Poisonous fish are fish that are poisonous to eat. They containtoxins which are not destroyed by the digestive systems of animals that eat the fish.^[1]Venomous fish also contain toxins, but do not necessarily cause poisoning if they are eaten, since the digestive system often destroys their venom.^[1]

• Species ofpuffer fish (the familyTetraodontidae) are the most poisonous in the world, and the second most poisonous vertebrate after thegolden dart frog. The active substance,tetrodotoxin, found in the internal organs and sometimes also the skin, paralyzes the diaphragm muscles of human victims, who can die from suffocation. In Japan, skilled chefs use parts of a closely related species, theblowfish to create a delicacy called "fugu".
• Thespotted trunkfish is acoral reef fish that secretes colourlesspahutoxin^[2] from glands on its skin when touched. The toxin is only dangerous when ingested, and poses no immediate harm to divers. However, predators as large asnurse sharks can die as a result of eating a trunkfish.^[3]
• Many eel-like fish of the orderAnguilliformes have toxic proteins in their blood which has to be destroyed with heat before eating. Moray eels also produce toxic mucus, and can store toxins in their flesh and organs.^[4] Thegiant moray is areef fish at the top of thefood chain. Like many other apex reef fish, it is likely to causeciguatera poisoning if eaten.^[5][6] Outbreaks of ciguatera poisoning in the 11th to 15th centuries from large, carnivorous reef fish, caused byharmful algal blooms, could be a reason whyPolynesians migrated toEaster Island,New Zealand, and possiblyHawaii.^[7][8]

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  Thespotted trunkfish is acoral reef fish which secretes aciguatera toxin from glands on its skin as a form of self defense.
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  Thegiant moray, a coral reef fish at the top of thefood chain is also likely to causeciguatera poisoning if eaten.

• Media related toPoisonous fish at Wikimedia Commons

• Poisonous animals
• Fish by adaptation

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