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Topic: Apparently rockfish are venomous  (Read 4388 times)

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BigJim

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I've gotten plenty of pokes that have hurt for awhile...

Worst one was from a big old verm a few years ago...hurt like a SUMBITCH!!

Didn't help that a piece of the spine broke off in my palm...

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My worst one was on a party boat at the Farralones when I kicked someone's fish out of my way, on the deck.  Wearing sneakers and the spine went in under my toenail.  OMG.

I think black and yellows are the worst in terms of venom.  Gophers are pretty bad too.  Curiously, these are two sub-species that are favored for live rockfish, they last a long time without dying.....Wonder if there's any correlation.

Luckily, I do not get a big-time allergic reaction as described above.  Just huge aching pain for 20 minutes or so.

Bushy
« Last Edit: May 04, 2017, 09:57:27 PM by Bushy »

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Archie Marx

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My worst one was on a party boat at the Farralones when I kicked someone's fish out of my way, on the deck.  Wearing sneakers and the spine went in under my toenail.  OMG.

I think black and yellows are the worst in terms of venom.  Gophers are pretty bad too.  Curiously, these are two sub-species that are favored for live rockfish, they last a long time without dying.....Wonder if there's any correlation.

Luckily, I do not get a big-time allergic reaction as described above.  Just huge aching pain for 20 minutes or so.

Bushy

I asked google your question and it said this:

http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=kt8z09n9rg&brand=calisphere&doc.view=entire_text

I couldn't find the answer to your question, but interestingly enough... Not all spines of all rockfish are venomous, but all spines on browns and quillbacks are. People have been hospitalized for rockfish stings, but it's usually because of infection of the sting site.


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Bushy

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That IS interesting....

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ryang85

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My worst one was on a party boat at the Farralones when I kicked someone's fish out of my way, on the deck.  Wearing sneakers and the spine went in under my toenail.  OMG.

I think black and yellows are the worst in terms of venom.  Gophers are pretty bad too.  Curiously, these are two sub-species that are favored for live rockfish, they last a long time without dying.....Wonder if there's any correlation.

Luckily, I do not get a big-time allergic reaction as described above.  Just huge aching pain for 20 minutes or so.

Bushy
Gophers and b&y rockfish both seem to lay pretty fearless inside lingcod holes and in the open compared to any other rockfish. But i know lingcod eat them because i use them for bait. 


Uminchu Naoaki

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As far as I recall rockfish spines are venomous (there are venom glands). Secondly , rockfish slime contains enzymes called amino acid oxidases, some of which act like a venom. Thirdly, Staph and other bacteria resides on rockfish skin, and your skin and is a possible source of infection.

I might try a soak in a warm 1% iodine hypertonic solution (2tblspoons salt/1L+ some iodine). Or a hot compress with the same solution applied directly to the area.

I usually wash the area well, use a hot compress for a few min (if it's bad) and then keep it uncovered. So far so good.

To the best of my recollection symptoms begin to subside after no more than 72 hours and usually earlier.

Any medical professionals wanna speak up on this? I am curious too.
Love Dr.ATD answer!!!


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Archie Marx

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As far as I recall rockfish spines are venomous (there are venom glands). Secondly , rockfish slime contains enzymes called amino acid oxidases, some of which act like a venom. Thirdly, Staph and other bacteria resides on rockfish skin, and your skin and is a possible source of infection.

I might try a soak in a warm 1% iodine hypertonic solution (2tblspoons salt/1L+ some iodine). Or a hot compress with the same solution applied directly to the area.

I usually wash the area well, use a hot compress for a few min (if it's bad) and then keep it uncovered. So far so good.

To the best of my recollection symptoms begin to subside after no more than 72 hours and usually earlier.

Any medical professionals wanna speak up on this? I am curious too.
Love Dr.ATD answer!!!


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I did some more reading after I posted that reply, and it looks like the hot compress is the best option (with one major caveat). The reasoning is that rockfish toxin is heat labile.

The caveat is that I could find no indication as to the composition of rockfish venom, or if the venom is similar across species.  I suspect that the article was written under the ASSUMPTION that rockfish venom is heat labile. It could be a good assumption.

Does anyone know if rockfish venom composition has been studied? Does anyone have a mass spectrometer collecting dust in their garage?
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As far as I recall rockfish spines are venomous (there are venom glands). Secondly , rockfish slime contains enzymes called amino acid oxidases, some of which act like a venom. Thirdly, Staph and other bacteria resides on rockfish skin, and your skin and is a possible source of infection.

I might try a soak in a warm 1% iodine hypertonic solution (2tblspoons salt/1L+ some iodine). Or a hot compress with the same solution applied directly to the area.

I usually wash the area well, use a hot compress for a few min (if it's bad) and then keep it uncovered. So far so good.

To the best of my recollection symptoms begin to subside after no more than 72 hours and usually earlier.

Any medical professionals wanna speak up on this? I am curious too.
Love Dr.ATD answer!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Does anyone know if rockfish venom composition has been studied? Does anyone have a mass spectrometer collecting dust in their garage?

I'm guessing no, from the very limited information on it. It seems odd that such a widely distributed, large genus of fish that are venomous have so little info.


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Does anyone need a thesis?  :smt003

NCKA should start a research grant  :smt002
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"1) Yes, heat, in whatever form, is the treatment of choice for fish venom wounds.

2) Rockfish venom has never been charactertized. I have been trying to get someone interested in this for 40 years, but to no avail.

3) It is known that the size of the venom gland at the base of the various fin spines varies with species and position of the spine. The potency may also, but this is unknown, vary among rockfish species."

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Does anyone need a thesis?  :-D

NCKA should start a research grant  ;-)


Sounds like your PhD project, I've got a whole jar of change for the cause
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ryang85

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Wait is this venom, similar to the venom on sculpins? Ive been poked by rockfish and it usualy hurts for a day or two but ive  heard scuplins can send you to the hospital if they get you good.  Sculpins arnt related to rockfish but there seems to be little info on the  internet with this venom and how to treat it. Im always super paraniod releasing scuplins because i have no clue what to do if i get stuck by one.

Angel sharks are the only other fish that make me paraniod and i usually cut the line, and thats a very justifiable fear haha


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Sculpins arnt related to rockfish

That's okay, sculpins aren't related to sculpins either.
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So hot compress is the 1st aid.  We are SOL in the kayaks then.....

B

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So hot compress is the 1st aid.  We are SOL in the kayaks then.....

B

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