PUFFER FISH (TETRAODONTIDAE)
Puffer Fish (Tetraodontidae) is a fish with toxins that exist in the skin, seminal vesicles, abdominal muscles, intestines, liver, and most often in fish eggs, so females carry more toxins than males. However, they do not attack and harm humans like many other poisonous animals. Humans are poisoned by Puffer Fish usually by ingesting the poisonous parts.
The habitat of Puffer Fish is very diverse depending on the subspecies, some species live in salty water such as the sea, but there are also species living in freshwater environments such as rivers, lakes,... Some typical Puffer Fish such as Green Pufferfish, Long-spine Porcupinefish,... Puffer Fish are omnivores, so their food is quite diverse, but they like to eat some sea creatures such as fry, small snails, plankton,...
Puffer Fish's poison is a neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin (TTX), which is 1000 times more potent than cyanide. Just eat 10 grams of poisonous meat that you have been poisoned, 1-2mg of the toxin is absorbed into a person can cause death. The first manifestation of pufferfish poisoning appears after 5 minutes or 3-4 hours with symptoms such as itchy mouth, numbness in the tongue, lips,... Then tired, nausea, stiff jaw,... The mortality rate is up to 60% when there is no timely emergency due to respiratory muscle paralysis and hypotension.
Location: Tropical or subtropical seas of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans
Habitat: Coral reefs, seabeds, coastal waters, swamps, estuaries, rivers, streams, lakes,...
Length: 4cm - 40cm.
Venom’s power: Can kill 30 adults, 1-2mg of the toxin can be deadly.
Toxins: Tetrodotoxin.
