HELP MY LION JUST STUNG ME!!!!

[butterfly_babe4200]

What should I do? I have a fuzzy dwarf lion about 2 1/2 inches.

[dakar]

Any inflamation or redness at that sting site?

I know vinegar is recommended to ease the sting and reduce swelling from anenomes, urchins and similar critters... should help. Might want to call Poison Control just in case, I'd be curious to hear what they have to say (if anything besides 'you got sting by a what?')

[graphixx]

allright this is no joke!!!! i got stung by my volitan lion about 5 years ago. I went to the emergency room and they didnt know what the **** to do, they dripped and IV in me with something I am not sure what it was but it hurt like ****. but they said I wold be allright!!!! Vinegar and a meat tenderizer works well too!!!!

[butterfly_babe4200]

ok poison control did not even blink he said hot water now... then asked the size and if the stinger(s) were still inside. They are not and he is small so he said I will be fine and the hot water kills the toxin the the sting

[butterfly_babe4200]

thanks for the quick answers I did not even think about poison control.

[graphixx]

that is good to hear, my volitan got me good, the little turd snuck up on me when I was adjusting a power head and got 2 spines in my middle finger!!!! the ER didnt know what to do ( this is in Idaho) they did not know what a lionfish was. I thought I was a dead man!!!

[butterfly_babe4200]

I am going to lay down thanks again

[graphixx]

have a agood nite!!!

[dakar]

Good to hear (both that he didn't nail you too badly and are going to be okay, as well as posion control actually having a clue! BTW might want to avoid petting your lionfish for a few days :)

We always joke about the looks on peoples face if we ever had to make a run to the ER because of something in our tank, trying to explain how we were afflicted by coral toxins while living in WI would be quite a challenge at best.

[Sweetpea]

Oh my! I'm glad you're okay!

[Fally]

Wow, that must have been pretty scary. I am glad that you are going to make it.

This really makes me think about what I have and may put in my tank. It would be wise to research toxin information and have it on hand. Sort of like the MSDS sheets for chemicals at work... I am quite pleased to hear that poison control had this info though!

[Reef_Angel]

Wow, that is scary. My biggest question to you today is... How are you feeling now? If you wouldn't mind, could you tell us what kind of reaction the stings gave you? This is an important post, and while I feel horrible about you being stung, it might be good for our members to hear what you went through since your last post. I considered getting a dwarf lion fish, but me being the type of reef keeper that I am, I don't think it's a good idea anymore!! I play to much with my critters in the tank. I know that sounds crazy, but so many of my fish like to be right next to my hand if I have something I need to do in the tank. I think it is a wise thing for all of us to be able to discern between curiosity & friendly, and the other side of the coin too! The one that says I'm swimming near you because I'm going to nail you the minute you think I'm such a sweet fish/coral. I've been in mine enough now that I know just what all of them are capable of. I tend to lean toward the sweethearts of the reef! They are so curious...maybe nosy is the word...but it gives you that feel good feeling after all the time you put into your reef. Thank you again for sharing, and I honestly hope that you didn't have to go through to much pain from the stings.

Take Care!! .......Angel :angel07:

PS. As for my thinking that I could get a dwarf lion to like me, I think I'll pass now. I'm way to trusting!!

[perpetual98]

A quick fix to help alleviate the pain of some stings is to actually pee on the infected area. You don't need to share those details with us though. :)

[reefgeek]

Sculpin, Lions, butterflies, ETC... Possess a protein type venom as well as sting rays, and other such stinging marine aquatics. Typically meat tenderizers (as well as urnine) work OK if you actually have nematocysts adheared to the skin still IE jelly fish/CORAL sting, and may offer some relief to a penetrating envenomation. I was stung by a jelly once in the carribean and the natives put RUM On it, I asked them if I was gonna get drunk to dull the pain, and they said nope rub it on the sting. It helped ok brought the pain down to manageable level (another story for some other time) However, when you have a penatrating envenomation you need something to neutralize the proteins below the skin, and the hot water accompllishes this by vasodialating the area that was envenomated. This in turn floods the area with proteins IE Red Blood Cells. What happens is the envenomate is used up rapidly by the Red Blood Cells being broken down. After that it is absorbed by the body, and filtered out by the liver.

heres a little blurb off a rescue diver website I frequent

Lionfish, California sculpin, stonefish, and scorpion fish, have venomous fin spines capable of inflicting potentially lethal injuries. They are found in the warmer waters of North America and are popular in salt water aquariums. After contact there is immediate, and intense pain with swelling, which may progress to the axilla, or groin. Treat with heat, the wound should be managed as with a stingray, heat should be promptly and properly applied. In severe cases with systemic effects there is excruciating pain, primary shock, pulmonary edema, and dysrhythmias. The type of fish should be known for proper antivenom. In the field contact Poison Control, and transport to the hospital for evaluation.


be careful out there !!!

[butterfly_babe4200]

Thank you guys for all of your support. I got a bit sick to my stomach but did not puke. I woke up the next morning feeling like I had drank a bottle of tequilla and got in a fight. My hand hurt and so did my face, the rest of my body just felt cruddy. But by the next evening I was fine.

For anyone looking to get a lion I do not say no I think if they are watched they are great! I was being too lax and did not net him before I went playing with rocks in the tank. He was hungery and watching me re-arrange things when a shell fell between us and he was startled and struck. I still think hes cool and am just going to be more carefull noww days.

[carpenterwrasse]

when i was in jamacia i got tossed on to some fire coral by a wave I had scarring for months afterwards and man did it sting.....I am sure the reef got hurt as well....

[carpenterwrasse]

also glad to hear your doing better

[lReef lKeeper]

i have 2 spot fin lions and a vol. lion and before i go into thier tank i have my wife hold a piece of acrylic between me and them. this is just a precautionary measure but i have never been stung. the acrylic i had cut to the width and hieght of the tank and super-glued a plastic handel to the top, so her hand or fingers does not have to touch the water on the side the lions are on. it is not patented so feel free to use the design. LOL

[mutts]

i bet those huge bulky gloves would work also... you know the ones i'm talking about. go up to your shoulder. blue and oragne... look like part of a radation suit

but i don't know fore sure, don't have a lion fish... do have the gloves and if a lion fish could get though them i'd be worried about them sawing a way out of the tank, lol

[butterfly_babe4200]

Lions sting like snakes bite... its quick and swift. The large gloves would work proabily. For me when I first got him I trained him to be fed in a net. So now whenever I want into the tank to mess with stuff I put the net in the water and when he sees it he gets in it as fast as he can (all on his own) and waits for his treat.

[lReef lKeeper]

anyone know of a differance in vol.lion and spot-fin lion stings or do all lions have the same type of venom?? i have 2 spot-fins and 1 vol. and was wodering (Just In Case) if there is a different treatment between the stings of different spiecies of lionfish.