First time truly scared in this hobby.

[papagimp]

I have taken into account the various toxin's and potency of the livestock I have chosen for my tank. It's a risk, usually not a problem, that we all take when setting up reef tanks. I have never been stung by an anemone/coral or anything the entire span of my hobby experience. Well, last night I was cleaning the front glass in my 20g with a small razor blade. Half way through as I was scraping the razor down the glass, I hit the urchin in my tank....hit em good. Stuck several spines into my pinky and pinky nuckle. At the very moment of impact a small voice in my head kinda wispered to me "CRAP!!!!" And immediatly ran to get my book, look up the info I have on my urchin and prayed to god I did not mis-identify the urchin in the first place. Luckily all I ended up with was a small spot where he got me (or I got him, depends on how you look at it) and slight tenderness. I was prepared for the worst case scenario, which I would be in severe pain and rushed to the hospital crying like a baby, but luckily nothing bad happened. I'm not sure how "unpotent" a Diadema Setosum is, would love to hear if anybody else had bad experiences with one stingin' em though.

This is posted as a simple warning to all. be careful!

 

[pwhitby]

i have been stung by a tuxedo urchin and all is can say is that Excruciating doesnt even come close. If childbirth approximates to that pain, then Im officially a wimp.

The cure, like most of the toxins in our system is extremely hot water....that may kill the pain but your spouse/kids etc will never let you forget the time you stood crying at the sink.

Paul.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

I agree with PW here. I've luckily haven't been stung by anything, and I've grabbed bristleworms on two occassions. Heck one of those was at your house, Adam. Lucky for you Adam that your urchins is extremely mild and the tenderness is about all you'll get. You might get a nice dyed purple spot from the urchin's needle, but as long as you have all broken pieces out and nothing got broke between any joints, your as good as you can get. Just be glad it wasn't anything like this guy here. It would make Paul's Royal Urchin sting feel like someone was tickling him with a feather.

<img src="http://www.reefseekers.com/PIXPAGES/Indo%202005/Fire_Urchin_from_the_top.jpg" width="360" height="240">

 

[papagimp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9124041#post9124041 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis L. Stevens
It would make Paul's Royal Urchin sting feel like someone was tickling him with a feather.

WOW! What a pretty urchin....(why do the meaner creatures on this planet seem to be the better looking ones?)

 

[captbunzo]

Gee, I have a tuxedo urchin and didn't realize that urchins had a sting to them. Silly me....

 

[2ras]

Come on people, Is this the reefers version of "Wet paint do not touch"?

 

[Prater]

While diving the jetties of Saint Andrews Bay in Florida I accidentally grabbed an urchin that was on top of a rock. Its one thing to be stung while in an aquarium, but just think about screaming the explicite words through a regulator at 70 feet underwater...Luckily the spines did not break off under the skin and the saltwater caused the pain to dull quickly...

 

[papagimp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9124303#post9124303 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 2ras
Come on people, Is this the reefers version of "Wet paint do not touch"?

sotof, I think alot of people just assume that since people have these in their tanks along with all the other various corals and inverts that are "wet paint" and "should not be touched" , that it's okay to have them. But caution should always be taken. Please people, resist the urge to kiss that cute looking black voliatan lionfish!

 

[papagimp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9124372#post9124372 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Prater
but just think about screaming the explicite words through a regulator at 70 feet underwater...

That would definatly be a bit more scary than what I went through. I hope you apologized to the local residents down their for your foul words and actions, lol.

 

[Reef Happy]

While off the cost of Florida on a small Island I was snorkling and had one (was unable to recall which one it was) sting me on the bottom of my big toe. I didnt go for medical help but probably should have. It hurt so bad for almost 2 days and any walking I did was with alot of pain.
Yes they are something to watch out for.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9124182#post9124182 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by papagimp
WOW! What a pretty urchin....(why do the meaner creatures on this planet seem to be the better looking ones?)

I ask that question a little differently. Why did God give us a curiosity and natural attraction towards things that are visibly telling us to stay away?

 

[dustin Combs]

Is it true that you can pee on a sting and it will help!

 

[nIx_tank]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9124669#post9124669 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis L. Stevens
I ask that question a little differently. Why did God give us a curiosity and natural attraction towards things that are visibly telling us to stay away?

Genetics and Natural Selection?

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9124949#post9124949 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dustin Combs
Is it true that you can pee on a sting and it will help!

That rumor is for Jellyfish stings. Supposedly it's false. I've never peed on myself to find out

http://scuba-doc.com/safesea.html
--Abstract
While you have no doubt heard that peeing on a jellyfish sting will help, a number of respectable dive medicine/dermatology experts think it an old wive's tale and may, in fact, cause nematocysts to fire. Additionally, if one has a urinary tract infection (women are particularly susceptible to occult UTIs), the urine could introduce bacteria into the wound.

WebMD's Jellyfish Sting Guide: http://firstaid.webmd.com/wilderness_jellyfish_sting_treatment_firstaid.htm
None of it mentions urinating on a wound.

 

[dustin Combs]

Trav, too many beers, I know you pee'd yourself.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9125320#post9125320 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dustin Combs
Trav, too many beers, I know you pee'd yourself.

:lmao: Maybe I should rephrase that to "None that I recollect"

 

[Serra]

The worst thing that I ever had happen in a tank was knocking a hammer coral off the rock and onto the back up my hand. I tried the meat tenderizer treatment but it did nothing. I ended up with a hand that was the size of a baseball mitt and a trip to the ER.

 

[papagimp]

All that from a hammer? I keep hearing people with claims like that. I guess I'm just lucky. Anybody know what is it that makes some people more sensitive to these types of stings?

 

[GS-Rock]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9124949#post9124949 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dustin Combs
Is it true that you can pee on a sting and it will help!

I have hear that but not sure if its true, now urine is sterile and if you at the time are dehydrated it will have a high salt content which will make almost any pain not as severe. once you find out can you please inform us of your newly gained knowledge, the price we pay for information

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Anybody know what is it that makes some people more sensitive to these types of stings?

It's how your body reacts to the venom, and how much venom entered your body. If your body has trouble processing the venom, you enter a state of anaphylaxis; an allergic reaction. This can range from very mild (super puffy hands in Sheryl's case, kind of like an allergic reaction to a bee sting) all the way up to complete respritory failure and death in addition to whatever the venom's target system corruption is. For example, a venom that is based on a Neurotoxin will stop all motor function because it blocks the electrical transmissions through the nervous system. Thus, some or all of your vital organs can stop working, all the while your airways constrict and keep you from breathing It is really a horrible death going through Anaphylactic Shock.