Ouch!

[Treebeard]

I was looking into my tank with a red flashlight tonight, when I heard a splash and the unmistakable sound of a fish hitting the floor. After a mad scramble to turn on the room lights and locate the fish, I found my hippo tang laying on the floor behind the tank. I easily scooped him up off the floor through the door in the stand and put him back in the tank. He swam to the bottom and hid in the rock and I think he is OK...won't know for sure until tomorrow. But when I scooped him up off the floor, he stabbed me in the thumb with what I think was his dorsal fin and it hurts like hell from my thumb to my chest. Do tangs have spikes on their dorsal fins?

[tgoeujon]

they have a scalpel on the base of there tail

[Bloodasp]

there's a scalpel that can be found on their tail that can inflict a painful wound. they're called surgeonfish for a reason i guess.

[bvlester]

Wash cut with a lot of water and shall I say it pee on it. LOLOL. No just give it a good washing and if you have hydrogen peroxide around use it...

Bill

[Leah]

Yikes just saw this, OUCH! hope it is feeling better today, Reid.

[fishoholic]

That sucks but at least you were home to get the fish back into the tank right away. I hope both you and your fish are ok today.

[Albertan22]

Did he break the skin when he stabbed you? Keep a close eye on the wound and watch for infection. If you see any red in your veins (they should be greenish blue normally) go to the hospital right away as it could be blood poisoning, which will kill you without intravenous antibiotics.

[Treebeard]

It hurt like hell last night but feels fine this morning.
I know tangs have the scalpel in front of their tail but I thought it was the fin that nailed me. He is doing fine too and the egg crate lid is back on the tank again.

[Leah]

Glad it is feeling better and tang is okay too.

[Treebeard]

Thanks Leah. He is a lucky little fish. He is the first jumper I have ever had.

[es355lucille]

Did your fish make it? Glad you are ok....along the back spine of the hippo, when they put their dorsal fin up there are spikes (more like needles). Freshwater perch have these as well and I have been poked.....and let me tell you....its like there is a poison as it hurts like hell for quite some time!!

I am thinking from personal experience that this might be what happened.