# Pet Fish Attacks Man



## Avalon (Mar 7, 2005)

http://wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=35166

Ouch!


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## filipnoy85 (Jan 26, 2006)

Craazy... I want one!


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## scitz (Mar 16, 2004)

Goes to show the most grievous of all fishkeeping sins, keeping fish you know nothing about. From what I know from being stung, and independently researching the topic of lionfish venom, this guys depiction of the toxin is a bit dramatic. 

Sure, it hurts like crazy, and there seems to be a pattern of sensitivity to alcohol afterwards. But having convulsions and being at rish for cardiac arrest are more signs of an allergic reaction or nerve gas toxitity. I was given a benydryl injection and then oral painkillers to deal with the pain. 

But anyhow... KNOW YOUR CHARGES!!!


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## Pseud (Oct 19, 2005)

Wow, I never knew they were poisonous. I see them in petco etc all the time. They should probably put a warning sticker on their tanks for the general public. "Please do not pet the Lionyfish!"


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## Clone (Mar 9, 2005)

I saw the news interview with him. I felt sorry for him until he said he didn't know how dangerous the fish is and that HE IS A VETERANARIAN.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

When you get to the saltwater world, there are all sort of venomous creatures, including some of the various corals, etc.
I always wear rubber gloves when I do maintenance on my salt tank, even though I don't have any known venomous critters. There are still things that can ride in on the live rock, etc., so I don't even care to get a little sting.

I guess that's another reinforcement that you should do lots of research on everything you buy, before the fact.
Do a Google search on Lionfish, and pretty much everything you pull up is going to tell you you have to be careful around them.


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## SCMurphy (Jan 28, 2004)

Reminds me of a friend who netted up a catfish and then cupped the fish, still in the net, with his hand to release it into another tank. Problem was that he forgot he was netting up an electric cat. rogar-Si


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

Been there, done that, have the scars to prove it. I've been stung by a Lionfish, Scorpion Fish, and a Stingray. Both of the fish stings happened at a store that I worked at for 6 years, mainly because I was the only one brave enough to deal with them. I was well aware of the consequences of handling them. The stingray stings happened in the ocean and once in a freak accident at a wholesaler that I work for. 

The guy's story sounds more like an allergic reaction, as scitz said. Aside from that Lionfish don't "charge." What are we dealing with, a fish or a bull? Being stung by a Lionfish is either due to stupidity(which sounds like the case here), mishandling or just forgetting they're in the tank. You have to physically hit the dorsal fin of the animal to get stung, they can't "charge" at you with their dorsal fin.

As far as his reaction: yes, it's the most mind blowing, excruciating pain I've ever felt in my life. But out of being stung by 4 fish with similar toxins, I've yet to seize, *****, pass out, or have convulsions. Just to give an idea of how awful the pain is, women who have been stung by stingrays or scorpion fish say that the pain is worse than giving birth.

Edit: a note to anyone who does happen to get stung by a venmous fish.. Remeber one thing: Hot water. Hot water is key to dulling the pain. Stick the wound under the hottest water you can stand. The temperture change denatures the proteins in the venom rendering it less harmful.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

I thought that a gash from a coral was worst because of the bacteria. There are very graphic reports from such accidents on the net.

Also do poisonous fish and invertebrates kept in aquariums retain the strength of their poison or they loose it like dart frogs do?

--Nikolay


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

Fish definately retain it. There's a big difference between venom and poison. Venom is typically in an animals genetic coding and will be produced no matter what. Venom has to physically be injected into the victim and is typically stored within the animal. Poison on the other hand is sometimes due to environmental purposes, in the case of Dendrobates frogs. 

I was scratched by some coral while snorking on the Great Barrier Reef. A wave slammed me up against some stony corals and scratched up my leg and arm pretty bad. It did get infected, but with a little H2O2 everything was fine. 

Saltwater can be pretty dangerous for the uneducated person... there are several fish out there that can do some serious damage, sometimes enough to be fatal. For example: All fish in the Scorpionfish Family (Lion, Stone, Wasp, etc.), Rabbitfish, Toadfish, and some Hawkfish. Certain types of Blennies have venomous fangs that they can bite with. Tangs (Surgeonfish) have little blades on the tail that they can cut you open with. All eels and sharks can produce bites that need stitches. 

There's also several animals that can just kill you period. Example: Blue Ring Octopus, Cone Shells, Auger Shell and some jellyfish. Aside from that, there a numerous fish that will kill you if they are eaten.

And that's just "animals" I didn't even mention corals that can do damage. 

The ocean can be a very dangerous place if you come across the wrong animals


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## opiesilver (Dec 30, 2004)

I just got tore up at the zoo last month helping my buddy there clean tanks and catch some of the Cardinal Fish that had over populated a display. I brushed a Hells Fire Anemone and it lived up to it's name in every sense of the term "Hells Fire". He used vinegar on me to neutralize the poison.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Gumby said:


> ...
> The ocean can be a very dangerous place if you come across the wrong animals


This should read "come across _and harass, grab, catch, handle, chase, threaten any of the animals_".

I've dived all over the world with all of the dangerous fish you mentioned (including one of the most poisonous, the Blue Ring Octopus in Indonesia) and never once had any problems. But any animal, including man, will lash out and attack when they feel threatened and have no choice...

Just wanted to put things into perspective; you will not be chased around and attacked by all sorts of venomous and dangerous sea creatures if you go into the ocean!


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

Laith said:


> This should read "come across _and harass, grab, catch, handle, chase, threaten any of the animals_".


Very true.



> Just wanted to put things into perspective; you will not be chased around and attacked by all sorts of venomous and dangerous sea creatures if you go into the ocean!


Unless the fish is a barracuda and you're wearing shiney jewlery  Running across a curious puffer/trigger fish may prove to be a painful experience too... I've read about people gettings toes bitten off by puffers.


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## swo21259 (Aug 7, 2005)

*rays*

sting rays do not have stingers they have barbs at the base of the tail and body.


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

Uh huh... and?


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

those barbs still sting like heck


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## swo21259 (Aug 7, 2005)

they do not sting they stab


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Gumby said:


> ...a curious puffer/trigger fish may prove to be a painful experience too...


Oh yes, the Titan triggerfish. If you swim too close to their nests when they're protecting their eggs, they'll come after you!  This is one of the most aggressive fish I've ever come across when its protecting its "nest". I have bite marks in many pairs of fins because of these fish.

Hilarious to watch. Whenever you see a diver frantically kicking his legs at something in the water, you know there are titan triggerfish around and that it's egg laying season! 

But again, they are protecting their eggs...


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