Getting Bitten

[Sheol]

You want a docile clownfish? Don't get it a host! They are programed by nature to defend their hosts. Even if its surrogate Rhodactis not a REAL anemone. You will eventually get bitten if you add the Bubble Tip IMO & IME..

Matthew

 

[sra127]

my b&w clowns always bite my hands, with gloves or without. they especially go for my ring or my bracelet or anything shiny for that matter..like everyone else said, doesnt hurt but sure does startle me when i'm not paying attention....

 

[rgonzalez]

I guess I'm lucky that my maroon never attacks anything. He has a host RBTA and even when I stick my hand near him and his home, he just watches. Of course, my old Maroon attacked the hell out of my hand everytime I put it in the tank.

Only been bitten by a zebra moray eel. I was feeding him some formula 2, and my girlfriend called my name so I looked away for a split second. The eel must have thought my finger was the food. He let go right away, and it was more comical to see my throw my body away from the tank like a great white was attacking.

Oh, and my cleaner wrasse always picks at my hand/arm when I'm cleaning the tank. But that doesn't count.

 

[Hartdude]

Ohhh.... Good thread. My "Big Mama" O. Clownfish bites me EVERY time I put my had in the tank. Funny thing is though, she doesn't mind my hand quite as much as the turkey baster that I feed with. She ambushes that sucker every time I'm feeding LPS and her nem. You would think she would like the thing that feeds her nem! I know, they are inherently programed to defend at all costs. She goes nuts while the male just hangs back watching her like she's nuts.

 

[RVANANO]

Hahaha. Just saw this. My clown bites the hell out of me whenever I get near his green mushroom bed. It always scares me when I am not looking as I think I am getting electrocuted

 

[liquidcowboy]

All these posts are just too funny. In the past I have had a clown try to attack my hands when I put them in the tank. But luckily, my 2 clowns in the new tank don't mind. I actually hand feed them everynight.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

I had a clarkii yeears ago that used to bite me every time I put my hand in the tank. I now have a lone misbar perc who is a docile as can be.

 

[phenom5]

I've got a tomato clown that's down right nasty. Usually startles me, because she waits until I'm not paying attention. No knuckle is safe in my tank, and yes, she did draw blood once.

I usually yell at her (while my wife laughs at me in the background), and end up chasing her with my hand. But the biting I can deal with, now if they would stop digging I'd be happy.

 

[Sheol]

Yeah, my mother snickers too, when I jump & swear at that little *Censored*!!
They stay true to their programming to defend the host. that is for sure!

Matthew

 

[tibob32]

I got bit by my 8" porcupine puffer. When I pulled my hand back the fish came flying out of the tank onto the floor.
It hurt so bad. When I looked down I expected to see a lot of blood, but it just hurt for a day.

The fish was fine. He went right back to normal activity.

Did it puff up?

 

[footballdude2k3]

For people that are getting attacked, have you always since the day you put it in? Or was it after they had time to establish their territory?

 

[fishysteve]

When I used to work at my LFS we had a couple thousand gallon pond in the front of the store for koi in the spring and unwanted oscars, jack dempseys, and jaguar cichlids the rest of the year. We had some over a foot long in there. We used to get such enjoyment out of the toddlers and little kids sticking their fingers in it and running away crying. Hey, there were signs telling them not to put their hands in the pond, and parents were supposed to be watching them. So we didn't feel bad. It got to a point we would place small bets on if they would cry or not. But yeah, my black and white clowns bite me too. Now I just wear latex gloves.

 

[fasteddie99]

For people that are getting attacked, have you always since the day you put it in? Or was it after they had time to establish their territory?

My female clown just started biting one day after I've had here for almost 2 years. It all started when I disrupted their lair. I was moving the rock around that the clowns hang out in and she got upset, ever since then I have to watch when I stick my arm in there.

 

[Sheol]

No, it took several months for this to start. actually, about a year. Which, BTW, is when her mate went carpet surfing... HMMMMMM
After she started hosting in the Xenia & Rhodactis. Very nasty. Got better after the tank crash for awhile, but she is back to her old ways now.
Nothing says "DEFENSIVE" like a Clownfish!!

Matthew

 

[rareform]

Nobody mentioned all the frags you end up with. Seems after I got the clown I started fraging my corals more the little bastard still scares me into a coral now and then.

 

[jenjen]

My clowns don't bother me at all, but my bi-colour blenny goes on a full out attack whenever I'm working in the tank.

 

[2B Reefer]

I have a Sohol who just did this yesterday for the first time. Scared the sh*t out of me! He's been in my tank for about 4 years...maybe it was a kiss, he knew it was feeding time!

 

[eskymick]

Years ago, I had a Harlequin Tusk who bit into my finger when I wasn't watching. Scared the hell out of me. I jerked back and the fish came flying out attached to my finger tip, and then fell between the back of the tank and the wall. Since it was a 125 gallon tank, he was out of arms reach flopping around behind the stand. I ran to get a broom and was able to sweep him closer to the end of the tank. Needless to say, he was fully coated in dust "bunnies". I threw him back into the tank and he went back to his business as usual. No harm (to me or the fish).

 

[Sheol]

Wow! Eskymick, that one WAS different! LOL.
Maybe that is why Tuskfish get a bad rap..

Matthew

 

[JGHA]

I have been bitten by a clown trigger and my spanish hogfish used to bite me whenever I stuck my hand into the tank.