Deadly Delicacies: Pufferfish & Other Toxic Fish That Can Kill Or Hallucinate You

• Pufferfish (Fugu) contains tetrodotoxin, a deadly neurotoxin, requiring specially licensed chefs for preparation in Japan due to its fatal effects if improperly handled.
• Salema Porgy, or "Dreamfish," can induce LSD-like hallucinations when consumed, particularly its head, an effect linked to the algae it eats seasonally.
• Coral reef fish can carry ciguatoxin, a neurotoxin that accumulates up the food chain, causing digestive and nervous system issues; climate change may increase its prevalence.
• Large predatory fish like King Mackerel and Swordfish accumulate mercury, a neurotoxin that poses long-term health risks, especially for pregnant women and children.

Why It Matters: Some fish are deadly or hallucinogenic due to toxins, a risk worsened by climate change.