OMG " F I R E " anemone can really sting ...~!!!

[vaporize]

So I was doing my typical weekend rounds of coral shopping and stumped upon a vat of anemones, out of all the BTA , LTA , sebases, I saw something that is unusual, I suspect it is the fire anemone that is on the list.

Fire Anemone (Coloured)
Actinodendron glomeratum

So I do my usual thing of petting my anemone, and out of my surprise this fire anemone upon touch it sting a bit like the carpet anemone (S.haddoni), so I was thinking it's nothing too bad. This thing is very evil thou, it leaves traces of its tenacles sticking to your skin, and the really painful and scary part actualy comes in 3-5 seconds after I touch the anemone's tenacles. OH MY GOSH, it stings like I am literally burnt by a lighter, and not just a quick burn but burning under a light for 3-5 seconds. The pain was ultra intense and I had to find water to immediately wash it for a long time to get rid of the immediate pain. After that, it is still painful to even move my fingers, the part that was burn had a bit of red & swelling. It is almost 7 hours since and I can still feel the pain, it's almost like you were burnt by a fire.

Just a warning to anybody who likes to pet their anemones In the past, I have touched and get stung by various BTA , sebae, LTA , carpet etc..etc.., nothing is as crazy as this, the worst was more like a little sunburn that is gone after a day or two. I guess the name fire anemone really mean something.

[vaporize]

Update, I was just told by another that it is the "Hell's fire anemone" and from what I was told, that this thing is suppose to be very toxic.

Does anybody know anything I should be doing (medical)?

[vaporize]

Ref: http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/z.../Aplumosum.htm

[garygb]

Generally, immediately after being stung by cnidaria (or lionfish, etc.) plunging your hand in hot water will denature the protein and mitigate the extent of injury. This is just what I've heard; I don't claim to be a poison control expert though.

[vaporize]

it's almost 7 hours now so probably wont denature the protein anymore, I will keep that in mind next time I pet lionfish

I am just worried about other side effects as somebody told me afterwards that those things usually came in with a big toxic sign on it. (The LFS put it in the same bta tank thou)

[garygb]

Maybe you should warn the lfs. If it stung you that bad, imagine what it would do to a BTA.

[GSMguy]

wait till you see what it does to your fish, those things are good at their job, and their job is eating.

[flasher1]

pee on your finger. I know it works with jellyfish nematocysts so why not try it with an anenomes'. I was reading a thread somewhere on hear that said the person had to seek medical attention, but it wasnt as minor as your finger. It was on his wrist and he got it bad. Scabbed up for weeks. Looked like an oil burn from cooking.

[JMCAquarium]

ya pee on your finger I mean I'm sure it does not sting anymore but would be somthing diffrent to do :P

[Reefynewby]

well...
Not to scare you or anything.
But i heard about a Hell's fire anemone that stung a guy who worked at a LFS.
He said that it hurt for a long time.
(but that's not it)
He also said that even years after, and it still happens, that every time he has an allergic reaction to something, (i dunno what), the part of his hand where he touched the anemone turns black.
EWW.
well, that's just what another reefer said.
Those anemones must be vicious.

[Casshern]

At least it wasn't an Alicia mirabilis

[GSMguy]

is the anemone in your display tank?

can we see a picture?

has it eaten/killed anything yet?

[tizzy]

I always keep a small bottle of white vinegar in my beach bag in case of a jellyfish/man-of-war sting. The MOWs are all over the south florida beaches lately.

Anyway, I don't know if the nematocysts of anemones are the same as jellyfish.

[Achapman]

haha pee only works if its acidic. Not always is, use vinegar.

[Peter Eichler]

Originally posted by Reefynewby
well...
Not to scare you or anything.
But i heard about a Hell's fire anemone that stung a guy who worked at a LFS.
He said that it hurt for a long time.
(but that's not it)
He also said that even years after, and it still happens, that every time he has an allergic reaction to something, (i dunno what), the part of his hand where he touched the anemone turns black.
EWW.
well, that's just what another reefer said.
Those anemones must be vicious.

I believe you're getting my story and someone elses story jumbled up a bit. I was stung by one nearly 20 years ago, and yes the sting can be quite painful and irritation can continue for weeks and damage your skin initially. I'll take being stung by a Lionfish or Foxface over a Hell's Fire Anemone any day. Sometimes I still get hives in the same area where I was stung when I get an allergic reaction to other things.

Just a tip to the OP, I'd suggest not "petting" strange creatures when you aren't sure what they are, especially if the word "fire" is in their title...

[vaporize]

hahahah unfortunately there were no signs and it's put in the same vat as BTA. Our reefing scene in Toronto is a bit different, huge direct shipment comes in and everybody just rush into the vats to pick out the best pieces, so no pick thru by LA.

The anemone was actually in pretty good coloration of a RBTA, so comparing to the pictures I searched on the net, it's alot more like fire. Unfortunately I only realize that it's a fire anemone after I got stung and go back and read the packing list.

No pictures, I tried to run as far away as I could after that. I will post if I see it again back at the LFS.

[3fins]

meat tenderizer works as well, i mean, it works for bee stings and such, so i dont see why it would not work for that.

[Rewd]

Haha "petting anemones". Now I think I've heard it all.

[sherm71tank]

I had one of those HellFire anemones in my tank a few years back. It ATE a Rabbitfish that was about 8" long! I wasn't about to have a species tank so out it came. I double bagged my arm with plastic bags and after a few tries managed to remove it.
The stinging didn't set in right away, took about 2 minutes I guess but I thought I was headed to the E R! I poured hot water over it and about 1/2 gallon of vinegar which made it bearable but I had marks on my arm for about 2 months from where it killed the flesh.
Totally cool looking anemone though!

http://www.msnusers.com/SpecializedA...oto&PhotoID=69

[thegheco]

Vaporize, may I ask you why you (pet) anemones?

[vaporize]

Originally posted by thegheco
Vaporize, may I ask you why you (pet) anemones?

I thought by now, people would have already picked up that it was meant as a joke (the petting part).



Actually I was just screening the anemons through a vat of them.

[thegheco]

I see, one must learn to put a wink after a statement that you like to (pet) anemones. .
So how is it feeling today?
Any pics of it? The sting that is.

[vaporize]

Originally posted by thegheco
I see, one must learn to put a wink after a statement that you like to (pet) anemones. .
So how is it feeling today?
Any pics of it? The sting that is.

Actually the sting was much better after 2 days, a very minor sensitivity, only feel little pain when pressed upon. Good that I only touched it slightly in between my middle & ring finger on my right hand. It can be worst. The area is darkend like a burnt, but otherwise okay.

Learnt my lesson to wrap my hands in plastic bag.

sherm71tank , I am really surprise to read that even double wrapping plastic bag still stings. Did it has holes in the bag? I thoguht plastic is im-permeaible

[sherm71tank]

No holes in the bag. I couldn't believe it either when it started burning but man did it hurt! I fed it very well and it had probably at least tripled in size in only a few months time. I wish I had it now (in a species tank of course) as it really had a WOW factor to it. When I fed it a silverside with tongs it would grab ahold of the tongs with some serious force and reacted very quickly to food. From tentacle to being totally consumed took only about 20 seconds.

[tizzy]

My buddy had one a few months back in a high flow area....seemed very happy there, at least until he woke up one morning to find it had dislodged and tumbled down across the length of the tank leaving a wake of destruction that included a few hundred $ worth of corals, zoos, ricordia, etc.