You may not feel a Blue Ring Octopus bite immediately, but the bite effects will appear within 15 minutes. These effects may include numbness, bleeding, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision and difficulty breathing.
With summer just around the corner, it is time to consider what dangers are present in our ocean waters.
Blue Ring Octopus Description
The Blue Ringed Octopus is a member of the Hapalochlaena genus. Living in rock pools and on reefs all around Australia, it is an attractive but deadly little octopus.
Blue Ringed Octopi grow to about 20 centimetres in length and their bite can be fatal. The Blue Ring Octopus produces a venom called Tetrodotoxin. It is a neurotoxin which when injected into a human via a bite causes paralysis.
Tetrodotoxin will cause paralysis which may begin within 10 to 30 minutes. Victims require urgent medical attention, as they may become unresponsive within 15 minutes due to the paralysis causing the muscles such as the diaphragm and heart to stop working.
What to do
If you suspect someone is suffering from a Blue Ringed Octopus bite, immediately calm and reassure the person. Lie them down and advise them to keep still, as it will assist in slowing the venom from moving through the body. Have someone call an ambulance and state that a Blue Ringed Octopus has bitten the victim. If you or someone else has been trained in First Aid apply a pressure immobilization bandage over the bite site and from the extremity of the limb as far up the limb as possible. If the bite is not on a limb firm direct pressure over the bite site may help.
Prevention is always better. Ensure children are aware of the dangers when playing in and around rock pools or sea baths/pools. Remember, a Blue Ring Octopus bite can kill within 30 minutes.
