Reef City
New member
So last night after we closed I started cleaning the tanks...
our 240 gal has most of our aggressive fish... so there I am scrubbing away the diatom algae off the front of the tank, I looked away for a second and Bam ! felt like someone just stabbed me with a hot needle and right below my hand was the lion fish ! he got me ! Now what do I do ? Right away I called my wife to come up to the shop, then called my friend that got hit by his lion fish before, he's an RN and asked him what to do... He said put your hand in hot water.. well after 20 min of hot water I emptied the lil hot water tank we have here at the shop. Told my wife to take me home cause it really started to hurt. on our way home we stop and got some Benadryl just an case I took a couple of those... But man did it hurt till I got my hand back under hot water. Then my super smart wife broke out a heating pad and said used this instead cause we are gonna run out of hot water soon ! I wrapped that heating pad around my hand and it was working great... I was swelling up but at least I didn't have that crazy pain... so maybe after 4 hours of heat I could turn off the pad and most of the pain was gone. Today my hand is still a bit swollen and sore but I'll be fine...
Lesson learned... never take you eye off your Lion Fish if you hands are in the tank... and keep a heating pad and Benadryl around if you own a lion fish!
I love this hobby but we gotta keep it safe !
Here's a C&P of some more info about Lion Fish Stings:
"Stings from lionfish can be serious, and should not be taken lightly. Any broken spines should be removed, if possible, and the affected area soaked in non-scalding hot water (100-110 degrees F. or 38-43 degrees C.) for 15-20 minutes. Lionfish venom contains proteins that are denatured by heat, thus, preventing them from spreading in the bloodstream.
If hot water is not available, aspirin, or aspirin with codeine can be taken. (Do not use hot water and aspirin together.) Because possible adverse reactions or secondary infections can occur from lionfish stings, a medical professional should be seen as soon as possible.
Due to the presence of lionfish in deeper offshore waters, envenomations may occur far from land during diving or fishing operations. These situations present a special circumstance that require some advance planning, because medical attention cannot, necessarily, be obtained immediately. Therefore, the presence of a hot pack on board is helpful and can then be utilized if hot water is not readily available. In addition, it is recommended that you call the Aquatic Toxins Hotline at the Florida Poison Information Center in Miami, where medical experts will advise you about the treatment, including in Spanish. This Hotline is available 24/7, and the number is 888-232-8635. A high definition medical treatment video was created and produced by EISF and is available for distribution on DVD and HDCAM to medical providers.
(This medical advice was approved by the Florida Poison Information Center – Miami) "
our 240 gal has most of our aggressive fish... so there I am scrubbing away the diatom algae off the front of the tank, I looked away for a second and Bam ! felt like someone just stabbed me with a hot needle and right below my hand was the lion fish ! he got me ! Now what do I do ? Right away I called my wife to come up to the shop, then called my friend that got hit by his lion fish before, he's an RN and asked him what to do... He said put your hand in hot water.. well after 20 min of hot water I emptied the lil hot water tank we have here at the shop. Told my wife to take me home cause it really started to hurt. on our way home we stop and got some Benadryl just an case I took a couple of those... But man did it hurt till I got my hand back under hot water. Then my super smart wife broke out a heating pad and said used this instead cause we are gonna run out of hot water soon ! I wrapped that heating pad around my hand and it was working great... I was swelling up but at least I didn't have that crazy pain... so maybe after 4 hours of heat I could turn off the pad and most of the pain was gone. Today my hand is still a bit swollen and sore but I'll be fine...
Lesson learned... never take you eye off your Lion Fish if you hands are in the tank... and keep a heating pad and Benadryl around if you own a lion fish!
I love this hobby but we gotta keep it safe !
Here's a C&P of some more info about Lion Fish Stings:
"Stings from lionfish can be serious, and should not be taken lightly. Any broken spines should be removed, if possible, and the affected area soaked in non-scalding hot water (100-110 degrees F. or 38-43 degrees C.) for 15-20 minutes. Lionfish venom contains proteins that are denatured by heat, thus, preventing them from spreading in the bloodstream.
If hot water is not available, aspirin, or aspirin with codeine can be taken. (Do not use hot water and aspirin together.) Because possible adverse reactions or secondary infections can occur from lionfish stings, a medical professional should be seen as soon as possible.
Due to the presence of lionfish in deeper offshore waters, envenomations may occur far from land during diving or fishing operations. These situations present a special circumstance that require some advance planning, because medical attention cannot, necessarily, be obtained immediately. Therefore, the presence of a hot pack on board is helpful and can then be utilized if hot water is not readily available. In addition, it is recommended that you call the Aquatic Toxins Hotline at the Florida Poison Information Center in Miami, where medical experts will advise you about the treatment, including in Spanish. This Hotline is available 24/7, and the number is 888-232-8635. A high definition medical treatment video was created and produced by EISF and is available for distribution on DVD and HDCAM to medical providers.
(This medical advice was approved by the Florida Poison Information Center – Miami) "
