A lion fish an Eel and my hand

mfrisby2 · 05/01/2006, 01:54 PM

I just bought a 125 gallon tank in which I plan on doing the works with. I find myself in a situation though. I have always wanted an eel and a lion fish. I plan on hand feeding my eel once a day though. It has recently been brought to my attention that lion fish can be quite nasty, I've been wondering how "nasty" they can be. So has anyone really had problems with their lion fish coming to their hands while feeding/cleaning their tanks? If so, are there ways I can get around they're spine's so I may be able to have both in my tank?

AdidaKev · 05/01/2006, 01:56 PM

First of all,

To Reef Central

When cleaning a tank containing a lion, just be as cautious as possible. I've worked in an LFS for almost 3 years and have had my hands in tanks containing lions dozens of times, but have yet to be stung (knock on wood!). They won't usually approach your hand as you clean.

Randall_James · 05/01/2006, 02:07 PM

Many eels only need fed weekly or even biweekly (hand feeding is foolhardy for many species).
Research carefully on this purchase and make sure your tank is "escape proofed" first. I never met a sorry LionFish owner (well except one that touched the thing)

mfrisby2 · 05/01/2006, 03:16 PM

I'm wanting to get a couple of garden eels. From what I read they only get up to 14 inchs long and are very managable. What would be a Lion fish that is coral/live rock friendly? Or do they all fit this description?

IslandCrow · 05/01/2006, 03:30 PM

Please don't rely on luck to avoid lionfish stings. They are potentially deadly. Their spines contain a rather potent neurotoxin which in sufficient doses can shut down your nervous system and kill you. Some eels are quite poisonous, but I don't know how many if any of those are sold in the aquarium business. I'd suggest getting a nice pair of feeding tongs. You can buy them for much less than a hospital bill from just about anywhere that sells aquarium supplies. I read a story just a month or two ago on this very website about a guy who did very nearly die from sticking his hand in his tank with a lion fish. He'd done it plenty of times before, but that time the lionfish decided he just wasn't in the mood and sent 5 spines into his arm. If his girlfriend hadn't been there to rush him to the hospital (he was totally incapacitated within seconds), he wouldn't have been around to write the story.

facewedgie · 05/01/2006, 03:34 PM

TOTALLY INCAPACITATED withing SECONDS??? c'mon now...

1SickReefer · 05/01/2006, 03:41 PM

anything is possible with an allergic reaction.

ppl can die if stung by a common bee with in minutes, why not a lion fish?

jim293 · 05/01/2006, 03:50 PM

I have a lion fish. I can feed him out of my hand. Very mellow.

facewedgie · 05/01/2006, 03:52 PM

it takes more than a few seconds before you even feel much pain, let alone have the venom take much affect. if he was allergic to bee stings, etc. then maybe i will buy the totally incapacitated bit (extreme allergic reaction), but NOT in seconds....i have never been stung, but have been around others on a few occasions who have, even seen the effects of a foxface sting, which ive been told is much more painful. never had to rush anyone to hospital, etc.

mfrisby2 · 05/01/2006, 04:01 PM

Well, I'm getting contridicting stories here. I've been told I can get mesh gloves also to wear while feeding the eels. I just dont want to live feed my eels cause thats how fish that I do not want eaten begin to dissapear. So I take it that the Lion fish do in fact have a tenacious side to them and should be watched. Any body know about neopream gloves or things like such that I could place in my tank without contaminating the water that would also withstand an unexspected Lion fish assualt?

Randall_James · 05/01/2006, 04:52 PM

As I happen to work with immunologically challenged individuals and those with venom allergies, anaphylactic shock can occur in moments on a sensitive person and it is not pretty, the panic in their eyes when their throat slams shut is unnerving at best. We have never tested for LionFish allergy but hey who knows right?

If this is your first Eel, I might suggest an easy hardy species (SnowFlake perhaps) rather than something you are likely to fail at (blue ribbon, garden eel etc).
Hand feeding ANY venomous animal strikes me as not so bright for most, never mind mr jim does it, if it ever backfires on him I would suppose it will be the last time he does it.
Get a feeding stick and do you and your fish a favor. Besides you could introduce a pathogen yourself by feeding by hand. Just another one of those "Who knows" things.

Encouraging hand feeding of dangerous or venomous animals is irresponsible

IslandCrow · 05/02/2006, 12:20 PM

Perhaps the guy was particularly sensitive to the venom and reacted much more violently than a normal person would. The point is, a lionfish sting is a bit more potent than a bee's. How often and under what circumstances is a sting fatal? I really don't know, but it can and has happened. I, personally, wouldn't stick an unprotected hand into a lionfish tank any more than I would into a a hive of bees. Of course, people do both, so I guess if you're going to, just realize the risks and be very careful.

kraze3 · 05/02/2006, 12:37 PM

if you have an eel in with other fish, wether fed live foods or not, you run the risk that if a fish swims by and hes hungry then bye bye fish. eels have horrible vision and use there sense of smell to hunt. Ive had a snowflake for a year or so now, he eats alot of shrimp straight fromt he supermarket so he isntl live fed and never has been. He did eat one fish on me but only one, a small dottyback.

05/01/2006, 01:54 PM	#1
mfrisby2 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: AZ Posts: 24	A lion fish an Eel and my hand I just bought a 125 gallon tank in which I plan on doing the works with. I find myself in a situation though. I have always wanted an eel and a lion fish. I plan on hand feeding my eel once a day though. It has recently been brought to my attention that lion fish can be quite nasty, I've been wondering how "nasty" they can be. So has anyone really had problems with their lion fish coming to their hands while feeding/cleaning their tanks? If so, are there ways I can get around they're spine's so I may be able to have both in my tank?

05/01/2006, 01:56 PM	#2
AdidaKev Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: NA Posts: 624	First of all, *To Reef Central* When cleaning a tank containing a lion, just be as cautious as possible. I've worked in an LFS for almost 3 years and have had my hands in tanks containing lions dozens of times, but have yet to be stung (knock on wood!). They won't usually approach your hand as you clean. __________________ ... Current Tank Info: NA

05/01/2006, 02:07 PM	#3
Randall_James Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,727	Many eels only need fed weekly or even biweekly (hand feeding is foolhardy for many species). Research carefully on this purchase and make sure your tank is "escape proofed" first. I never met a sorry LionFish owner (well except one that touched the thing) __________________ "It's a dog eat dog world and I feel like I am wearing milkbone underwear"

05/01/2006, 03:16 PM	#4
mfrisby2 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: AZ Posts: 24	I'm wanting to get a couple of garden eels. From what I read they only get up to 14 inchs long and are very managable. What would be a Lion fish that is coral/live rock friendly? Or do they all fit this description? __________________ Newbie to This 125 Gallon Tank Any tips you can give me please do Current Tank Info: Just starting her up

05/01/2006, 03:30 PM	#5
IslandCrow Reef Monkey Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rockledge, Fl Posts: 5,759	Please don't rely on luck to avoid lionfish stings. They are potentially deadly. Their spines contain a rather potent neurotoxin which in sufficient doses can shut down your nervous system and kill you. Some eels are quite poisonous, but I don't know how many if any of those are sold in the aquarium business. I'd suggest getting a nice pair of feeding tongs. You can buy them for much less than a hospital bill from just about anywhere that sells aquarium supplies. I read a story just a month or two ago on this very website about a guy who did very nearly die from sticking his hand in his tank with a lion fish. He'd done it plenty of times before, but that time the lionfish decided he just wasn't in the mood and sent 5 spines into his arm. If his girlfriend hadn't been there to rush him to the hospital (he was totally incapacitated within seconds), he wouldn't have been around to write the story. __________________ All opinions in the above message should be taken with 35 ppt salt. -Mike C. Current Tank Info: I have a reef screen saver on my phone, does that count?

05/01/2006, 03:34 PM	#6
facewedgie Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 227	TOTALLY INCAPACITATED withing SECONDS??? c'mon now...

05/01/2006, 03:41 PM	#7
1SickReefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Perryville, MD Posts: 1,048	anything is possible with an allergic reaction. ppl can die if stung by a common bee with in minutes, why not a lion fish?

05/01/2006, 03:50 PM	#8
jim293 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 169	I have a lion fish. I can feed him out of my hand. Very mellow. __________________ Jim293 110 gallon reef tank Current Tank Info: 72 Gallon bow front/ 110 Gallon Reef Tanks

05/01/2006, 03:52 PM	#9
facewedgie Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 227	it takes more than a few seconds before you even feel much pain, let alone have the venom take much affect. if he was allergic to bee stings, etc. then maybe i will buy the totally incapacitated bit (extreme allergic reaction), but NOT in seconds....i have never been stung, but have been around others on a few occasions who have, even seen the effects of a foxface sting, which ive been told is much more painful. never had to rush anyone to hospital, etc.

05/01/2006, 04:01 PM	#10
mfrisby2 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: AZ Posts: 24	Well, I'm getting contridicting stories here. I've been told I can get mesh gloves also to wear while feeding the eels. I just dont want to live feed my eels cause thats how fish that I do not want eaten begin to dissapear. So I take it that the Lion fish do in fact have a tenacious side to them and should be watched. Any body know about neopream gloves or things like such that I could place in my tank without contaminating the water that would also withstand an unexspected Lion fish assualt? __________________ Newbie to This 125 Gallon Tank Any tips you can give me please do Current Tank Info: Just starting her up

05/01/2006, 04:52 PM	#11
Randall_James Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,727	As I happen to work with immunologically challenged individuals and those with venom allergies, anaphylactic shock can occur in moments on a sensitive person and it is not pretty, the panic in their eyes when their throat slams shut is unnerving at best. We have never tested for LionFish allergy but hey who knows right? If this is your first Eel, I might suggest an easy hardy species (SnowFlake perhaps) rather than something you are likely to fail at (blue ribbon, garden eel etc). Hand feeding ANY venomous animal strikes me as not so bright for most, never mind mr jim does it, if it ever backfires on him I would suppose it will be the last time he does it. Get a feeding stick and do you and your fish a favor. Besides you could introduce a pathogen yourself by feeding by hand. Just another one of those "Who knows" things. Encouraging hand feeding of dangerous or venomous animals is irresponsible __________________ "It's a dog eat dog world and I feel like I am wearing milkbone underwear"

05/02/2006, 12:20 PM	#12
IslandCrow Reef Monkey Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rockledge, Fl Posts: 5,759	Perhaps the guy was particularly sensitive to the venom and reacted much more violently than a normal person would. The point is, a lionfish sting is a bit more potent than a bee's. How often and under what circumstances is a sting fatal? I really don't know, but it can and has happened. I, personally, wouldn't stick an unprotected hand into a lionfish tank any more than I would into a a hive of bees. Of course, people do both, so I guess if you're going to, just realize the risks and be very careful. __________________ All opinions in the above message should be taken with 35 ppt salt. -Mike C. Current Tank Info: I have a reef screen saver on my phone, does that count?

05/02/2006, 12:37 PM	#13
kraze3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: RI Posts: 2,373	if you have an eel in with other fish, wether fed live foods or not, you run the risk that if a fish swims by and hes hungry then bye bye fish. eels have horrible vision and use there sense of smell to hunt. Ive had a snowflake for a year or so now, he eats alot of shrimp straight fromt he supermarket so he isntl live fed and never has been. He did eat one fish on me but only one, a small dottyback.