out the poison
from the sting marks.
But the victim stopped breathing
before an ambulance arrived.
Stonefish enjoy warm habitats.
And like their infamous, invasive relatives
the zebrafish,
also known as lionfish,
they can spread after being introduced
to habitats that they thrive in.
For this reason,
these fish are found in places
like Florida and the Caribbean Islands.
So, the colder the water is,
the less likely you will be
to step on this poisonous creature.
Stonefish are hard to see.
But, by shuffling through the sand
or ground you’re walking on,
you'll avoid directly stepping on
their dorsal spikes.
Also, shuffling might scare the fish
away before it attacks.
If you have been stung,
and a painkiller is handy,
take it while you wait for medical help.
If you happen to have
a set of tweezers with you,
pulling the spines out of the wound
would offer some relief.
But be sure not to squeeze any venom
glands that may have broken off
in the wound with the spine.
Seek antivenom as soon as possible.
In developed countries,
it is easier to access,
especially in places that
prepare for these incidents,
such as Australia.
It may not be a bad idea
to get a tetanus booster as well.
Staying calm is important
in any survival situation,
but freaking out won’t help your pain.
It might end up causing the venom
to spread faster
as your heart rate increases.
You wouldn’t want to give yourself
a heart attack,
but if your chest starts to feel heavy,
we have help for you,
here on How to Survive.