Small fish that can cause death

They can be found everywhere - rivers, canals, streams, brooks or the sea. They do a strange thing when caught in a net. In an instant, this small fish swells its mouth and becomes round like a football. Those who do not know it call it a football fish. But behind this round appearance lies a terrifying form. In English, it is called pufferfish. We know it as the firecracker fish. But why is this fish known as one of the most poisonous animals in the world? Let's find out all the terrifying facts about this small fish.

Ichthyologists call this family of fish 'Tetraodontidae'. The Greek word 'tetra' means four and 'odont' means tooth. This fish has four large teeth in front of its jaw, two on top and two on the bottom. Together, these four teeth work like a bird's strong beak. They use these strong teeth to bite and crush small animals or snail-like prey with hard shells in the sea.

There are about 200 species of pufferfish worldwide. They are called by their funny names because of their strange ability to inflate themselves like balloons. Pufferfish generally prefer to live in warm waters. Most of their species live in brackish water in the ocean, but some species are also found in slightly brackish water. However, surprisingly, about 30 species of freshwater pufferfish are found in the rivers of South America, South Asia and Africa. Among them, the Congo potato puffer and the Indian pea puffer are quite well known.

 

Compared to many other fish, pufferfish are quite slow. They use their small fins to move through the water, making them easy targets for predators. But that doesn't mean they're easy to catch. Their ability to inflate and their venomous nature means that no ordinary predator will even come close to them. Only a few powerful and specialized predators, such as tiger sharks, octopuses, or sea snakes, dare to attack pufferfish.

How pufferfish inflate like a balloon

Scientists call the pufferfish's method of inflating itself 'buccal pumping'. Whenever they sense danger, they draw in a lot of water into their stomachs or air when they are out of water. They do not have rib bones and their gill muscles are specially designed. So they can easily inflate three to four times their normal size and become round like a football.

The skin on the stomach of this fish is not like that of ordinary fish. The collagen fibers in their skin are arranged in parallel. This works just like an elastic, which helps the skin to stretch a lot and then return to its original position.

It was previously thought that pufferfish cannot breathe while inflated. However, new research says that even if they can breathe using their gills, it is quite tiring for them. Because they need five times more oxygen when inflated than normal. Scientists have found that pufferfish expend so much energy inflating their bodies once that it takes them about five hours to recover from the fatigue.

It becomes very difficult for pufferfish to swim while inflated. This further increases the lack of oxygen in their bodies. So while this is a great tactic to scare away predators, staying inflated for too long is harmful to their bodies. That's why they quickly expel the water and return to their previous small form as soon as the danger passes.

How poisonous is the pufferfish?

It is not only difficult to swallow pufferfish because of their ball-like shape, but the spines on their bodies are also a big obstacle for predators. When the fish swells, the spines hidden under its skin come out like the spines of a hedgehog. On the one hand, these spines strengthen the fish's skin, and on the other hand, they pierce the mouth of the enemy and keep them away.

The pufferfish's most deadly weapon is a neurotoxin called 'tetrodotoxin' or TTX for short. The fish does not produce this poison itself. Certain bacteria in the food they eat produce this poison, which is passively stored in the fish's body. Due to a genetic mutation, the pufferfish itself does not suffer any harm from this poison, but it is toxic to others. This poison is most concentrated in the fish's liver, ovaries, skin and intestines.

This poison of the pufferfish is a thousand times more powerful than cyanide. It directly attacks our nerve cells and blocks communication between the brain and the body. This poisoning initially causes paralysis of the face and gradually causes the respiratory muscles to become useless, which can lead to death. The amount of poison contained in a pufferfish can easily kill 30 people. The most frightening thing is that no antidote or antidote has yet been developed for this poison.

Can you eat pufferfish?

We have learned about the terrible poison of pufferfish. But you will be surprised to know that this dangerous fish is a very popular dish in some countries of the world. Basically, the strange experience that one has to face while eating it is more attractive to foodies than its taste. Many people enjoy the slight numbness or tingling of the lips and mouth after eating pufferfish meat. Although this is actually an early sign of mild poisoning.

In Japan, this fish is known as 'fugu' and it is a royal dish there. Especially sashimi made from tiger puffer, that is, thin slices of raw fish, is very popular with the Japanese.

Pufferfish is one of the leading causes of death from food poisoning in Japan. According to the country's Ministry of Health, about 50 people are infected with this poisoning every year and unfortunately a few die. However, the interesting thing is that it is very rare for someone to die from eating at a restaurant. Those who are fishermen or amateur cooks and cook this fish at home without following the correct rules are the ones who are mainly in danger.

 

The toxicity of pufferfish has decreased significantly compared to the past. The Japanese government has now created a list of 18 edible pufferfish from the sea coast. It has specified which parts of the fish are safe and which are poisonous. Currently, chefs or cooks are required to have a special license to cook pufferfish in Japan. No one is allowed to touch this fish without training.

This thrill of eating pufferfish is not new. Archaeologists have found the remains of pufferfish in a pile of historical waste that is more than 2,000 years old. This means that even ancient people knew about the poison of this fish.

Thorny firecracker fish are often seen on the beaches of St. Martin. They can also be found in the river. Many people catch them as a hobby because they look strange and have a ball like a football. But this fish has a deadly poison on its body and inside its body. Therefore, if you see this fish on the beach or in a fishing net, you should never catch it with your bare hands. With a little carelessness, this poison can enter the body and cause great harm.