Terrifying: Young Boy Stabbed in Chest by Catfish, Rushed to Hospital

When you think of catfish, you probably don’t associate them with pain, stingers and venom — unless you’ve spent time around them and know that they can be surprisingly dangerous.

“Most species of catfish have a single spine-like fin ray at the end of each pectoral and dorsal fin,” 🌴Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission official Melody Kilborn said, according to USA Today. “They are not true spines, but are sharp enough to cause a painful puncture if not handled correctly.”

“These spines can be locked into place when the catfish is threatened,” researchers at the University of Michigan wrote. “When a spine jabs a potential predator, the membrane surrounding the venom gland cells is torn, releasing venom into the wound.”

While there are potentially over 1,600 kinds of venomous catfish, most of the deadly ones are not located in the U.S. Kilborn added that while it’s common for people — especially anglers — to be stung in the hand while picking up the fish, she doesn’t know of any reported deaths from such stings.

But one young person almost became a statistic on Monday after experiencing a direct hit to the chest in New Port Richey, 🌴Florida.