Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The Venomous Saltwater Catfish

UPDATES: Tips on how to treat stings.

March 26, 2020: Comments still coming in. Latest one cracks me up.

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January, 2019: Six Eight years later, people are still coming here to tell their saltwater catfish horror stories. (See comments.)

April 3, 2019: See this comment from a mom who regrets not taking her boy straight to hospital after a sting in Western Australia.

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Came across this fella dead at the tide pools yesterday:


It was about 26 inches long. It looked like a catfish: you can clearly see the barbels around the mouth. I never knew there were saltwater catfish, but hey, what do I know?

Much, much weirder: The head looked like a catfish, but it had one long fin that went from its back, around its pointy tail, to its belly—like an eel. That's weird. Was it an eel? Was it a catfish? Was I hallucinating?

Here's a good shot of the tail. (Click on pic to enlarge.) The pink spots are where the fish had been chewed on by something.



Christine and I did some googling when we got home. After that we did some research. (Ba dum.) We found the Cobbler fish, or Eel-tail catfish:

Cnidoglanis macrocephalus

The cobbler is yellow to dark brown with pale mottling over the back and sides, usually progressively darker towards the tail. It has a large flattened head and a long eel-like body that tapers to a pointed tail, with continuous dorsal, caudal and anal fins, attaining a maximum length of up to 91 centimetres. The broad mouth is surrounded by four pairs of barbells (feeler-like tentacles), with a fifth pair of barbells present above the snout...
You can actually see the fifth set of barbels, up there on top of is head in the first pic.

More:
...and venomous serrated spines at the front of the pectoral and dorsal fins, which can inflict a painful wound.

I had picked that fish up before I read that. Note to self: Don't pick things up. Just don't.


A little more about those spines, and catfish in general:
All catfish, except members of Malapteruridae (electric catfish), possess a strong, hollow, bonified leading spine-like ray on their dorsal and pectoral fins. As a defense, these spines may be locked into place so that they stick outwards, which can inflict severe wounds. In several species catfish can use these fin rays to deliver a stinging protein if the fish is irritated. This venom is produced by glandular cells in the epidermal tissue covering the spines. In members of the family Plotosidae, and of the genus Heteropneustes, this protein is so strong it may hospitalize humans, those unfortunate enough to receive a sting; in Plotosus lineatus, the stings may result in death.

The Cobbler fish is, of course, from the family Plotosidae.

We can even get a look at those bony spines on our fish:


You see that white spike out its back that looks like someone stuck a plastic toothpick in him or something? That's the dorsal fin's venom delivery spine. On this shot, of the fish's underbellly, you can see one of the pectoral spikes, and you can even see the serrated edge:


Here's a closeup of the spike:


A few more picks. Full fish:


Belly, with what might be eggs poking out:


And that strange mouth. (That's top-side-up.):



Update, August 29, 2014: Someone down a bit south in Manly found another one of these guys yesterday. Linked at Reddit.

And I'll add what is now the third comment from anonymous folks added below, all along the same lines, this one added in June 2014:
Caught 3 of these at Mooney Mooney on Friday went to take one out the bucket and it got my thumb and the web in between my fingers. Unbelievable pain for hours. X-ray showed a 5mm barb in my thumb needed to be surgically removed, been in hospital for the last couple days should be leaving tomorrow. Word of warning be very Careful not just with catfish but all fish.

73 comments:

  1. I hope you take your own advice about picking things up. That thing is wicked looking.

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    1. I just got done by one in the Pine River North Brisbane - had no idea what it was. The spine on the Pectoral Fin got me on the thumb. Pain got gradually worse until unbearable after about an hour. Went to the doc and got some heavy duty pain killers (Nurofen, Codeine +). Even with that it is still excruciating 5 hours later. Gloves are a must with these otherwise just cut the line. Justin

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    2. Sorry to hear this, Justin. I hope the news I learned on this page can help you out some.

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  2. Man that mouth ain't pretty! I've known about those stinging fins for years. Even little aquarium catfish have 'em and definitely our local bullheads. Hurt like Hell when you get nailed! I'm sure the Ozzie version will kill you in 15 seconds!

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  3. Just came to this site to find out how to stop the burning pain in my thumb. Just picked up a small cobbler (25-30cm) here in Perth, my son caught it. It squirmed around and nailed me as I de hooked it. Lots of bleeding for a few mins, then the burning pain started. Tried not to make a big deal of it as my son was really enjoying the fishing. He then proceeded to pull up another 3 of them! I was much more cautious/scared with them. After about a half hour we had to leave as the pain was becoming unbearable. I had heard that all marine toxins are protein based and that putting the wound in hot water helps; it does, a bit. But the water needs to be as hot as you can stand. I have had hot running water on it for 20mins now, still hurts like hell when I stop. Definitely dont want to get stuck by a full grown cobbler. Nice eating though I hear.

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  4. I caught one of these bad boys in port stephens today.. he wasnt happy and them barbs looked nasty. It was massive, put up a good fight!

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    1. Damn! So sorry it tool so long to reply! Wish I coulda seen it!

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  5. Caught one of these a couple of weeks back in Pittwater (Sydney), put me in hospital for three days as the little bugger' spine broke off inside the bone of my finger.
    Absolutely the most painful experience of my life, the fact that Morphine, endone and many others were not even taking the edge off of the pain is testament.

    Lesson to be taken - cut the line.

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    1. Dahamn. Where were you? I'm just down the road!

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  6. Caught 3 of these at Mooney Mooney on Friday went to take one out the bucket and it got my thumb and the web in between my fingers. Unbelievable pain for hours. X-ray showed a 5mm barb in my thumb needed to be surgically removed, been in hospital for the last couple days should be leaving tomorrow. Word of warning be very Careful not just with catfish but all fish.

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  7. 21 Dec 2014 fishing off Mooney Mooney. Tried to remove catfish off hook (about the tenth catfish). Got the spine into my left thumb. Pain was unbelievable. Managed to drive home but in absolute pain. Doctor was useless and said to place ice on it.
    After 3 hours of pain and no relief from normal pain relievers, googled and found the tip for hot water. Spent the night in the bathroom with my hand in hot water.

    Next day off to a different doctor with finger swollen to the diameter of a 50 cent piece. Long story but lots of antibiotics, super concentrated pain relief and a finger that went black and skin peeled off.

    2 months later finger is still very sensitive and have a hole in my finger... Watch out for those catchfish

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    1. That's just crazy. I had no idea. I hope it's all come good for you.

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  8. stepped on one of these when I was 7. Way back in the 80's. What I remember: Having to shake the fish off my foot, and the excruciating pain the hot water bath gave...

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  9. Had a barb go through my index knuckle last night have never felt that kind of pain before in my life was in hospital overnight

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  10. Had a barb go through my index knuckle last night have never felt that kind of pain before in my life was in hospital overnight

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    1. Wow, just two weeks ago! Yikes. Where was this? And has it healed up yet?!

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  11. I love that I'm still getting comments about this crazy fish! Thank you everyone.

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  12. I caught one today at Batemans bay. Very ugly fish. I put him back with the hook in his mouth. No injury to me.

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  13. Hey man, just caught one of these freaks a few hours ago in Bateman's Bay NSW. I got it over the rocks and realised in was about 50cm long half eel and half catfish..I wasn't game to touch it as it looked too strange and cut the line. Ugliest fish ever.

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  14. Just got one in double bay Sydney. What a relief I had to cut the line as hook was lodged too far down throat

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  15. Got one last night off the Bermagui breakwater. Dog wanted to chomp it but kept him well away (for his & the fishes sake). It Looked a lot like one of my mother in laws :).

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  16. That was called Sembilang fish in both Malaysia and Indonesia. It is a famous local delicacies in here.

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  17. That was a died one, the fresh one looks aggressive and so handsome.

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  18. Caught 2 of these this year in Batemans bay both from 50 to 60 cm long first time I was going to grab it lucky they guy I was fishing with told me not to touch it apparently the barb normally has to be surgically removed and the stinging pain is unbearable

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  19. Just got done in my little toe. The worst pain i have ever encountered. Im off to hospital for an xray after reading these comments. Fingers crossed there is no barb show up but i have a very very very bad feeling (especially in my toe) that the barb has broken off...stay tuned........

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    1. Damn, man! Good luck and get back to us, alright?

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  20. Just got done in my little toe. The worst pain i have ever encountered. Im off to hospital for an xray after reading these comments. Fingers crossed there is no barb show up but i have a very very very bad feeling (especially in my toe) that the barb has broken off...stay tuned........

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  21. So cool, seeing all these comments (on this blog I hardly look at anymore!). thanks for coming here, and I will keep checking back on this post.

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  22. Just got done. Mindarie Marina, WA. Got me on my left index finger. Lots of blood and immediate pain. Went hospital, got xray done and no barbs stuck in. Hospital discharged me with Morphin, Codein and 9 hours later still in pain...

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    1. Damn, man. But you were lucky , nonetheless!

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  23. I just found catfish in the pond near my home yesterday and it was beautiful. Didn't know they can be venomous.

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    1. Freshwater catfish have barbs, too, though not as nasty as these ones. And yeah - beauties.

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  24. my husband just got stung by a dead frozen one ( I didn't want to deal with it when I came home last night after fishing in Ballina RSL Club jetty. ) he said it was so painful. thanks for this blog we have his thumb in hot water now...

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    1. So glad this post on this crappy old blog is helping some people! Good luck to the hubby.

      So you caught it - and kept it?!

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  25. Back in when I was a kid I clipped a cobbler on my foot. No stuck barb, just a little 3mm cut on my pinky toe. 1 hour later I wanted my foot amputated because the pain was so bad. A neighbour gave me a tub of hot water for my foot and the pain disappeared. I still to this day do not know how warm water kills the pain and taking your foot out brings it back even worse. Can't remember exactly, but I think it was at 6 hours before all pain was gone and that was just a glance not a full barb.

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    1. I love getting these stories from *way too many* Aussies who have dealthwith these buggers.

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  26. After a night in the hospital last night I can tell you that it really is the most excruciating pain you will ever feel am still almost 14 hours after now and the pain is almost worth throwing up over this happened on dangar Island hooked him have released plenty of them in the past not knowing that they are poisonous as I got ahold of him he got my hand between the thumb and index finger and also my ring finger pain was so intense that 2 green whistles and 5mg morphine and not even sure how much endone later it was still hurting like a second after it happened hot water eased the pain enough for the pain relief to help me sleep but waking up holy cow it's still so sore never handle with bare hands

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    1. Damn, man. These stories - gah. Hope you heal up soon.

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  27. I got done yesterday in lancelin W.A. the worst pain i have ever felt. Hot water is the key. My foot is a bit blistered from the hot water. But you have no choice. 4 hours i was in hot water.

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    1. Make sure you check the water with your other foot/hand. The venom numbs the area so you cant really tell the temperature of the water.

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  28. I got done yesterday in lancelin W.A. the worst pain i have ever felt. Hot water is the key. My foot is a bit blistered from the hot water. But you have no choice. 4 hours i was in hot water.

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  29. Matthew the direct reply thing is not working. Sorry to see you added to the list! But good advice - and wow, that hot of water, huh? Scary.

    Thanks again, and quick healing,

    Thom

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  30. My dad just got hit, his face changed to a pale colour and he almost passed out. The hot water really helps. Its been four hours now and he is still sweating from the pain. Four nurophen and four panadols didn't help a bit.

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  31. Just stood on a small dead one. Thing was probably less than 3cm, but I'll vouch for the pain.

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  32. Just got nailed bodysurfing at Floreat groin WA. Immediately thought I stood on a rock. I soon as I hit the beach my foot blew up and felt like id been stung by a swarm of bees. Couldn't rest any weight on the foot as it went numb. Got assisted off the beach by a mate and a local. That was at roughly 330pm. It's now 1115pm and the pain is only just starting to throttle back. Seriously 11/10 pain for the first few hours. The last few hours have been bareable. Little slimy bastard! Probs going a a few laps in the pool prior to steping back into the ocean.

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    1. Did you go to the hospital?? Can you give us an update?

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  33. Got a nail sized holed in my left foot big toe whilst entering beautifully clear water white sands of two peoples bay Albany WA.
    Oh the pain was unbearable for 1.5 hrs Albany hospital was awesome gave me hot hot water and a few hard pain killers what a relief

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  34. Sorry to hear it! Glad you got good treatment! Send us a pic!

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  35. It was the late arvo of February 26 2019 in the Bay of Cape Naturalist when my son was stabbed in his finger and another finger scratched by the spine of a cobbler fish, when it first happened there was a lot of blood and within a few minutes my son was in the most excruciating pain I've ever seen a child in...my husband googled what to do and we found the advice about putting it in hot water and that a hospital trip was not necessary (I will have awful mothers guilt about this incident forever and so this is where I'm gonna say go to the hospital!!) We did the really hot water for hours at home until well after 2am in the morning...as soon as the water started to go warm he couldn't handle the pain..in the 2 days that followed his finger swelled up,his knuckle was bruised, he had red blisters on his fingers and he was feeling really quite unwell so we went to the doctor. It was infected and he needed really strong antibiotics and we were told yes we should have gone to the hospital...it's been weeks now n his finger has only in the last week or so come good although his knuckle has a lump on it still... it hasn't put my son off fishing it's his passion and he loves it but we now know for next time ( I hope to hell there's not going to be a next time!!) But if it ever happens again we will be going straight to the emergency department for strong pain relief and antibiotics!!

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    1. Arg! So sorry to hear this!

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    2. Updating post with link to this comment. Thank you for coming here to let us know - and the best to your boy!

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    3. i got hit today and this was all a huge learning curve. The Ambo's told me there was NOTHING BUT HOT WATER and if he took me to Hospital I would be in the waiting room with a bucket of hot water so don't be hard on yourself. Infection can be treated after. As far as pain goes it was 25/10. I had my hand in warm/hot but the Ambo told me it was not hot enough as soon as it was extremely hot the pain slowly went away. It took 1.5hrs for me to take my hand out after topping it up ever few min with boiling water.

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  36. I just copped a barb to the pinky finger as I tried to pick up a cobbler in Edithburgh, SA. Excruciating pain, can't describe it. The pain only lasted for 12 hours so I guess I'm lucky compared to some. Hot water works, also keeping the site very very still. All the best to the next cobbler victim

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    1. Thanks for the comment - and ow. Quick healing...

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  37. The comments are so helpful for anyone stung, I really hope you have no more pain and a speedy recovery. Here is another 'angle'to ponder...from a local of the Fleurieu S.A. who likes to snorkel. I respect fishing, done as a way to connect with nature and source protien in a way less cruel than factory farming. As someone who sees the environment that the lines are dipped into, it may interest you to know:
    1) I recently encountered 2 large catfish (eel like tail) and noticed how very timid/shy plus beautiful to watch swimming they were, in their own environment...
    2) there are barely any living creatures in the waters, there seems to be a decline over time. For me it was sad to revisit the waters days later and find no living creatures, only a catfish head, hook in mouth.
    As I face my own dangers and must question my own impact when following a hobby, I hope that those fishing will remember that they are entering the home of living creatures with the intent to cause harm/pain/hook & death, so take precautions for the repercussions & be as cruelty free as you can...eg. google the youtube on how to avoid catching the catfish, if you dont intend to eat it & find out about the most humane ways to end a creatures life, before you hunt and eat it. With that in mind, I wish you well in your adventures in nature...

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    1. Thanks for the lovely comment, Anon.

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    2. Yes I second this. May sound weird but this animal isn’t my sons totem. They are incredibly gentle and kind spirits because they have such good defence mechanisms and therefore will not flinch when you get close so they just watch you and you can watch them.
      I would take the barb like a champ 🥰🙏🏽

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    3. Is* my sons totem

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  38. I caught one of these in lucky bay south australia a couple of days ago i had no idea what it was, so i pinned it with my boot and ripped the hook out with pliers then carried it in my net, i came across the barbs when i cut it up but had no idea they were venomous until now haha it dodnt taste to bad filleted and cooked in foil with garlic butter

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  39. We live in South Africa and late yesterday my youngest son was spearfishing with his brother. Spotted what he thought was a dead eel tail catfish in a cave and thought to have a look. Haha it wasn't dead. Lots of calls on the way home to say he was dying, near death etc. Had the hot water all prepped for him as he got home plus some ibuprofen. 6 hours later a toasty looking hand but pain near gone. This morning, not much swelling so now just watching for secondary infection. Lesson well and truly learned

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    1. Oh dear - hopefully a funny story to tell one day!

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  40. I caught one last night, I knew to take care of the mouth stingers as we caught different types as a kid and yiayia got stung while cleaning them, but I didn't have gloves or a rag last night so I put my foot on it to get the hook out which was well stuck. When the hook was out I go to lift up my foot and realise the spine spike is stuck in my shoe.
    Lucky I was wearing my dewalt work boots, phew.
    I always wear steel cap boots fishing.

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  41. Oh, I caught it at malabar at night, and yes I'm crazy fishing in this weather, I've accepted it lol

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  42. About 15 years ago my friend and I hired a tinnie to fish on the Hawkesbury River in the vicinity of Brooklyn (before I owned my own boat), used to do it regularly. Would go through periods of pulling up multiple eel tailed catfish, knew they had spines but didn't think much of it, you don't think you're going to get hit until you do, and we all want to save ourselves the hassle of re-rigging. This particular one, had him on gunwale, almost had hook out when he violently jumped and barb entered my right thumb. Instant pain, wouldn't stop bleeding. I could see tip of barb still in wound, luckily only 5mm or so, regardless of pain I knew I needed it gone and squeezed it until it came free and dropped out. Pain ramps up, my hand was shaking from it, I've got a pretty high pain tolerance from growing up in a world of surgery due to disability, this really had me gritting my teeth though. My mate, a mad fisherman, wanted to fish on, so I toughed it out for about 45 minutes, but then I said enough's enough, I'm done (we'd already been on water for about 6 hours anyway). Took tinnie back and returned to car, I'm a wheelchair user so drive with hand controls (my friend doesn't drive, and would've consumed enough cans by this stage to set a breathalyzer off from across the road even if he did...), left hand uses spinner knob to turn wheel, right uses lever to accelerate and brake, I have no choice but to operate this with my burning, shaking hand, thumb kept stuck out and throbbing. Got home and washed wound out well, endured continual pain overnight, finally started to feel relief by morning. That's how I learnt lesson the hard way not to bother trying to retrieve hook from one of them, never again, cut it straight off, it's just not worth it. On another note, when I told story to my uncle (who was very keen fisherman and had literally seen it all), he told me a tale from many years before, him and two mates were in boat when guy sitting in bow caught one, got spiked, lots of pain, the usual. Being mad keen they decided to stay out, their mate, holding rod, got very quiet (he had his back to them), uncle and other mate ask him if he's ok, no response. They shift to front of boat to check on the guy, he was unconscious! He'd passed out cold from the pain! Trust me, just cut off...

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  43. Hey all
    Got done by one 3 days ago, the whole barb went in between right pointer finger and thumb, when I say whole barb I mean It, was all way to its head
    I was in the Kimberly and a long way from a hospital.
    I don't remember anything from a couple minutes after just tearing it out.
    The amazing friends(now family proper), said to me I was dropping in and out of consciousness, talking to my Dad ( who passed a few months ago), talking to my kids who live in Saudi Arabia, I was not in a good way.
    Supposed throwing up and just not good.
    They got me to hospital and I was rushed through.
    Pumped every major drug into me with no affect.
    I was hooked up to all machine with a drip.
    I'm still in hospital now and speaking to my friend who was my life saver, the doctors said I had had several heart attacks in last couple hours.
    Not Fun at all,
    Wear gloves and pliers, but most importantly,
    DON'T GET BARBED..
    Hopefully out of hospital tomorrow

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  44. Holy crap, I've got one in my camp fridge I literally just caught spear fishing thinking it was a flat head under some weeds,

    Read up to find out what it is and it just said they are good eating!

    Thank fk I didn't get stung

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  45. Cannot help but find all of these comments absolutely entertaining. I’m from the northern rivers Australia and this fish lives on the brinswick river or it is a similar one that sounds jut as bad if not worse. I’ve found it personally and it became very special to me. When I never found it on any local fishing boards or fish identification books or anything I stared asking local fisherman and found out it is a very special catfish. The one we have only has 2 barns on either side of its head and they point backwards not straight out... the venom is said to cause excruciating pain for over 15 hours and will kill a child.
    The most interesting things I found out about them is that they form a big gelatinous bubble almost in the water and retract their barbs in order to mate and breed etc etc also during spawning I think

    Bizarre how there still is no namefor it
    How can we not have a name for a fish
    Proof to me I think of how little humans actually know

    And how much fishermen know 🤣🤣

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