Nasties

Nasties

Whether on the platforms, the reefs, the wrecks, or at local resorts, please watch where you put your hands and knees! These fish abound and free swimming lion fish can even be a nuisance on wrecks. Jellyfish inhabit the water column at all times of year. Take care, particularly in low visibility. Rays are frequently seen on the reefs, however, their biggest threat is to casual waders in shallow water. Shuffle you feet to scare away the ray before you tread on it.

TREATMENT: The sting of all these creatures is extremely painful. The effect of the toxin and the pain are reduced by immersing the sting site in as hot water as the victim can tolerate. Aspirin is an excellent pain killer as well. Take the victim to hospital. Anti-venom is available and the victim may relapse without treatment.

Scorpaenidae

The family Scorpaenidae and the three sub-families, Pteroinae (lion fish), Scorpaeiniae (scorpion fish) and Synanceiinae (Stonefish) are common in the waters off Borneo and are some of the world's most poisonous fishes. Often, even experienced divers, refer to the scorpion fish and stonefish interchangeably, yet they are very distinct. Possibly, the number of divers that have really seen a stonefish, is far less than those who have seen a scorpion fish. Like many creatures with excellent camouflage, you can spend a dive fruitlessly looking for these fish. Once you spot one, then your 'eye's in' and you can start to see others. The principle difference between a scorpion fish and a stonefish is that the mouth of the stonefish is vertical, whereas the scorpion fish's mouth is about halfway to horizontal.

The nine photographs on the left above are of the Scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae ge.). The three top ones come from the platforms, and the rest from Kapalai and the Philippines (thanks to Jim Millichip). We've yet to spot a stonefish on the platforms. The three excellent examples on the right come from the Cement Wreck off Labuan (Dale Chenery), Porto Gallera in the Philippines (Jim Millichip) and Kapalai, East Sabah (John Elder).

The Stonefish examples above are the species

Synanceja verrucosa. These are squatter and fatter than the lean, mean Synanceja horrida (right). If you ask me, they look like the same fish where one hasn't eaten for a while - but I'm not a marine biologist!

If you really want to see these fish, then visit the Cement Wreck at Labuan. This wreck is famous for its resident stonefish, Synanceja horrida. How many there are is unknown, but they crop up everywhere, so watch where you put your hands.

The two stonefish on the left above, photographed in profile, look identical but were living at either end of the wreck.

Stonefish (Synanceja horrida) on the left and below and Scorpionfish (probably the very common Scorpaenopsis oxycephala on the right

In contrast to their ugly relations, the lionfish is one of the most beautiful fish in the sea. Beware, it still carries a potent neurotoxin. Nature has decreed that it advertises it danger, whereas its cousin disguise the danger. Two species are common on the platforms, reefs and wrecks around Brunei:-

Pterois antennata (left) and Pterois volitans (right).

Of course, it's not just Scorpaenidae and their kin that qualify as nasty ...

Cnidarians

The three main classes Hydrozoa, Scyphzoa and Cubozoa comprise stinging corals, jellyfish and box jellyfish.

Hydrozoa:

Oddly, the first so-called 'jellyfish', the Portuguese Man O'War, is a colony of hydroids. Nevertheless, it's a nasty stinger and looks like a jellyfish!

Take care on the beaches and in the sea. A typical visitor during the NE monsoon, sightings of 'bluebottles' (AUS), 'Portuguese men o'war' (UK), or more correctly but less memorably, Physalia physalis, are frequent during the months of February and March. These jellyfish have no locomotive powers and rely on currents and the wind, hence their appearance during the times of onshore winds.

This jellyfish packs a potent neurotoxin and can administer a painful sting even when dead and dried up on the beach. Children with their high surface area to weight ratio are particularly at risk. Fortunately, the severity of the sting and the associated side-effects are reduced by the application of vinegar. Hot water also de-natures the toxin and is particularly effective.

The picture on the right was a small 5cm example found dead on Panaga Beach. The author put it in a bottle washed it and photographed in a glass of water (2003).

Scyphozoa:

The spectacularly big and blobby Rhizostomeae are often found. They sting, but it's not severe. They are often found dead or dying on the beach. Beware, if they are decomposing, they stink and so will you if you touch them!

Cyanea sp., have a variable record of degree of sting! The huge Lion's Mane jellyfish of the North Atlantic and other oceans does deliver a powerful sting, but smaller versions such as Cyanea mjobergi of NW Australia don't. I wouldn't trust this and took care when photographing this example (below) that fits the latter's description. Several were seen in May 2006 at South Chearnley Ridge. Reddish underparts and about 15 cm. across. Don't trust my ID. Genus's are within our scope, but species ID is the realm of the professional.

Cubozoa:

The worst jellyfish of all, the box jellyfish, is fortunately rare, but they can turn up at any time. Fatalities have occurred in Sarawak, Labuan and Sabah.

30th October 2005: Chironex fleckeri spotted at AMRJ-01

"Chironex fleckeri, the deadliest of the box jellyfish, was observed swimming vigorously by one of the bracings of AMRJ-01 out towards the open ocean. Depth 16 - 18 metres; weather, slightly choppy, partially cloudy. Length of bell 10 cm; length of tentacles 30 – 40 cm. This sighting was impressive and scary. We were swimming only a metre from this jellyfish and my buddy drew my attention to it."

This jellyfish has caused more fatalities at sea than any other creature. Deaths are reported annually from Queensland and North Australia where people are prohibited from entering the water at certain times of year. Fatalities also occur in Sabah and Labuan, and in 1982, a child died 10 minutes after being stung at Luak Bay south of Miri.

These box jellyfish are not common, but present in the water column, and occasionally get washed ashore. Dr. Holloway (1998) found a Carybea atata grandis on the Panaga beach. These creatures sting even when dead; detached tentacles also.

The author has encountered the Carybdea sp., at 6 metres over the Toho Maru in 2003, at 20 metres on AMDP-27 in 1994 and on the Panaga beach the same year.

"19^th February 1994. Example of Carybdea alata grandis swimming horizontally at AMDP-27 (10 n. miles offshore). Depth 20 metres; weather calm and sunny. Length of bell c. 20 cm; length of tentacles c. 3 - 4 metres. One tentacle was much more extended than the others (> 5 metres ?)."

The sheer quantity of tentacles coupled with a devastatingly virulent toxin makes this the deadliest jellyfish.

Click on the picture for a magnified view.

PREVENTION: Wear a full body covering, such as a stinger suit. Children are more at risk than adults due to their large skin area / body mass ratio.

TREATMENT: The tentacles will contract and adhere to the skin. Vinegar is extremely effective at stopping the remaining cells from firing. Remove the tentacles with some object but do not get stung yourself. The victim will become irrational with the pain that spreads throughout the body. The poison is denatured at high temperatures (46 C). Be prepared to give artificial ventilation and get the victim to hospital immediately, for without the anti-venom, recovery may be difficult, even impossible.

Murky Waters, Jellyfish and Rays

10th August 2003

off Panaga Beach Shelter

In some respects, it's no wonder that we never dive off the beach! However, the school of jellyfish in the 70 cm vis. certainly concentrated the mind! There were plenty of ray holes, but no rays. One ray left its remora behind because it tried to take me as its new host.

In November 2005, a sailor was launching his boat and got stung by a stingray (species unknown). The sting was extremely painful, and only very hot water was successful in alleviating the pain. The sailor recovered within a day.

Crocodile Warning (Borneo Bulletin 2004)

2004: Diving Anduki Lake: John and Dale tested the crocodile infested waters of Anduki Lake this morning. It's 10 years since anybody dived there, and it may be 10 years again!!

The lake looks awfully brown and uninviting, however, there is visibility of a metre and a depth of 4.5 on a 1.1 metre tide is easily achieved.

Algae encrusted leafs and roots lie over a black decomposing morass of primordial ooze. Don't make the mistake of putting your hand on the bottom unless you want a black arm and instant loss of visibility. Some old algae encrusted nets were found, but these must date back years to when the lake was the river outlet and shrimps and fish rode the ebb and flood of the tide. Nothing lives in these waters although our shore cover did notice a number of small fry swimming in the clearer shallows.

But, it was a dive, 24 minutes, Dmax = 4.7 metres; Dav = 3.7 metres with a temperature of 30 C. Visibility was a fairly constant one metre.

Just in case you thought we were joking, this photo was snapped just after sunrise on 17th January 2006 - just where Dale and I entered the water in 2004!

Beware: Crocodiles ARE encountered in the Lake and in all the local rivers, so dive there at your own risk!! The Belait River is host to some four metre estuarine monsters! The one photographed above was about three metres.