Whats poisonous

[smellyangryman]

What is poisonous? Like are there any pest i need to get rid of in my tanks that i dont know i have? could someone post pics on what cause harm in Aquariums, thanks.

 

[blout]

i think all the stuff you get on living rock is not poisonous, but you might get a mantis shrimp that will kill your fish but thats rare, most other stuff is genarely safe and good for the tank

 

[Navarre]

Bristleworms, although not poisonous, they can give a very nasty irritation. Good for the tank though so dont get rid.

 

[Salt Freak]

Aptasia anemonies are like weeds and can overtank your tank and hard to get rid of.

 

[chkltcow]

Aiptasia and mojano are pests, but not poisonous. For the most part, anything that's poisonous will be something you put in there yourself. Zoanthids, most blennies, lionfish, etc....

 

[steelhealr]

Navarre showed me the poison fang blenny.....corals and anemones have nematocysts...mantis shrimp can split your finger with its chelae...as above, bristle worms.....zoanthids, a type of coral has a poisonous slime....lionfish you know about...certain fish have razorlike dorsal spines (surgeonfish, tangs). SH

 

[Salt Freak]

sorry about that must have thought it was a pest forum )

 

[BzztYeow]

Poison is probably not the most dangerous thing in your reef aquarium for an average saltwater fish or FOWLR tank. The bacteria in many LR can mess you up quite badly though- don't put your hands in the tank if you have open wounds- or use some type of plastic gloves.

Of course corals and many other types of fish and inverts DO have poisonous parts. Wetwebmedia has some great articles on the dangers of reef aquariums IMO.

See http/www.wetwebmedia.com/Wound.htm
http/www.wetwebmedia.com/woundfaq.htm
http/www.wetwebmedia.com/woundfaqs2.htm

Poisons in the water (vs those that are injected under the skin somehow) are usually removed from the skin with a good washing after your tank maintenance.

There are exceptions to everything though, so read up on what you stock before you throw it in

 

[andywg]

Basically, anything you put in the tank intentionally is not going to be too bad.

The real problem is hitchhikers. I remember reading about a guy taking some things off of some zoos he had and he made the mistake of squishing one against the glass. He was treated to horrendously high blood pressure and heart rate, mild paralysis and about 6 hours in A&E.

But such cases are (thankfully) rare.

 

[BzztYeow]

While that is true in general, it is not always the case if you read those articles i linked to earlier. Just simple LR can lead to AMPUTATIONS if you get unlucky on what grows there. It is RARE, but something you should consider.

There are also several species of corals that can "spit" water and have highly dangerous toxins. If it hits you in the eye, it can be very destructive. Again, your best defense is rubber or plastic gloves and KNOWING WHAT YOU HAVE in your tank.

If you are going to raise that highly poisonous stuff on purpose, get a pair of shop glasses. 9999/10000 times you wont need them, but when you do you will be glad you have them.

Most of the poisons and infections you can get from your SW tank are VERY poorly understood, and the time it takes to properly diagnose them can really let them mess you up.

An ounce of prevention is worth 200 lbs of liverock any day!

***Ridiculous story***

When i was just beginning to learn about setting up a FOWLR tank i ran across the wetwebmedia articles i linked to earlier in this post.

I went to my LFS and was talking to the rep that i liked there about those articles. He said to me "Well, when you think about it, the bacteria found in a SW tank are much more likely to thrive in your blood than the bacteria found in a FW tank as the chemistry is closer".

I thought about that a second and couldn't come up with a good counter-argument as blood IS quite salty.

He then looked into the saltwater reef aquarium we were standing in front of and must have spotted a problem. He moved a few rocks (some with corals attached) and brought his hands out. He dried them with paper towels and them proceeded to suck on a cut he had received.

He is still alive of course, but i have never thought of him as an expert in quite the same way

 

[steelhealr]

Just a medical reply. It is true that marine infections can be very different and 'nasty' compared to what is normally seen in doctor's offices. HOWEVER, the chances of getting an infection from a supeficial skin abrasion or previous cut is very unlikely. If you DO get a deep laceration from a sharp edge on LR, I would definitely seek medical attention, at least from the aspect of needing a tetanus shot and getting the would cleaned out and possible antibiotics. SH

 

[BzztYeow]

Yes, it's unlikely- i just wanted to point out that poison is not neccessarily the biggest risk in a FOWLR tank, and that wearing gloves and /or proper washing of your skin / gloves will make any poison or bacterial risk almost nil