Puffer fish burping? Can I be poisoned?

[Jonathan blackwood]

View attachment 485526

Need help with "Puffer Fish" !!
Any info please !
So I recently got a Stars and striped puffer fish and he is sick with ich... I didn't see it at the time I purchased him but that's not the point. He is slowly dying and has not swallowed air. I've been burping him with my hands "latex gloves on" and now he is in a critter box on the bottom. To keep from floating back up:) and he has plenty of flow , but my concern is... I know puffers have poison in them and I was wondering if they just automatically release toxin or do they actually have to "bite" or "spike" me to release the toxin!?? He doesn't have spikes and I'm just making sure he can't poison me through water ?

 

[Humblefish]

The tetrodotoxin is in their body, so I would be careful of the spines. But they don't release it into the water and you can't get it from a bite.

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

The tetrodotoxin is in their body, so I would be careful of the spines. But they don't release it into the water and you can't get it from a bite.

He doesn't have spines or spikes that I know of ..?? Or do Stars and Stripes have them? Because when he was inflated nothing was poking or sticking out

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I believe its only an issue if you eat it.

 

[melypr1985]

I believe its only an issue if you eat it.

Yup. Just don't bite him and your good. :)