Feeding and Diet
The Reef Stonefish eats fishes and crustacea. It usually waits for prey to swim past, and then strikes with incredible speed. High speed camera equipment is required to record the feeding of this species.
Other behaviours and adaptations
The species is extremely well camouflaged and will not swim away when disturbed, but rather erects its poisonous dorsal fin spines.
Predators, Parasites and Diseases
Predators of the Reef Stonefish include sharks and rays. Jeff Johnson, Fish Collection Manager at the Queensland Museum stated:
"I have seen stonefishes in gut contents of large sharks (tigers and white sharks). Also small stonefishes are taken by Stokes Sea Snake, Astrotia stokesii. Stonefish bones have also been found in Aboriginal middens."
- See more at: http://australianmuseum.net.au/reef-stonefish-synanceia-verrucosa-bloch-schneider-1801#sthash.2uVJ92hu.dpuf