Puffer fish poison !! Do they all have it ?

Jbizzle · 02/24/2017, 11:58 PM

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 ?

CrayolaViolence · 02/25/2017, 08:46 AM

From my understanding the poison is below the skin and is only a threat to something that tries to eat the puffer.

jmm · 02/25/2017, 12:15 PM

The poison comes from rupturing the internal organs while preparing the meat for consumption. Tetrodotoxin is most concentrated in the liver.

02/24/2017, 11:58 PM	#1
Jbizzle Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 1	Puffer fish poison !! Do they all have it ? 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 ?

02/25/2017, 08:46 AM	#2
CrayolaViolence Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,867	From my understanding the poison is below the skin and is only a threat to something that tries to eat the puffer. __________________ "The good thing about science is that it's true whether you believe it or not." Neil deGrasse Tyson Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef tank

02/25/2017, 12:15 PM	#3
jmm Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 569	The poison comes from rupturing the internal organs while preparing the meat for consumption. Tetrodotoxin is most concentrated in the liver.