There is a species of fish that can cause hallucinations when eaten. Called the Salema porgy, the yellow-striped sea bream is informally known as the dreamfish for this reason.
There is a species of fish that can cause hallucinations when eaten.
Called the Salema porgy, the yellow-striped sea bream is informally known as the dreamfish for this reason.
As Atlas Obscura notes in a recent report, the fish was reportedly consumed by the Romans for its drug-like effects and by the “Polynesians for ceremonial purposes.”
According to one marine biologist who has studied the creature, the “poisoning can trigger nervous system disturbances and cause effects similar to those of LSD.”
Meanwhile, Scientific American describes the outcome as “intense hallucinations and terrifying nightmares that can last for several days.”
That said, researchers suspect the primary culprit isn’t the fish itself, but the toxic plankton and other food it tends to eat, notes History.com.
Not everyone who eats a Salema porgy seems to be affected, and those who have gotten sick have reportedly recovered within a few days.
It is still unknown exactly which toxins are involved and which parts of the fish are the most potent.
