Stone fish may be found from exposed sand and mud in tidal inlets to depths of 40m. Also, take care when turning over rocks . Because they are barbed they can cause serious gashes and in about two-thirds of species they are also venomous. The spines are capable of penetrating wet suits and shoe leather and have been known to kill people unlucky enough to have been stabbed in the chest. Those at risk are people wading , who often get injured on the leg, careless fishers and divers who may get lashed by a startled stingray as they swim above it.
Prevention involves shuffling feet when wading.
Wash wounds thoroughly with sea water and remove spines carefully. A number of other fish are equipped with similar venomous spines, although they are more mobile than stone fish and and will prefer to get out of the way. These include members of the scorpion fish family, such as the popular aquarium fish known by many names such as lion fish, butterfly cod and fire fish. Cat fish, when interfered with, produce three barbed spines which stick out at right angles from the back and side fins. Stings from all these fish are painful and can lead to collapse and even death in exceptional circumstances.