Many people believe that space is the final frontier, but we’re not so sure. The depths of the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes will likely never be fully exhausted. We have seen a precious 1% of what the world’s ocean has to offer and what we have seen both terrifies and amazes us. The ocean is a different world, as unlike land as space is itself, and as such there are many different creatures in it that present a danger to our lives. We decided to look at some of the most dangerous fish in the world, the true killers, in order to put them in front of you for your enjoyment. Buckle up and get a bigger boat, listed below are 12 of the deadliest killer fish in the world.
Puffer FIsh
The Puffer Fish is almost unfairly cute which makes it all the more dangerous when you meet it out in the world. The Puffer Fish, or just the Puffer, belongs to the Tetraodontidea family which has 90 different species of fish known to inflate themselves when in danger. You can find Puffer fish all over the world but they tend to stick to warmer regions. While you may think that their spiky fins are the true danger but this is not the case. Instead, the Puffer is incredibly toxic and it is dangerous to ever eat one. In Japan the Puffer fish is known as the Fugu and you need to have a master chef on hand in order to safely prepare it for cooking. We’re going to pass on eating one of these guys and instead leave that to the more adventurous travelers among us. If you feel like trying the Puffer out then book a cheap flight and hotel reservation to Japan and have at it.
Puffer FIsh
Goliath Tigerfish
Where the Puffer Fish appears friendly and rather safe, the Goliath Tigerfish is exactly the opposite. The Goliath Tigerfish is just as big as it sounds: weighing upwards of 70 pounds while growing up to six feet in total length. These fish look like something pulled out of Jurassic Park and we wouldn’t be surprised if they had a distant relative back in the times of dinos. The Goliath Tigerfish likes to travel in packs throughout the river water of Africa and they take down their prey in only a couple of seconds. Their teeth can get up to two inches in length and they’ve been blamed for numerous deaths of locals who use the river for a source of food. We’ll avoid a cheap ticket to the Congo River even if the hotel reservations are free. No thanks, getting eaten alive is not on our wish list.
Goliath Tigerfish
Giant Sawfish
The Giant Sawfish looks like it was pulled straight out of the anime Pokemon. The Giant Sawfish grows up to 23 feet in total length and its snout makes up a ton of that mass, which is its most notable body part. The Giant Sawfish has a blade that extends from its head that is long, broad, thin and lined with razor type teeth. The snout that gives it its iconic name is used for sawing animals in half. There have been cashes where the gigantic Sawfish has even sawed humans in half where it attacked them in the water. The best advice we can give to people is to avoid trying to angle in one of these monsters of the deep, it can only lead to trouble for everyone involved.
Giant Sawfish
Red Lionfish
We seem to be alternating between large and small deadly fish and that pattern holds true here. We are looking now at the Red Lionfish which has one of the coolest names in all the animal kingdom. While the Red Lionfish only grows up to about 12 inches long, it packs enough toxins within its spiny fins to kill a human. The Red Lionfish is native to the South Pacific but it has established itself all along the Caribbean Sea thanks to rapid reproduction and a proliferation of pet owners buying the fish and releasing it into the wild. While Red Lionfish may make great pets, when you are trained to handle them, we suggest avoiding them out in the wild unless you fancy getting a body full of poison.
Red Lionfish
Piraiba Catfish
Catfish are relatively harmless, right? Well, not when you are on the Amazonian River. The Piraiba Catfish is a monstrous creature that prowls the river while tearing apart other animals and even people. Growing upwards of 9 feet in length, Piraiba Catfish are often blamed for attacks on humans who wade in the shallows of the Amazon river. The Piraiba Catfish is a known human killer and they are especially dangerous when it comes to small children wading in the waters. They are an adventure fishing target but we otherwise wouldn’t want to run into one of these hunter type fish.
Piraiba Catfish
Payara
When your alternate name includes the word ‘Vampire’ you know that you are a tough animal. The Payara, or Vampire Characin, is known for its six inch long fangs. These deadly fish prowl the Amazon Rivers and they are incredibly aggressive which has lead to a number of human deaths. According to statistics upwards of ten or so locals of the Amazon end up killed each year due to being bitten by the Vampire Characin. Can you imagine walking through the water when these six inch fangs sink into your thigh or hamstring? We’re going to have to hard pass on swimming with the Payara.
Payara
Great White Shark
No list of deadly fish is complete without listing the Great White Shark. We decided to list this monster of the deep a little early on so you have more room for surprises later on. The Great White Shark become a pop culture icon of fear and danger thanks to its villain starring role in the film Jaws. Since then the shark has become one of the most feared animals on the planet, and for good reason. Where Great White Sharks are common you will also find many unprovoked attacks by the monsters. Great White Sharks typically attack by taking one large bite out of their prey before retreating.
Great White Shark
Great Barracuda
Some names imply enough fear that you don’t even need to learn more, and that is so with the Great Barracuda. The Great Barracuda is also known as a live torpedo thanks to its rocket like speed and willingness to attack most anything. The Great Barracuda can grow up to 6 feet in length while weighing in at over 100 pounds. These large fish love shiny objects and they’ll attack anything they believe that they can overpower. Stay away from spearfishing and diving areas where visibility is low and you should be able to avoid this monster.
Great Barracuda
Moray Eel
Some creatures look like they were born simply to hurt things and that is so with the Moray Eel. There are 80 different species of the Moray Eel and the majority of them live in the tropics in shallow water among reefs and rocks. Moray Eels have giant mouths that are lined with sharp fangs and they tend to attack anything that disturbs them, intentionally or otherwise. Moray Eels find their way onto dinner plates around the world but it takes a great chef to be able to work around their toxicity, this means that we don’t want to try it out.
Moray Eel
Freshwater Stingray
Steve Irwin, the legendary wildlife enthusiast, was killed by a small ocean stingray and that gives us enough reason to fear the larger freshwater counterpart. The Giant Freshwater Stingray looks like an alien spaceship with a round, wide body, and it can grow up to 16 feet in total length while weighing in at 2,000 pounds. This means that the Giant Freshwater Stingray is one of the largest freshwater fish in the known world. Their 8 inch stinger looks like something ripped off of a giant scorpion and we’re positive we don’t want to know how painful it is. If you find yourself confronting a Giant Freshwater Stingray you want to be very still as the fish is strong enough to pull you under if provoked.
Freshwater Stingray
Stonefish
The Stonefish isn’t much to look at but they are more than deadly enough to make up for it. The Stonefish looks like a lump of rocks stuck together on the bottom of the ocean and this is how the animal hunts. The Stonefish stays exceptionally still and they will attack if they are disturbed, even accidentally. They are toxic fish and their poison is enough to harm and kill anyone who runs across them.
Stonefish
Bull Shark
If you are in the ocean when you swim into a Bull Shark then your odds of living are pretty low. The Bull Shark can grow up to 12 feet in length while weighing upwards of 600 pounds. The big deal with the Bull Shark is that they can survive in fresh water and travel through rivers and lakes. Bull Sharks have been found all the way up into Illinois. Bull Sharks are the most aggressive of all animals as they are loaded with testosterone and willing to fight to the death.
Bull Shark
