I just saw a post about a blue-spotted octopus being mistaken for seafood in a hotpot, and it’s really very dangerous. If you don’t know how to identify it, the consequences are unimaginable, because their toxins are not destroyed by boiling water.

The blue-spotted octopus belongs to the genus Hapalochlaena, including 4 extremely venomous species that live in tidal pools and coral reefs in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, from the waters of Japan to Australia. Their name comes from the distinctive blue spots on their bodies, which makes it easy for humans to recognize them. According to Animal Planet, this is one of the most venomous marine creatures on the planet.

What’s terrifying is that the amount of venom on a single blue-spotted octopus can kill about 26 people within just a few minutes. The toxin contains tetrodotoxin, histamine, tryptamine, octopamine, acetylcholine, and many other substances. It causes nausea, stops breathing, heart failure, paralysis of the entire body, blindness, and can lead to death within a few minutes. The usual cause of death is suffocation because the diaphragm is paralyzed.

What’s even worse is that, according to Toxinology, there is currently no antidote for this toxin. Doctors can only try to support breathing and help patients get through the dangerous stage. Therefore, everyone needs to warn each other when eating seafood, especially hotpot. If you see an octopus with blue spots, under no circumstances should you eat it. Safety comes first!