Heteropneustes fossilis

Balaenoptera · Post by **Balaenoptera** » 09 Apr 2004, 17:23

I`ll buy two juvenil Heteropneustes fossilis on Tuesday and I want to be informed about their poison, so I have some questions.
1.What are the sympthoms of it?
2.How can it be transisted?
3.Is it deadly?

Thanks for answering my questions

Simon

PS:Excuse my bad English

PPS:Greetings from Germany

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 09 Apr 2004, 19:19

1.What are the sympthoms of it?

Pain!

2.How can it be transmitted?

Glands on the pectoral spines. The fish may try and stab you be very careful when reaching into the tank, and do not handle this fish.

3.Is it deadly?

Yes.

If stung immerse wound in hot water, this is the accepted antidote(as hot as you can stand without scalding). Consult a doctor for follow-up and prevention of infection.

Achim · Post by **Achim** » 09 Apr 2004, 23:45

3.Is it deadly?

Yes.

Ok, im dead then ;)
Seriously, there are at least two species of Heteropneustes which are sold as H. fossilis, a uniform grayish/black one and a rather brownish with a creamy lateral stripe. I don't know which one is H. fossilis, would be interesting to investigate on this one.
I assume you have the first one, as they are sold regularily as german or foreign breeds here in Germany. I had some myself some years ago (German breeds) and was stung. It did not hurt more than a bee sting, swell but did not last longer than one or two days (i do not remember exactly...). However, i assume there can be serious harm done if you react allergic to the poison.

Greetings,

Achim

Balaenoptera · Post by **Balaenoptera** » 10 Apr 2004, 09:45

Achim wrote this: Seriously, there are at least two species of Heteropneustes which are sold as H. fossilis, a uniform grayish/black one and a rather brownish with a creamy lateral stripe.

The fishes that I`ll buy are the brownish ones.
Are they rarer then the other ones?

Achim · Post by **Achim** » 10 Apr 2004, 21:29

Hi,

Are they rarer then the other ones?

Well, i can't tell for sure, but i myself have yet only seen the uniform grayish/black one for sale and never the other one (only on slides).

Greetings,

Achim

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 10 Apr 2004, 23:32

Ok, im dead then

nice reply Achim.

But seriously the venom can kill.

The second Heteropneustidae if accepted I believe would be recognised as H. microps. And i am not sure of the poison of this species.

Post by **Rusty** » 11 Apr 2004, 00:20

H. microps is not valid. The basis of the description was the fusing of the anal and caudal fins, but the species is known off only one specimen, which is thought to just have a deformed tail.

Rusty

Post by **Dinyar** » 11 Apr 2004, 00:54

Hmmm... I'm sure I replied to this message when it was first posted, but I don't see my earlier reply.

Anyway, we've kept this fish for some time. We're a little more careful than usual when we put our hand in the tank, but it moves away when it sees a hand nearby. Not a big deal.

They are routinely sold in fish markets in S and SE Asia. When I was a kid, I used to keep many of them in the bathtub (until they were cooked).

In short, be careful but don't be paranoid.

Dinyar

Balaenoptera · Post by **Balaenoptera** » 11 Apr 2004, 17:36

Now I donÂ´t know whom I should trust. The one says It isn`deadly, the other says it is. WhatÂ´s correct?

Post by **Rusty** » 11 Apr 2004, 17:53

It won't be deadly unless you are allergic to the venom. It's similar to a bee sting... normally it's just annoying and painful, but there is a chance things could go south. I wouldn't be overly worried about it. I'm more worried about sticking my hand in my Malapterurus tank than the tank with the fossil in it.

Rusty

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 11 Apr 2004, 21:31

H. microps is not valid

This is my opinion as well however Fish base still recognise the name? (just thought i'd point out another flaw).

To be more clear about the venom issue. The times it has proven fatal there was no heat treatment and they were fully injected due to standing on the fish in flooded fields. No aquarist has ever died to my knowledge.

But i thought you desirved the bad news first, as it seemed to me you were doing research after purchase

Post by **Rusty** » 11 Apr 2004, 22:15

magnum4 wrote:
H. microps is not valid
This is my opinion as well however Fish base still recognise the name? (just thought i'd point out another flaw).

This is because AFAIK there has been no formal publication on the subject. However, there was another Heteropneustes species recently described: Heteropneustes longipectoralis. Achim, could this be the other species you are hearing of in Germany?

Rusty

Balaenoptera · Post by **Balaenoptera** » 12 Apr 2004, 11:33

@magnum4

Just to answer your last sentense: I did not purchase this fish, before doing research. IÂ´ll buy the fishes tomorrow and I started research two weeks ago.

Balaenoptera · Post by **Balaenoptera** » 13 Apr 2004, 11:42

The fishes are here now. IÂ´m shure that it are fossilis. In the internet and in books you can read, that it comes to the surface in every 15 minutes. But they are under water now for around 1 hour.
Is this normal? And how long can they stay under water without getting atmospheric oxigen?

Post by **Dinyar** » 13 Apr 2004, 13:08

Balaenoptera wrote:In the internet and in books you can read, that it comes to the surface in every 15 minutes. But they are under water now for around 1 hour.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Not even what you read here.

Is this normal? And how long can they stay under water without getting atmospheric oxigen?

Yes, it's normal. AFAIK, indefinitely.

Dinyar

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 13 Apr 2004, 13:13

probably because our fishtanks have well aireated water with lots of oxygen.
you'd probably do a very lousy job on maintenance to get the fish coming up for air every 15 minutes....These are well indestructable fish that literally can survive in mud.....

Balaenoptera · Post by **Balaenoptera** » 13 Apr 2004, 16:36

But now I rely get in sorrows. They are under water for 5 hours now. Does anybody, who has these fishes in his (or her) tank, know, how long it could take, till they get back to the surface?

Post by **Dinyar** » 13 Apr 2004, 19:07

I've kept it for years, and though it very well MAY have come up to the surface to breath in this time, I don't really recall ever having seen it do so.

So take a deep breath and relax...

Dinyar

Post by **Rusty** » 14 Apr 2004, 23:41

Rusty wrote:
magnum4 wrote:
H. microps is not valid
This is my opinion as well however Fish base still recognise the name? (just thought i'd point out another flaw).
This is because A.F.A.I.K. there has been no formal publication on the subject.

Never mind, found the paper here: http://wht.org/publications/serials/jsa ... icrops.htm

Rusty