reeferdude
Member
I am thinking about putting a dwarf lion in my 120 and I have my hands in there a lot. Is this advised? I know that they are poisonous but do they have to be provoked?
Dwarf lions and hands
- Thread starter reeferdude
- Start date
grouperhead
Active Member
Lions are very passive by nature. By sticking your hand in there to clean algea/diatoms off the glass it won't just come up and sting you. While cleaning tanks I have actually just brushed against lions dorsal fins, and didn't get stung. They use their fins for defense. As long as you don't harass him, he won't pop you. Bo
reeferdude
Member
ok so is it only the dorsal fins that have poison?
grouperhead
Active Member
The pectoral spines might as well, I'm not too sure. I'm no lion expert by any means, thats FMarini. He can tell you wether or not the pectoral spines contain venom. Bo
#1formosus
New Member
loinfish wont attack you, but you have to be careful. make sure you keep your eyes on it all the time while your hands are in the tank. If you do get stung, run hot water over your hands. hot water can break up the venom.
fmarini
Member
Hi Guys:
The dorsal spines and anal fin spines contain the venom. As Bo mentioned these are strictly defensive weapons - Lionfish are mellow creatures and only fight when provoked.
Lions have to inject this venom, so unless you impale your hands onto the spines or provoke the lion to stick you, your safe.
The best news for you is lionfish venom while really really painful, has not resulted in a human death (in the reported literature). If you do get stuck, immersing your hand in hot non-scaulding water for 30min-1hr will reduce the severity of the sting...but it still hurts
The best advice i can give you....respect the lion at all time and know where it is in your tank when you put your hands in.
frank
The dorsal spines and anal fin spines contain the venom. As Bo mentioned these are strictly defensive weapons - Lionfish are mellow creatures and only fight when provoked.
Lions have to inject this venom, so unless you impale your hands onto the spines or provoke the lion to stick you, your safe.
The best news for you is lionfish venom while really really painful, has not resulted in a human death (in the reported literature). If you do get stuck, immersing your hand in hot non-scaulding water for 30min-1hr will reduce the severity of the sting...but it still hurts
The best advice i can give you....respect the lion at all time and know where it is in your tank when you put your hands in.
frank
oze reefer
Member
just keep ypur hands out......use a magnet algae cleaning and a pair of coral tongs to do every thing
grouperhead
Active Member
Technically, lions are "reef safe". They will not bother corals, but small fish and shrimps are in danger. Lions have very large apetites, and small fish and shrimp would be a 5 star meal for them. I have talked to people who kept dwarf lions in reefs with shrimp and smaller fish without any problems, but to me it is really just a ticking timebomb waiting to go off. Lions will take most anything, krill, silversides, squid, clam, shrimp, etc. Bo
sistrmary
Member
Actually, my coral banded shrimp picks parasites from the inside of my radiatas mouth. My cleaner shrimp and my radiata have fin/antennea wars, but the cleaner is afraid of him, so they never really mess with each other. I've also had peppermint shrimp walk right on his head, and he hasn't even snapped at them. Now it could be that I just have a very passive radiata, but I also have a fu manchu in the same tank, and he hasn't bothered any of the shrimp either.
About the stinging, you can actually see the venom when they eject it, it looks like their fins are weeping ice...but it's not there all the time, they either have to be stressed or frightened...or, most horribly and sadly, dead...I think it kind of leaks out.
About feeding: They will take anything that *moves* I have yet to see one eat anything sitting still...and I have three now, and did have another volitans (died within 24 hours...I think that he just didn't ship well)
About the stinging, you can actually see the venom when they eject it, it looks like their fins are weeping ice...but it's not there all the time, they either have to be stressed or frightened...or, most horribly and sadly, dead...I think it kind of leaks out.
About feeding: They will take anything that *moves* I have yet to see one eat anything sitting still...and I have three now, and did have another volitans (died within 24 hours...I think that he just didn't ship well)