Sarpa Salpa Hallucinogenic Dream Fish

There are hallucinogenic fish whose consumption can trigger vivid hallucinations, with some trips documented to last several days. Doctors call this condition ichthyoallyeinotoxism, and it most famously involves species like Sarpa salpa, a sea bream known in Arabic as "the fish that makes dreams," as well as several sea chub and rabbitfish species. In 2006, two men who apparently ate Sarpa salpa from the Mediterranean experienced intense auditory and visual hallucinations that began a few hours after the meal and continued for up to about 36 hours. Researchers still debate whether the toxins come from the fish themselves or from algae and other organisms in their diet, but they agree these meals can turn into unexpectedly long, frightening, drug-like experiences.

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