The Weaver Fish season is here on UK beaches and its sting can be extremely painful but death is extremely rare. Respiratory failure and gangrene have been reported, following infection in some cases. The Weaver fish is a small fish about 15 cm long. It has venomous spines along its dorsal fin. It’s found quite commonly around the British Isles in warm weather. It may hide under the sand at low tide and is very well camouflaged. If you wear footwear and shuffle you feet as you walk the fish will swim away, but where you tread on it, you can get stung.
Treatment
The affected limb or wound should be immersed in water as hot as can be tolerated comfortably for 15 minutes. If this isn’t possible, cover the wound with hot flannels which should be changed repeatedly. The venom is deactivated by heat and the intense pain should subside within a few minutes of treatment. Simple painkillers such as paracetamol will also help to relieve the pain, antihistamines may also be helpful.