TheGr8Blade Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Be very aware of what your fish are capable of Check out the video feed of this news report... http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=35166 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Prawn Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 I've always said, why would anyone put their hand in a tank with something that could potentially kill you, with a mere brush against them. Maybe this guy should have researched the fish before buying it, everyone knows lionfish are incredibly poisonous. This is the kind of guy who would buy a blue ring from Big Als and be surprised when he became paralyzed after seeing its beautiful blue spots. -Hideo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midgetwaiter Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 That is a horrible story! They are blowing the potential for harm way out of propotion, it is very, very rare that anyone dies from a lionfish sting. That guy had a really bad reaction which is pretty unusul might be because he got stuck pretty good. It also sounds like he wasn't being very careful and didn't have a good idea how to treat a sting from one of these. Hot water will destory the toxin. Here's a good article: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-11/...ature/index.php This is nowhere near the same thing as a Blue Ring or a Cone Snail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandj Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 I don't know much about Lionfish and I don't even have a salt water tank, but I don't understand how adding hot water will destroy the venom. Can I assume that it is mainly the temperature that does the trick? (Why not cold water then?) Venom is delivered via a "stinger" directly into the flesh of its victim. So how do you get the hot water to affect the poison when it is already in your body? Wouldn't you get burned? Can someone pls explain? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Prawn Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 That is a horrible story! They are blowing the potential for harm way out of propotion, it is very, very rare that anyone dies from a lionfish sting.That guy had a really bad reaction which is pretty unusul might be because he got stuck pretty good. It also sounds like he wasn't being very careful and didn't have a good idea how to treat a sting from one of these. Hot water will destory the toxin. Here's a good article: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-11/...ature/index.php This is nowhere near the same thing as a Blue Ring or a Cone Snail. The temperature thing is because their venom is made of thermolabile proteins, which are broken down by heat. There's no actual stinger on a lionfish that comes off, it has a sheath over its long defensive fins that can be pulled down, and is sharp, which they also push their venom out of. The lionfish is only one member in a family, and is probably the least dangerous one. I've read many a story of death however, always from divers. I did not know however, that the chances were very unlikely of death, until after reading that link. But it still all boils down to irresponsible pet ownership. How could this guy, who is a veterenarian no less, not research his pet? I'd seriously reconsider taking my own animals to anyone who is a vet and doesn't take the half an hour it takes to research the proper care of his fish. Just unbelievable. “Just don't let this happen to you,” Kevin said. Yeah, don't let irresponsible pet ownership and laziness happen to you, I agree.-Hideo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toirtis Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 I have been nailed by lionfish a couple of times....hurts like a beggar, but a few minutes in a sinkful of hot water does the trick. Now, those Conus ssp. snails at Big Als Calgary are very potentially deadly if handled incorrectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moogled Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Everybody just loves being a critic. It must be fair to crucify people like this because the news report wasn't a 2 hour documentary on if Kevin managed to do research on his Lionfish and if he was being careful or not. Should we condemn Christian to the same fate? After all, he got smoked by a Lionfish, not once, but twice. Right? Right? No? Pop quiz time: What's the difference between getting charged by a bull and purposely standing in its way to get charged? C'mon guys, let's be more sensible about this. The owner might have screwed up, but we have no way of knowing the assumptions that we just made unless it was completely obvious that this guy did not know what he was doing (read: he was doing routine water changes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Prawn Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 It was definately Christian's fault. I'm pretty sure he was poking at his lionfish with a stick when it happened to him. -Hideo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midgetwaiter Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Did you watch the vid moogled? It makes it seem like he really didn't know that his severe reaction was a possibility. Further more, the story did not make the point that it was pretty much as severe a reaction as you could possibly have. The guy should have known what the potential for adverse reaction was, especially considering he is a vet. There is always the possibility that you will react badly to a venom, same as some people and bee stings. Only one way to find out too. It is possible that it is just a bad story, maybe a case of editing his statements to make it seems dramatic or something. I will look Christian in the eye and call him a dumbass for getting stung. I will also look myself in the mirror and call myself a dumbass for almost getting stung a few years ago. There is no good excuse for not taking basic precautions in this situation, a pair of $3 dishwashing gloves could at very least minimize the damage and possibly prevent it altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moogled Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 (edited) In terms of tolerance for mistakes, you guys should be a little more understanding. He might have effed up royally, but then again, haven't we all? Yes, yes we have. What I'm trying to say is, if your aquatic husbandry isn't perfect, then you shouldn't make it seem as though the guy just skinned a live puppy and cooked it over a bonfire. By the way, it's worth mentioning that he knew his pet was venomous, and that he would have been a bigger idiot if he didn't even bother calling his girlfriend to let her know he was stung. Also being a vet does not mean he is to be involved with fish very often. Edited February 15, 2006 by Moogled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windeindoiel Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 I'm intrigued by these cone snails of which you speak. Anyone got a link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webmoose Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 cone snails.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midgetwaiter Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 What I'm trying to say is, if your aquatic husbandry isn't perfect, then you shouldn't make it seem as though the guy just skinned a live puppy and cooked it over a bonfire. I don't see how we are doing that at all, I mostly took issue with the lack of basic information in the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toirtis Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Hey, twice in 25 years ain't too bad....especially with some of the frequent contact I had to have with some big lions a few years ago.....and some mornings, you are just not quite as awake as you could be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moogled Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 What I'm trying to say is, if your aquatic husbandry isn't perfect, then you shouldn't make it seem as though the guy just skinned a live puppy and cooked it over a bonfire. I don't see how we are doing that at all, I mostly took issue with the lack of basic information in the story. Okay, maybe that's not what I'm trying to say regarding husbandry. I'm sure this guy knew more than most of us think he knows, regardless of his accident. Oh, and yes I did watch the video beforehand. Thanks for asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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