The goldfish in your fishbowl, the beautiful fish in the nearby aquarium and the grilled salmon on your plate may be the only fish you have encountered, but there are many fierce and deadliest fishes that live in the depths of the dark water waiting to attack its next prey. Though none of the fish on this list deliberately attacks humans, even an accidental attack from the deadliest fishes in the world can be fatal.
Deadliest Fishes in the World
1. Box Jellyfish
This beautiful transparent creature is oldest animal species on earth. It has a cuboid-shaped body and 10 feet long tentacles that have over 5000 stinging cells. To catch prey, the jellyfish wraps its tentacles around the animal which triggers the stinging cells into action. One of the poisonous animals in the world inject poison into the body of the animal and it dies within minutes due to heart failure of the nervous system. Over 100 people die annually because of Box Jellyfish attacks. Most of the deaths happen due to drowning after the shock of being stung and victims rarely reach the shore. Crystal Jellyfish is one of the transparent animals on planet Earth.
Box jellyfish do not have a backbone in their body and are mostly light blue in colour. There are around a dozen tentacles grow from each corner of the bell and each tentacle can grow upto 10 feet that are 3 meters in length and have about 5,000 stinging cells. The species weighs approximately 4.5 lbs, howvever, adult one a measure up to 20 cm. It has 24 eyes and all of them categorized into four different kinds. They have a complex visual system and located on the circular structure in the middle of the jellyfish’s bell.
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2. Puffer Fish
This fish is one of the most poisonous animals in the world and most parts of its body like the spikes, kidneys, liver, and eyes contain a deadly poison called tetrodotoxin. This toxin is 1200 times more potent than cyanide and can kill adult humans within minutes. When the fish feels threatened, it puffs up its body, thus exposing the poisonous spikes and enlarging its size in order to appear intimidating. Despite the extreme danger involved in handling this fish, it is a delicacy in Japan, China, and Korea and is also a very expensive dish. Also, read about facts about starfish that will surprise you.
The sexual maturity of the pufferfish is at the age of five where male guides the female to the shallow water where the female on release between three to seven eggs. The young fish is protected by the hard eggshell that will rack as soon as they are ready to hatch. Once the egg is released, young puffer fish swim toward the reef’s community. The average lifespan of the species is around 10 years.
Also Read: Top 12 Smallest Animals In The World
3. Stone Fish
This unimpressive looking fish is, in fact, one of the deadliest fishes in the world because of the extremely potent poison it has stored in its spines. This fish has 13 spines on its back (dorsal spines) which project outwards when the fish is hiding in the seabed. This poses an extreme danger to scuba divers as they may accidentally step on the fish and as a result poisoned by it. The sting is very painful but death can be avoided if the poison is properly treated. It may cause symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting, and paralysis. The fish is very good at camouflaging which makes it especially difficult to spot.
Similar to other marine creatures, the fertilization of the stone fish happens to be in the water only. The female stonefish releases a huge number of eggs that would later be sprayed by the male’s sperm. These eggs are food for any marine creatures and only a small number of eggs survive to reach maturity. The average lifespan of stonefish is 5 to 10 years in the wild.
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4. Great White Shark
Hollywood has given Great White Sharks a fearsome reputation, and though they may not be as dangerous as Jaws wants you to believe, they are still one of the deadliest fish in the world. They are large predators, can grow up to 20 feet in length, have over 300 sharp teeth arranged in multiple rows and have an excellent sense of smell. Shark attacks do not always result in death. This is mainly because sharks do not attack humans with the intention of eating them and most bites are ‘test bites’ to see if the meat is good. Sharks usually prefer seals and sea lions and let humans go after taking the first bite. However, the excessive bleeding, shock or drowning may cause death. It is also listed under world’s most amazing animals.
Great White Shark mating details are not known much, howvever, it is known that after mating female one develops several eggs that will hatch in the womb itself. The newly hatched shark’s pups feed on unfertilized eggs in the womb as they develop before being born. To conclude, the mother gives birth to two to ten pups and each of them has an average length of 1.5 m in length. Male species reach maturity by 9-10 years of age and female one even later between 14 to 16 years.
5. Bull Shark
This unique shark has the ability to live in saltwater as well as freshwater which makes it all the more dangerous. In general, it is a very aggressive predator and attacks any animal that it considers it a threat or prey. It usually lives in oceans but can travel upstream into lakes and rivers catching people unaware. It is found across the tropical belt in warmer waters. Though attacks by bull sharks are less common that by great white sharks, it is still one of the deadliest fishes in the world
6. Piranha
This fish is known for its sharp teeth and group hunting skills which make it one of the most feared aquatic animals in the world. It usually feeds on dead meat and functions as a scavenger but when it is hungry it can attack any animal. The bite force of this fish is about 30 times greater than its body weight and It can easily draw blood despite its small size if it decides to attack humans. It lives only in the Amazon basin and attacks by this fish are almost never fatal. However, it is known to bite humans on many occasions, though not leading to death. It is one of the fierce animals in the world.
7. Electric Eel
This electricity-producing fish lives in the rivers of South America and has special cells called electrolytes that help it produce electricity of a high voltage for several minutes continuously. It uses this electricity to stun prey but when humans are attacked, it may result in heart failure because of the very strong electric shock. Even if the person does not immediately die, there is a high chance of temporary paralysis and drowning as a result. Attacks by electric eels that cause death are rare, but this fish has the potential to kill. It is also one of the most dangerous amazon rainforest animals in the world.
8. Lion Fish
Like the stone fish, this fish to has poison in its dorsal spines that it injects into any animals that attack it. As a result, this fish has very few natural predators because most animals are deterred by the painful and poisonous spines. Attacks on humans are accidental and happen only if they happen to touch or step on the fish. A sting from this deadly fish may cause difficulty in breathing and nausea along with extreme pain. Death due to this fish is rare.
9. Electric Ray
This fish lives in temperate cooler water across the world and swims along the ocean floor. There are many types of electric rays and these are the most common electric animals in the world. They produce and store electricity in special kidney-shaped organs and this electricity is realized using muscle contractions. The voltage of electric shocks by electric rays can reach up to 220 volts. Attacks on humans are rare since these fish lives at the bottom of the ocean but have been reported when people accidentally step on the fish. This is indeed one of the deadliest fishes in the world. You will also love reading about beautiful fishes in the world.
10. Wels Catfish
This large freshwater fish is feared because of its looks and the sharp teeth it uses to hunt prey. It is found all over Europe in lakes and rivers and can grow up to 15 feet in length, weighing over 150 kilos. This fish does not commonly attack humans, but when it does, it’s strong bite results in a lot of blood loss and may in rare cases lead to death. It is a very fast and aggressive predator and if humans are attacked, it is difficult to escape.
Image Source: Wikimedia
Aquatic creatures, particularly the large and reclusive ones have been a subject of fascination for humans. Many myths and stories have been spun around them to make them seem devious and especially cruel towards humans but this is not actually the case. None of these deadliest fishes likes to attack humans – either for food or for sport and do so either by accident too because they feel threatened. To avoid a confrontation with any of these deadly creatures, we should be more careful with them and avoid disturbing them.
