Dangerous Animals in Your Aquarium? Tangs, Triggers, and More
- Jun 02, 2024
- Anshika Mishra
- 101 0 0
What are some words that come to mind when you think of saltwater aqauriums? Perhaps Zen, relaxing, peaceful, colorful fish, beautiful corals. But does the word danger come to mind?
This article does not mean to scare you, but to inform you that there is an element of danger within our tanks. This is a list of commonly kept species that could potentially be dangerous to you or anybody caring for your tank.
Tangs
Tangs are peaceful fish, but they are also called surgeon fish. They get these names because of the blade at the base of their fin. That blade sits flush along their bodies, and if they feel threatened or scared, they can pop it out and stab whatever fish, predator, or even potentially your hand if it's in the wrong place at the wrong time.
So, if this happens to you, get it cleaned and treat it with some first aid.
Clownfish
Clownfish are notorious for biting, especially territorial ones. If you clean in their space, they've been known to draw blood just to protect their area.
Triggerfish
Triggerfishes are very charismatic fishes. They will often come up to the surface or have even been known to bite off pieces of rock work in a predator tank.
So, if they've got some sharp teeth like that to break through rocks, they can also cause some damage to your hands. If you have fish like that, use caution when your hands are in the tank.
Pufferfish
These are another group of charismatic fish. Pufferfishes have two different types of tooth configuration. Some have smashing plates, and some species have bitting teeth that can easily break the skin. So, if you are target training these fish, do so with caution. Watch where your hands are, and try not to have your hands in the tank, especially if you have been handing food because they may accidentally go after them.
Long-spine Urchin
It seems like a peaceful invertebrate, and they do a great job of cleaning up algae in the tank. However, they have these long, fragile, delicate spines.
If you have your hands in the tank cleaning, it's easy to miss them if you need to pay attention. So, if you get in there to clean, please watch where you are cleaning.
Those spines can easily puncture the skin, and you don't want to go to urgent care to remove one of those manually.
Foxface Rabbitfish
While these guys are algae eaters, they have a venomous spine on their dorsal fin. This can put toxins into you if you accidentally get stabbed while your hands are in the tank.
If this happens to you, keep an eye on it and maybe even consider going to urgent care. To avoid this, always make sure that you are handling these fish with care and being observant of where you put your hand in the tank.
Scorpina Fish and Lion Fish
These fish also have spines that are venomous. The toxin, which contains some neurotoxins, can cause a lot of pain. So, if you get stung by one of these fish, you want to keep an eye on it and also consider going to urgent care.
Paletheos
These corals have a toxin called Paletoxin. If you think you have contracted the toxin through a wound in your hand, get medical care.
In Conclusion
We all want to enjoy our aquariums. Being aware of what's happening in your tank and which species are present will go a long way toward protecting you.
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