I got stung today....

cameronh · Sep 20, 2016

Geez, be careful!!

scchase · Sep 20, 2016

I must add all my wounds are more the result of being in the hobby and industry for more than 25 years, that long and something is bound to happen. Foxface got me after getting tangled in a net and hurt the worst out of the fish. Also forgot jellyfish, sea lice in the swimsuit on the sensitive areas are brutal.

alyee5 · Sep 20, 2016

Glad you are alright!

cnseekatz · Sep 20, 2016

I got tagged by a 15" lion when I was 10... not fun, but if you're not allergic, it's just a bad day. :)

cope413 · Sep 20, 2016

It's not likely benadryl, or other antihistamine, would help you at this point. In the future, if it, or something like it, happens again, it can definitely help minimize the effects if the venom triggers a histamine release. Based on your symptoms, it sounds like it could have helped as they are fairly typical of an allergen-type response.

TheEngineer · Sep 20, 2016

Yowzers! Happy to hear you are on the mend. They always say wear gloves whenever in the tank. Does anyone do that?

melypr1985 · Sep 20, 2016

cromag08 said:
Did you pee on it? :)

No... but I tried to get a coworker to do it. She chickened out so I used hot water to break down the venom.

CJBuckeyes said:
My foxface got me recently when I transferring it with a net. It burned pretty good for about 5-10 mins. Sounds like yours is quite a bit worse. Hope it gets better!

It's fine today. Not even that weird feeling in my arm.

icecool2 said:
Yowzers! Happy to hear you are on the mend. They always say wear gloves whenever in the tank. Does anyone do that?

Well we all should for sure. But, I'll be honest and say that I never do.

hart24601 · Sep 20, 2016

My fuzzy dwarf sting. Put hot water on it too. This was the next day. It was ok though. Little guys always begging for food just came up to my arm and BAM!

scardall · Sep 20, 2016

melypr1985 said:
... by a lion fish!!
So, let me just say that for those of you who don't know.... I work at a fish store in Dallas and we currently have 4 very small fuzzy dwarf lions. They are all just a little bigger than golf balls. I went to move some rocks into a more attractive scape and got nailed right on my middle finger. That of course, led to hilarity as people asked to see it.

Now, this was around 3pm today. As of right now, I only have a bit of discomfort in my right arm up to the bicep. If you've never been stung by a venomous fish, then I'll just tell ya now, Don't. It sucks. I'm not allergic to anything so I faired much better than some people might. When I touched it (totally my fault and I didn't see him at all) it felt like I had been shot in the finger with a needle. It felt like a hard hit, even though I probably only barely touched it. Then there was pain and heat. I immediately ran to the bathroom (squealing all the way) and ran hot water over my hand. I left it there until somebody brought peroxide to pour over the "wound". The heat is supposed to break down the toxins quicker and the peroxide is obvious I think.

The hot water hurt like the dickens at first, but then it started feeling better. If I took my hand out of the water it hurt more. We filled a specimen container with hot water and I walked around with my hand in it for about 45 minutes. I had minimal swelling from this and the pain eventually migrated out of my finger and hand and up my arm.

Right now, it's mostly just an odd, uncomfortable sensation from my elbow to my shoulder (about). It's moving upward slowly. I figure the toxin will need to be processed out of my body so I'm drinking lots of water.

That's it! That's my experience. There was a tiny prick where I got stung and it bled a tiny bit, but now I can't see it. I don't have any more swelling, and I dont see any bruise forming at all. I would take a picture, but it would just be of my regular hand. Not cool or gross or anything.

Lastly I want to be sure that you all know I wasn't attacked by this fish. I was careless and didn't look where my hands were going while doing some aquascaping. Totally my fault as I know better. I knew there were 4 tiny lions in this tank and should have taken more care.

I can relate, as I was venomized by my lion fish years ago. It also was my fault. It was a finger. For Me the Hot water hurt more, but is the Only treatment per say. There is NO Anti- Venom in in this Country. Australia Yes. Pain lasted almost 12 hours. Some necrosis at the site, but once healed there is no visible evidence of the event. Believe me, these fish are not really aggressive till threatened or seeking food to eat. Felt like a wasp sting times 10. I will not make that mistake and try to scare it away(with my hand) from where I'm working at again.

Paul B · Sep 20, 2016

I was diving once off of a lighthouse and got stung by a lionfish, I jerked back into a wall of fire coral that was the home to 7 or 8 Man O War jellyfish so I fell back into the water and wouldn't you know it, I stepped on a sting ray who got me in the knee. I quickly reached up out of the water and grabbed the live wire that was feeding the lighthouse and "almost" got out of the way of a speeding jet ski.

Ok, none of that happened as I must have been dreaming. But I did get stung by a lionfish and fire coral, (not at the same time.) It does hurt but forget the Benadryl and all of that stuff as I know Meredith is not a Sissy and she got over it. Take a shot of Scotch and go back to whatever it was you were doing. :D

hart24601 · Sep 20, 2016

Paul B said:
I was diving once off of a lighthouse and got stung by a lionfish, I jerked back into a wall of fire coral that was the home to 7 or 8 Man O War jellyfish so I fell back into the water and wouldn't you know it, I stepped on a sting ray who got me in the knee. I quickly reached up out of the water and grabbed the live wire that was feeding the lighthouse and "almost" got out of the way of a speeding jet ski.

Ok, none of that happened as I must have been dreaming. But I did get stung by a lionfish and fire coral, (not at the same time.) It does hurt but forget the Benadryl and all of that stuff as I know Meredith is not a Sissy and she got over it. Take a shot of Scotch and go back to whatever it was you were doing. :D

Oh that Paul, so silly!

BoneXriffic · Sep 20, 2016

I bet you could flip birds better than anyone after that :p hope all is well with it. You sound as clumsy as myself

cromag27 · Sep 20, 2016

now that's a conversation i would love to have seen!

melypr1985 said:
No... but I tried to get a coworker to do it. She chickened out

melev · Sep 20, 2016

Good write up. Hope you continue to feel better.

drernesto · Sep 20, 2016

Ouch! Hope your feeling better

reefdoctor132 · Sep 20, 2016

Hope you are all cleared up. I've stung by a lion and bit by a Piranha. I can tell you that both experiences sucked! Went to the hospital for mine and was seen by the same doctor. He just laughed at me when I can in for the lion fish. Get well!

joro · Sep 20, 2016

Ouch, so sorry to hear and this is definitely always a worry with our FoxFace (who put up one heck of a fight this weekend moving him from QT -> DT). Hope you feel better soon!

melypr1985 · Sep 21, 2016

Thanks everybody!! I woke up the next morning totally better! 100% better! Today I went back to work and was fine, though I didn't go into that tank except to feed the fish, eel and ray in there. I appreciate all of your well wishes, though I dont feel I deserve them. I was very lucky that I'm not allergic to much of anything. I just hope this thread helps somebody in the future to learn from mine and the others here who have been stung by something venomous.

new2mac · Sep 25, 2016

Bad experience, hope you are OK by now. I think you did the best you could at that point - hot water, as much as you can handle. My Diadema urchin bit me several times and I always used hot water, it helped. Wish you quick and full recovery.