Australian Teen Spends Christmas In The Hospital After Swallowing Bluebottle Fish

When you are walking the beaches in some areas of the world, you may see an unusual creature that is washed up on shore.

It tends to be blue, and translucent, with long tentacles that stretch off into the sand.

These marine stingers can really make you sore if you happen to get wrapped up in those tentacles because the sting is significant.

These Marine creatures, commonly known as Bluebottles or Pacific man-o-wars, also float on the surface of the water, so we may meet them on the shore or when we are out swimming.

Unfortunately, that was what happened to a teenager who was swimming at Bondi Beach, Australia. According to News.com.au, for some reason or another, the 18-year-old ended up swallowing one of these creatures and came back to get treated by the lifeguards. They called an ambulance.

When the paramedics arrived, they were able to treat the boy but ended up taking him to the hospital for further treatment. He was in the hospital for a couple of days over Christmas before being discharged.

There are a number of things that are unknown about the situation, such as whether the creature was alive or dead when he swallowed it. They also aren’t sure why or how it got into his mouth, but it seems as if it is common for humans to come in contact with them.

Lifeguards treat thousands of incidents involving stingers every year and the number one Marine stinger is the Bluebottle, according to Openwaterpedia.

If you happen to come across one, avoid it if possible. If you are stung, try to immerse the area in hot water as soon as possible or use a cold compress to help with the pain.

And don’t swallow them.