Don't Bite the Hand That Feeds You: Have you ever been bitten, stung, or poked by a member of your reef?

[AlyciaMarie]

If you own a clownfish, odds are you've been bitten before. And if you haven't, well, let's say your time is coming. But our experiences with our clowns often overshadow the fact that there can be other feisty members of the reef. Whether it be territorial fish or a common defense mechanism of a coral or invert, reefing can have its painful moments. Emotionally and physically.

Have you ever been bitten, stung, or poked by a member of your reef?

Your clownfish every time you try to clean your tank:

 

[Dragen Fiend]

All the time by my maroon clown.

 

[AlyciaMarie]

I have yet to be bitten by my current clown pair, but I have been bitten before by the clowns I had in my first tank. My urchin, however, has gotten me!

Here is my lesson: Don't blindly stick your hand behind your aquascape when cleaning the tank.

 

[Tahoe61]

My Black and White female clown latched on to my finger, I quickly pulled my hand out of the tank. Still attached the clown flew across the room, hit the wall and slid behind the couch. I recovered her in about 3 minutes and returned her to her tank as a B/W clown fish dust bunny.

 

[shakacuz]

poked by bristle worms

 

[kdx7214]

I had a black percula clown and I have the scars to prove it

 

[timmyrules]

I JUST (literally 5 seconds ago) got suck by a bristle worm

 

[Arkardios]

I always have a mild skin reaction when touching leather corals.

 

[mjszos]

The clowns... They're small, but scary.

They'll swim around my hands, in between my fingers looking all cute and friendly, then BAM a nibble.

Little monsters...

 

[Pistondog]

Stung by rabbitfish

 

[sfin52]

Maroon clown would go after the skin between thumb and forefinger. She would even draw blood.

My black widow bta grab me all the time. Where they grab will get a little itchy.

I've also had a carpet nem that grabbed and wouldn't let go. I had to peel it off.

I now have to wear goggles working over the tank. I have a black ice female clown who i believe told the male to get me. She nudged him and he jumped out of the water at my face.

 

[LadyMac]

Clownfish are rude.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Luckily, my clowns have never bitten me.

 

[Snoopy 67]

Not mine but when I did tank maintenance there was a long spined urchin.
I still have the marks from the spines, years later.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Clowns would dart for my hand everytime it went in the tank. My female got me good once it actually bled a little

 

[PharmrJohn]

poked by bristle worms

Ohhh. How long did that hurt!

 

[Knucker]

I've had Maxi mini carpet, and Rock flower anemones and handled them both bear handed.

Now I had a Ruby Crab. This guy was mean. When I tried to spot feed it the little guy would have a death grip on the tweezers. One time he actually pinched me, so in the refugium he went.

 

[shakacuz]

Ohhh. How long did that hurt!

didn't hurt at all. it was more so just the realization that i was poked that caught me off guard. i have a high ceiling with pain tolerance lol

 

[vetteguy53081]

Bitten by percula and maroon clowns and had skin torn off by an undulated trigger. Stung by lions more than 6 times at my pet store while trying to net another fish OR doing maintenance

 

[Jasonak]

My Black and White female clown latched on to my finger, I quickly pulled my hand out of the tank. Still attached the clown flew across the room, hit the wall and slid behind the couch. I recovered her in about 3 minutes and returned her to her tank as a B/W clown fish dust bunny.

Your corals are beautiful ! So shaggy !