just been bitten by blue ring
- Thread starter fish lad
- Start date
- Status
Animal Mother
New member
I don't think the first I would do if I was bitten by a blue ring would be jump on here and wait for an answer.
I dont think I would be posting here as first thought either. I knew these were bad if bitten but a quick search brought up this:
The bite of the blue-ringed octopus may be painless but it is definitely deadly. Its venom contains some maculotoxin which is more violent than any animals found on land. This poison is 10,000 times more potent that cyanide. Upon being bitten, the victim's nerve conduction is stopped and paralysis sets in after a few minutes. Paralysis is then followed by death. Some symptoms are as follows:
*Nausea
*Blindness
*Loss of all other senses
If you do see someone get bit you should immediately call 911, and then apply compression to the wound as if it was a snake bite. Artificial respiration should also be started as soon as possible. The only way to survive is hours of heart massage and artificial respiration until the poison has worked its way out of the system. There is no anit-venom to date.
The bite of the blue-ringed octopus may be painless but it is definitely deadly. Its venom contains some maculotoxin which is more violent than any animals found on land. This poison is 10,000 times more potent that cyanide. Upon being bitten, the victim's nerve conduction is stopped and paralysis sets in after a few minutes. Paralysis is then followed by death. Some symptoms are as follows:
*Nausea
*Blindness
*Loss of all other senses
If you do see someone get bit you should immediately call 911, and then apply compression to the wound as if it was a snake bite. Artificial respiration should also be started as soon as possible. The only way to survive is hours of heart massage and artificial respiration until the poison has worked its way out of the system. There is no anit-venom to date.
Echidna09
New member
FYI the toxin blue rings have is Tetrodotoxin, or TTX; the same thing that is found in Fugu. There was a little vile that was supposed to cure the poison somewhere online. The price tag was $500 for I believe only one treatment. To my knowledge, research has not been done to find out whether or not a blue ring is as poisonous when it is in captivity, and it is believed that captive specimens do not carry a sufficient amount of TTX to kill a human. You still need to be extremely careful though and don't experiment!
I don't think I believe it either. Seems like a troll to me...
If you really did get bit I wish you the best on a recovery.
I don't think I believe it either. Seems like a troll to me...
If you really did get bit I wish you the best on a recovery.
Thales
Active member
Their bite is apparently not always toxin laden, like Echidna says so, if this isn't a troll I hope this is the case an you are just fine. FWIW, there seems to be conflicting reports of toxicity in captivity.
Otherwise, to anyone choosing to keep potentially deadly animals, be sure to know what to do if you are bitten BEFORE you are bitten.
Otherwise, to anyone choosing to keep potentially deadly animals, be sure to know what to do if you are bitten BEFORE you are bitten.
andygb54303
New member
no response he must have died, a moment of silence please.
i dont beleive it
i dont beleive it
MonkeyKeeper911
New member
who gets bit then jumps online and makes a post saying ok im going to the hospital now.
Gonodactylus
Premium Member
I assume this was a troll and that no harm was done. However, it did point out to me how much misinformation there is about blue-rings.
First, it is correct that the active toxin in Hapalochlaena species that have been studied to date is TTX. However, that includes only H. fasciata, H. maculosa and H. lunulata. There are probably another half dozen or so species out their that have not been described or studied. The assumption is that they have TTX. How much is open to speculation.
Second, there are absolutely no data to my knowledge that report a loss of toxicity in any blue-ring when it is kept in the aquarium. There have been suggestions that this happens with puffers, but it has not been reported in blue-rings. It is a topic that we are working on, but the the data are not yet in. Therefore, one should assume that any blue-ring contains a lethal dose of TTX.
Third, death from a blue-ring envenomation is due to the cessation of breathing. Ventilation is sometimes called for, but one would want to leave the heart along unless a health professional detects a problem.
Fourth, there is no currently approved anti-venom.
Fifth, if you plan on keeping a blue-ring, you should do what we do - notify local emergency responders and ER's that you have such an animal and that it possesses TTX. That way, if you are transported to an emergency facility, the medics will know what they are dealing with. In fact, every blue-ring tank in our lab has a warning label describing what it contains and how to deal with an emergency .
Roy
First, it is correct that the active toxin in Hapalochlaena species that have been studied to date is TTX. However, that includes only H. fasciata, H. maculosa and H. lunulata. There are probably another half dozen or so species out their that have not been described or studied. The assumption is that they have TTX. How much is open to speculation.
Second, there are absolutely no data to my knowledge that report a loss of toxicity in any blue-ring when it is kept in the aquarium. There have been suggestions that this happens with puffers, but it has not been reported in blue-rings. It is a topic that we are working on, but the the data are not yet in. Therefore, one should assume that any blue-ring contains a lethal dose of TTX.
Third, death from a blue-ring envenomation is due to the cessation of breathing. Ventilation is sometimes called for, but one would want to leave the heart along unless a health professional detects a problem.
Fourth, there is no currently approved anti-venom.
Fifth, if you plan on keeping a blue-ring, you should do what we do - notify local emergency responders and ER's that you have such an animal and that it possesses TTX. That way, if you are transported to an emergency facility, the medics will know what they are dealing with. In fact, every blue-ring tank in our lab has a warning label describing what it contains and how to deal with an emergency .
Roy
Gonodactylus
Premium Member
The venom delivery system is passive. The salivary ducts empty near the beak, so the TTX basically dribbles into the wound. This means that circumstances of the bite will vary. Also, there is some debate on whether TTX will penetrate the skin if there is not a bite.
Roy
Roy
Twisted
Premium Member
Glad to see such and expert on the forums with such a dangerous species available to the public.
You would not beleive how many people I have had come into the store that saw one online and wants me to order them one.
I usually refuse, unless they can give me some specifics on keeping them, then I know they atleast researched them.
You would not beleive how many people I have had come into the store that saw one online and wants me to order them one.
I usually refuse, unless they can give me some specifics on keeping them, then I know they atleast researched them.
Plankt0s
Premium Member
why don't you just not ever order one for anyone... The only people that should have animals like this are the people that are studying them professionally. If we the hobbyist are not more responsible than to own such a deadly animal than there eventually will be some type of control placed on this and other animals limiting what we will be able to keep.
Twisted
Premium Member
How are you Rich? Didn't see you at the MARS swap last weekend.
I am thinking about doing a Cephlapod soon, so might ask you your opinion on a couple things once the tank is up and running to see what you think, and suggest, if you don't mind. That won't be for a good 6 months though.
I am thinking about doing a Cephlapod soon, so might ask you your opinion on a couple things once the tank is up and running to see what you think, and suggest, if you don't mind. That won't be for a good 6 months though.
- Status
