Frog fish

Frog fish

There are numerous fish that look like other animals. It occurs in the case of Roosterfish or crocodile fish. In this case, we are going to get closer to meet the frog fish. It is a fish whose scientific name is Halobatrachus didactylus and whose appearance resembles that of a toad. It has poisonous characteristics and is the only remaining species of the genus Halobatrachus.

In this article we are going to tell you about the characteristics, way of life and curiosities of this species. Do you want to know more about the frogfish?

Key features

Toadfish species

It has a bone structure very similar to that of the sunfish. The length they reach adult specimens are usually about 50 cm. The body is very similar to that of a toad and, therefore, it receives this common name. It has a rounded and fairly large body with a wide mouth.

It has two spines that are covered by the skin and two dorsal fins. The first dorsal fin has three short, strong spines covered by skin. The second is longer and has between 19 and 24 soft rays with smooth skin and covered with a kind of mucus that it produces to protect itself. It is a slimy mass that allows it to slide when predators try to capture them.

Its color is light brown and has various brown spots. It is listed, like other fish like the White shark or barracuda fish, as dangerous for people. And it is that it has poisonous thorns that it nails those people it sets as its target.

Range, habitat and behavior

Characteristics of the toad fish

We can find toadfish throughout the Atlantic coast of Africa and in the Western Mediterranean. It needs warmer and shallower waters, which is why it inhabits subtropical marine waters. We can see some specimens from 10 meters deep to 50 meters more or less. Although they are mainly marine fish, they have been seen inhabiting some rivers in The Gambia.

Generally, it is a fairly sedentary fish. It does not tend to move around too much, but stays in soft sand or mud for most of the time. Sometimes they hide under the sand or between the crevices of the rocks to hide from potential predators or simply not to have to worry about them.

It feeds on other prey that it hunts thanks to its camouflage ability. Their diet is mainly composed of other smaller fish, some mollusks and crustaceans. It has a somewhat strange behavior in its reproduction. The female lays the eggs (quite large in size) and they are kept by the male. To advertise the protection of said eggs and as a threat to the rest de peces around, the toadfish is capable of emitting a series of sounds. Among the sounds it is capable of emitting we find some hisses, grunts and the typical "croak" that toads and frogs make. This is another reason why its common name is not even painted.

These hisses serve to keep the female as close as possible and ward off other males that may attack the eggs.

Poison danger

Toadfish camouflage

As we have said before, the toad fish is a species classified as dangerous for humans and bathers. Being at depths between 10 and 50 meters, many bathers may run into them and be bitten. The venom he injects them is the danger of his bite.

The sting is not fatal, but the fact that the consequences of the bite last a long time is of great importance. The pain after the bite is immediate and very strong. The affected area will become swollen and there will be some hives and strong burning. Depending on the type of bite you have taken, The pain may spread throughout the limb until it becomes paralyzed. It is a bacterial infection that leads to the appearance of an irritated wound. If not treated correctly, it can lead to worse problems.

The pain can last for several days and present chronic pain for several months in the affected area. In some cases, cases of Ankylosis have been reported. It is a type of sequelae left by the bite of this fish and that causes lack of movement in the joints surrounding the bite. This lack of movement can occur partially or completely.

How to treat toadfish venom

Toadfish sting

The venom from the bite of this fish does not have any proper anti-venom that can completely eliminate it. Therefore, it is necessary to know more about this poison in order to treat it. Symptoms and damage must be well controlled to prevent possible aggravations.

Next, we are going to describe the steps to follow in the event of a toadfish bite:

  1. Try to extract as much venom as possible to make the wound less severe. Pressure must be applied to the wound to bleed as much as possible and the greatest amount of poison is extracted.
  2. We will place a tourniquet a few centimeters above the wound and we will loosen it so that the blood circulates.
  3. We use hot water to about 50 degrees for the pain to go down. We will do it for an hour or an hour and a half.
  4. If the wound is not bleeding, We will have to make the cut so that the bleeding can expel more venom. The wound that we have to cause has to be of a very small size, so that it does not need any surgical closure.
  5. It is advisable to inject a quantity of 0,1-0,5 ml of 5% potassium permanganate. This will probably have to be done by a specialized doctor.
  6. To control the pain of the sting, it is good to introduce meperidine hydrochloride intramuscularly.

As always, the best cure for this is prevention. Let us heed the danger signs and limit our bathrooms to the permitted and safest places. I hope this information helps you to know more about frogfish.


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