Pacific blue hippo tang

Help! i just reached in my tank to move some rocks around and a tang was in the rock. His fins stuck my fingers when i jerked my hand out and now my hand feels like fire ants are sticking me... Do i need to go to the hospital?? are these poisonous???

 

Yes they are venomous I suggest you keep your hand submerged in hot water and get to the hospital.

 

Copy/Pasted from: Blue Hippo Tang

The largest scientifically measured Blue hippo tang was 31.0 cm /12.2 in.
As the common name suggests, the Blue hippo tang is chiefly bright blue in colour, but it is adorned with black markings and has a yellow caudal fin. The caudal fin sports a black stripe along both the upper and lower margins. The colour of this fish can change rapidly depending on mood.
A razor-sharp spine (the “scalpel” is found on both sides of the caudal peduncle and the fin spines are venomous. (The fish is equipped with an anterolateral [COLOR=black ! important][COLOR=black ! important]glandular[/COLOR][/COLOR] groove with a venom gland.)

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I couldn't tell you how bad it is though... better safe than sorry

 

Nikon I hope your ok. Can you please let us know how this works out. If you go to the hospital I am interested what they do for treatment and if they will even know how to treat a sting from a saltwater fish.

 

I have been stuck by tangs countless times. Unless you are allergic for some odd reason, you will be fine. In all honesty, the hospital is not going to be able to do anything for you anyways. I see your in NC, do you really think they are going to have Pacific Blue Tang anti-venom? If your really worried about it, take some Benadryl.

 

yeah man they are not going to have antivenom on hand for that. They usually only have a short supply of local poisonous animals antivenom if they have anything at all. Just take some pain meds and a benadryl

 

pain!

My brother in law owns a pet store and specializes in cleaning high end saltwater tanks. He said he's been stuck many time and the worst that has happened is pain. My girlfriend called the poison control number after i talked with him. They said they have no records of a human being poisoned by a pacific hippo tang but they have had reports of being stuck. Poison control said the poison the hippo tangs venom causes pain but that is the extent. I was advised to soak my hang in a bowl of hot water and take any pain medication i had like Advil. I took Advil and Benadryl for the swelling.

My experience ... after being stuck if felt like fire ants were sticking me. A few minutes later it felt like my finger was being hit repeatedly by a hammer and my fingernail was being lifted over and over again. Then the pain moved to the top of my hand and a little into my forearm along with a little swelling preventing me from bending my finger. I'm typing this with one hand on the keyboard and one in a bowl hot water. It's been about an hour with constant throbbing still in my hand. The worst i feel is over and i hope this post helps others. I was pretty scared when the pain started. I am self employed with no insurance at the moment. Going to the hospital would have killed me if the tang didn't. I know now to be much for careful.


I want to send a BIG THANK YOU to the people who responded to this post.

 

Thanks PackLeader! That's what the poison control said too. You've responded to every post i've put on 3reef. I can't thank you enough for all your help.