ANEMONE STING

G

Guppy

I guess I should have asked this sooner, but do anemone's sting hurt humans? I hand feed my anemone once a week and he looks as though he is trying to sting me (perhaps just tasting), but he soon finds the food (silverside filets) in my hand and directs his interest to it.

I have a big hatian and a trio of bubble tips.
 
Depends on the anemone and the person...

Most anemones can't sting through the thicker flesh on your fingers and hand, Their nematocysts just can't penetrate through the thicker skin there. I have my hands in/on/around my BTA's all the time. But once I reached past one and a tentacle stung my inner wrist. It burned like fire, and had a raised red welt for about a week...
 
Certain anemones are more prone than others as well. A bubble tip's sting is not as bad as a carpet for instance (in my experience.) I have a huge RBTA and a blue carpet both of which are sticky albiet the carpet is stickier neither one have ever bothered me, hands or wrist, but my wife was taking care of my tank when I was out of town one week and the RBTA stung her hand pretty good. I think it is like poison ivy. Some people are more prone the the effects than others.
 
I have a condy that stings me pretty bad. I have been stung by bubble tips, LTA's, and sebaes and never had any problem. The big condy, on the other hand, kind of worried me. I had red spots all over where he got me and felt kinda funny. I took some benadryl just to be safe. He got me on the inner wrist. Like Brian said, they usually can't hurt your hands much unless you have a cut or broken area.

I also have a Hell's Fire anemone that I have not talked anyone into touching yet. I have to admit I kinda want to touch it just to see if all the stuff you hear about them is a myth, but haven't gotten the nerve up yet. I'm sure I will accidently brush against it sooner or later.

(Heck's Fire doesn't sound near as cool... :roll:)

Anyone want to volunteer to touch it in the name of science? Serk?
 
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