Q Went to Phillip Island - the front beach along Silverleaves today. The place was chock-a-block with toadies. I can't remember seeing them at all as a kid trawling along that beach. Is there a plague of them? Also...are they poisonous, or just inedible?

Banjo
1-1-2002

A Thanks for the report on the toad fish at Phillip Island. If the toadies had dark brown spots they were probably the Smooth Toadfish (Tetractenos glaber), if they had a stripe down the side (no big spots) they could be the Banded Toadfish (Torguigener pleurogramma). Both of these toadfish commonly follow the tide in, searching for crabs or any other food that may be caught by the incoming tide. Both species often do this in large numbers and reading through one of my guides I found that the Banded Toadfish "forms large schools" and is "known to attack divers who are spearfishing" (you did say one even had a nibble at your lover's foot). You were right to ask about poisons - yes the flesh of both toadfish is poisonous, could even be fatal if enough was eaten.

Your report of the large numbers is most interesting. It seems to reflect the information that I have read about the Banded Toadfish forming large schools and my own observations. I would be really interested to know if the large numbers that you saw were a seasonal thing, perhaps relating to breeding cycles or seasonal abundance of a particular kind of food.

Regards, Harry Breidahl

    -- Harry
1-1-2002