Venomous reef fish of the coastal Indo-Pacific, grey and mottled so they look like a stone or a lump of coral. Needle-like spines on the back carry the strongest venom of any known fish, and most stings happen when people step on one.
Quick answers
What is it?Fish
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?Yes
The most venomous fish known: stings are extremely painful and can kill if untreated. Hot water and antivenom are the main treatments.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Day & night
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?In places
A delicacy in parts of Asia once the venomous spines are removed; heat breaks the venom down.
At a glance
Found inOceans
HabitatCoast
ColoursBrown, Grey
SizeSmall
LengthUsually about 27 cm; up to 40 cm (reef stonefish)
LegsNone
Covered inSkin
Lives alone
Lives for5–10 years
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Shallow tropical waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Australia, southern Japan and French Polynesia.
- What it eats
- Small fish, shrimps and other crustaceans, caught as they pass while it sits motionless on the reef.
Did you know
The most venomous fish alive, and it looks exactly like an encrusted rock.
It can survive out of water for up to 24 hours, so stings can happen on the beach.
Its skin has no scales, only warts.
Often confused with
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