Question As I Know Nuffin

[beechey]

been thinkin about converting my tank to salt water...
ive been running a discus tank for about 2 years now with great sucess.
but really like either a lion fish or a school of copperband butterfly i think thats what there called would either of these be possible my tank is 90gallons, if so what would i need to invest in ??

also could i have these fish in the tank together??
and does a lion fish give a nasty sting if you touch it?

like i said its just a idea ive had,

 

[Nick16]

dont touch lion fish m8!i they have them in my lfs and have caution stickers all over the tank!

 

[chrissaysyes]

Yeah, 90 gallons is plenty for some species of lion fish. You're not really clear as to what hardware you already have, but you would undoubtedly have to put a lot more into it. I dont think butterflies would do well with something as aggressive as a lion. I've seen people keep tangs with them though. Also, they are quite venomous, touching them is absolutely a no-no and will certainly require a trip to the emergency room, especially if an allergic reaction occurs. Simply put, don't touch them ever under any circumstance.

 

[andywg]

Potentially over playing a lionfish sting above. The golden rule has been stated, however (don't touch them wherever possible), though this is not always too easy, especially as some lionfish in tanks are reported to have dipped their heads (to bring the venomous dorsal spines to the front) and "rammed" the owner's hand.

It will hurt, of that there is little doubt. Those that have been stung report it being like a bee sting on steroids. Best initial treatment is to place the injured area into hot but not scalding water. Around 40 degrees C is what you want. If symnptoms persist for more than a couple of hours without subsiding, then I would consider hospital treatment.

Obviously any allergic reaction will require more professional treatment.

 

[CFC]

One member who got stung (i can't remember his name now) sat in his kitchen with his stung hand in the sink full of hot water and the other hand within easy reach of his beer fridge, by the time his mrs got home he was feeling no pain to say the least

 

[Crazy fishes]

As a general rule the first sting should not provoke an allergic response but the potential lies in subsequence stings. As Andy says soaking in hot water for at least half an hour is the essential thing to do. Get stung and straight away get the area soaking. The theory is lion fish toxin is protein in nature and the heat from the water denatures it just like any other protein therefore destroying it's biological activity. Remember though NOT too hot or the burn you receive will be worst than the sting. I would steer away from the idea of copper butterfly fish at the moment if you are new to marine. Two reasons for this 1) your tank is no where near big enough to house a group and 2) they are reported to require an expert touch to keep them happy and NOT dead. I would go with the Volitans lion if I were you and you could breed guppies or mollies as a live food source. Apparently the lion will eat anything that is up to half the size of its own body!! I was surprised when I saw one open it's mouth; my word it is HUGE!! It is interesting people's perception of the potency of the lion fish toxin. I know of this LFS owner who loves these fish and keeps them along with porcupine puffers and dog face puffers. He hand feeds them and every morning the lion fish wraps his spines around the guy's wrist until he has the food and then it swims off. The owner has only rarely been stung. Strange.....

Best of luck with the new venture

Regards

 

[chrissaysyes]

Their stings WILL kill you, IMMEDIATELY. Also, they could kill those within close proximity to you. BEWARE!