clown loaches spikes are posions

[turtle99]

how many people know clown loaches spikes that stick out
just behind the gills are actually dangerously posion. and if
stung should go to hospital straight away.

[snoopy65]

While getting poked by a clown loach's spines can cause a painful wound, they are not poisonous nor venomous.

[Lupin]

What Sam said. They're not venomous. Been stung once by skunk loaches. Doesn't bother me.

[tanker]

Many years ago (20???) I had a school of Clown loaches that grew too big and had to be given away. One got stuck in the net and when I tried to free it, it stuck me. Was not too deep but drew a little blood. It just stung a little--no biggy.

[turtle99]

Ohh yes they are and when i said stung i dont mean just a little stab with little blood im talking about having a fish hanging from your finger that has the time to posion you it also has to be dug to the bottom not just a little sting they also have to be adults not juvi's and belive you me it stings like all **** to have a adult clown loach sting you let a lone dig deep. nor is it enough to harm us or kill us but they do say to seek medical attention.

[jpappy789]

It's not venomous. Google search "clown loaches" and "venomous".

[sabbath]

All due respect,
you should really learn about the subject before just making a statement like this. I worked in the biggest wholesaler of tropical fish on the east coast for years. I have been stung, stabbed, cut, and bitten by just about everything you can think of including adult clown loaches. Never needed any medical attention. Just a band aid for the cut. Most catfish have low toxicity venom, nothing more than an itchy kind of irritation. I remember the first time I got stung by a lionfish. Now THAT was not fun!

[KingOfTheDeep]

this thread fails..

[platytudes]

Where did you get your information? From personal experience, or? Because perhaps you had a bad histamine reaction to a clown loach sting - that doesn't mean they are poisonous. I can't find anything online that says they are poisonous (except l33t ppl with their lazy text speak who are not credible). Here's an article about collecting them. I would think collectors would know about the poisonous stings better than anyone, if they existed: http://www.bollmoraakvarieklubb.org/artiklar/praktbotia/clown%20loach.htm

Clown loach belong to the family Cobitidae, Loaches, the order is Cypriniformes, carp like fish. The main characteristic for this family is a spine under each eye which can be erected as a defense mechanism. Clown loaches scientific name is macracanthus which means large thorn. Even though the spines are not poisonous, it can be very painful to be stuck by them, believe me! A word of warning, loaches spines easily get tangled up in the fishnet, which in the worse case can cause avoidable damage to the fish. The scales of the clown loach are small and difficult to see, which made some aquarists claim that it was "scaleless", which is incorrect, however it does not have scales on its head. Loaches have four pairs of barbels. Colour and body shape is as seen in the photos.

[turtle99]

with all due respect to you sabbath i have also worked with fish for over 15 years and it was news to me cause i have had them hanging from my finger stick in my hand and while it does hurt no there was no effect but tests in 2009 are showing they are.now if you read correctly you would have read (nor is it enough to harm us or kill us but they do say to seek medical attention.) now if you choose not to there would be no effects and they only found this info out in 2009 if you know your suppliers you know aquarium industries and there on there posion/venom list too. i own and love clownys its why i found it intresting.

[Sploke]

Care to provide any references to this testing and research?

[turtle99]

wow never knew ppl would get so rude and defensive over somthing that they dont have information on as i said befor its harmless just intresting so why is every one up in arms the second you mention that somthings got venom or is posionis i mean is it really that bigger deal belive what you want i was just putting it out there did'nt exspect so much disrespect.

[Sploke]

A healthy level of critique is not necessarily disrespect. Anyone can basically post anything they want on the internet...its probably not a bad thing that folks just don't believe everything they read without a second thought. You are making a claim that many sources of information disagree with. This is why, when someone says something that goes against popular belief, it is always a good idea to provide references supporting your position.

[archer772]

My first thought is that there can be different bacteria present in a tank and if stabbed by a fish the bacteria could enter and cause problems so I wonder if this is what is being found out.

[platytudes]

Rude and defensive? Hmm.

Think about how a 15 year old kid (which is by the way, how you sound when you type the way that you do...rule #1 on the internet, don't expect to be taken seriously if you can't spend an extra minute using this helpful thing called punctuation) who may have just gotten a clown loach or a few clown loaches from the pet store. As he goes to flip the net and release the fish into the tank, he gets stung. It hurts and possibly itches - now he (and maybe his parents) are wondering if clown loach stings are poisonous.

He goes to the internet and at the top ten Google hits is your post, "clown loaches spikes are posions" - (let's assume Google still points him to your post, even though you wrote posions instead of poisonous)...

This is not a far fetched scenario. When you post something on the internet, thanks or no thanks to internet search engines, ALL information gets indexed, whether it is bad or good information. And just as many people only read the headlines in the newspaper, many people only see the post title.

Whether or not you choose to accept it, you have an ethical responsibility to not just make up stuff that will scare people, just because you think it's "intresting" - it is a bigger deal than you think.

[excuzzzeme]

A typical response for any type of puncture wound is to seek medical attention. Puncture wounds, unlike a laceration can close over the wound and "lock in" any dangerous bacteria etc. That has nothing to do at all with the possibility of it being poisonous. Although I have never been "stung" by a loach, I have been stung (stabbed) or cut many times by catfish. These punctures and cuts do sting for a couple of days but never, again I state NEVER required medical attention.

For such a statement as you have made, requires reference to material supporting your position. It is the only responsible action you can take.

[jpappy789]

Everything on the subject goes against what you are stating...and really, there isn't much on clown loaches and poison. If it were true, do you not think more sources would be stating such?

[kimosabe]

:headbang2:now, diz. iz-wat i ca..l an interesting,. thread
spell ck pls:evil_lol:
good job guys
i vote not poisonous
i have 8 clown loaches myself

[Lupin]

Jpap is correct. I've never read from any reliable source and even personal experiences by loachaholics that any loach stings are poisonous enough to do any significant damage to you. From my OWN personal experience, I've been stung a few times by my own loaches and like I said, it never bothered me at all.

You're being defensive when you were simply asked to back your claims with reliable sources. An abstract perhaps of tests conducted that their stings reek of traces of toxins?

[jpappy789]

with all due respect to you sabbath i have also worked with fish for over 15 years and it was news to me cause i have had them hanging from my finger stick in my hand and while it does hurt no there was no effect but tests in 2009 are showing they are.now if you read correctly you would have read (nor is it enough to harm us or kill us but they do say to seek medical attention.) now if you choose not to there would be no effects and they only found this info out in 2009 if you know your suppliers you know aquarium industries and there on there posion/venom list too. i own and love clownys its why i found it intresting.

Yeah, um, you might want to read this....

http://www.aquariumindustries.com.au/Assets/253/1/Loach_Clown.pdf


As their defence mechanism, Clown Loach can extend the
movable spines found in the groove below the eye. They
should be handed carefully as the spine may cause a painful
wound, but fortunately is not venomous. For more information
about Handling Hazardous Fish, download the
“Handling Hazardous Fish Care Sheet” from the Aquarium
Industries website.

[fishboy7]

I'm not trying to be mean, but you sound a bit out of your mind. Where did you get the test results anyways?

[fishboy7]

When I said that, I meant turtle99, not you jpappy789.