Reefkeeping Dangers

ReefLady

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Along with the lions, rabbits, stone, and soap fish people should also remember that the common coral catfish has a powerful sting.

Great info., sharks - thanks. We were just talking about these fish last night in chat.

Here's another link on them:

>Marine Catfishes of the Family Plotosidae<

If you are unfortunate enough to get stung, soaking the injured area in *hot* water (as hot as you can possibly stand) changes the structure of the venom, and reduces the pain. Same goes for the sting of a Lion fish.
 

ScottT1980

Well-Known Member
Although it probably goes without saying, one of the biggest potential dangers with our tanks is the required electricity needed to succesfully maintain a reef tank (or even a fish only tank). The conductivity of SW is pretty significant and many of us, including myself, have been thrown aback due to an electrical shock from the tank or its equipment.

Check your outlets, keep drip loops on your cords, have a grounding probe, and think about GFCIs for any outlet that could come in contact with water.

Just some thoughts

Take er easy
SCott T.
 

Witfull

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by sharks
Along with the lions, rabbits, stone, and soap fish people should also remember that the common coral catfish has a powerful sting.
if you have any of these creatures, be aware of their location when your hands are in the tank. not only do you not want to move into them, but they can lunge with there spines. i speak from experience. i was cleaning a tank with a few Volitans in it and i was being careful to not bump them when one that was feeling more threatened than the others (they all had there spines erect but kept moving away from me) he suddenly did an El Toro move and drove one spine into my thumb. this hurt, like being stabbed with a tetnus needle. then the pain set in, burning sensation and swelling. then numbness. i had to go to the ER and had to try to explain to them what happened. well they were clueless. as in Luis' experience, it was Poison control to the rescue. i was numb for a few days and i widh it had lasted longer,,,when feeling came back it was pain, mostly when i was using the hand and blood pressure was increased.
 

Boomer

Reef Sanctuary's Mr. Wizard
Here are some of mine

Dangerous Marine Life

VENOMOUS CREATURES ON THE WEB

Books to think about;


A Color Atlas of Dangerous Marine Animals, B.W.Halstead.

Poisonous and Venoumous Animals of the World; Vol 1 & 2, B.W.Halstead.

Venomous and Poisonous Marine Animals: A Medical & Biological Handbook, John Williamson (Editor), et al

Pisces Guide to Venomous & Toxic Marine Life of the World
by P. Cunningham, P. Goetz

The Venomous and Poisonous Marine Invertebrates of the Indian Ocean, Findlay E. Russell, et a

Poisonous Marine Animals, F.E.Russell.

Dangerous Sea Creatures - Aquatic Survial Guide, N.Coleman

What to Do About Bites and Stings of Venomous Animals, R.E.Arnold.

A Field Guide to Dangerous Animals of North America, C.K. Levy.
 
Now I do not want to put my hands in my tank. I never think of any dangers in the aquarium. My hands have never been sensitive.
 

chinoxl3

New Member
My experience was when I was moving a bubble coral because it had been knocked down on the sand. Bubble corals are known to let out a protective slime, those of you who own one know what I mean. Anyway, I didn't know I had a small cut in my finger, so you can imagine what kind of pain I was going thru when the slime smeared all over the cut. Now I'm really reluctant when it comes to touching any coral unless I have gloves on. Be careful guys.
 

nigle

Member
Oi!

SEE! I told the guys at the office that Reefing was dangerous, HA!

I sent all the links to them just to show them.

Great post there NaH2O !!!

Cheers!
nigle
!~!
 

Gina

Moderator
RS STAFF
Well,
Haven't read this thread until now...figured I didn't have any allergies to anything in the tank because nothing so far has happened. Duh! Think I might get one of those longs thongs also and believe it or not i have a pair of rubber gloves that I bought a week or so ago and they are still in the package! Just like me to do that!!!

Thanks from me also for everyones input. Something to think about and act upon!
 

thetastate

New Member
Great thread - very informative.

I can recall an incident here where an elderly gentleman used hook and hand line to catch a Barramundi Cod (Chromileptis altivelis) from his son's large reef aquarium. He cooked the fish and ate it, being admitted to hospital shortly after with symptoms of ciguatera poisoning. Doh! I presume that the fish had been in the tank for some time, and therefore the toxin present in the tank??

Another unfortunate incident occurred when a blue ringed octopus escaped from its tank and bit the family's cleaner when she tried to return it to the tank. She survived. Apparently the son had colleced the blue ring (illegally) to help remove crabs from his temperate reef tank. Doh!

Mark
 

Imperator

Member
I got zapped by a lion working in a tank,wasn't his fault I moved my hand into him as I was moving some rock.I remember it being one of the most intense pains I've felt.Almost a electric burning sensation if that makes any sense.I just soaked in in ammonia and it was fine after several hours.
I've touched elegant coral many times and never had a problem.One time I brushed my inner forearm against one and after I took my arm out,it looked liked a hundred mosquito bites.It didn't really hurt but it itched like the devil.I guess the tender skin was affected alot more than my hands.
I've had the normal tangles with bristle worms and I can't sleep when I know a mantis is within a mile of me.I don't like them at all;)
 

maffu

Member
what a great post... I have to admit to getting a case of the itches though from reading it all!!!

so glad I used a tweezer to pick out a fast dying bristleworm while aquascaping my first tank!
 
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