FAMA magazine, March 200 issue:

BRO on cover

"Color me deadly: the blue ringed octopuses
Death in a pretty package"

This article could save your life, by Dr. Roy L. Caldwell

If I wouldnt be leaving on vacations right now, I would quote more from the article, but here go a few lines.

In cases with prolongated contact, the venom might pass directly though the skin
(...)
Interestingly, the victim's heart continues to beat until extreme asphyxia sets in.
(...)
Not all bites result in the transfer of venom.
(...)
Experiments in rabbits showed that a single adult blue ringed octopus weighting just 25 g possessed enough venom to fatally paralyze ten large humans [img]/ubb/eek.gif[/img]
(...)
TTX (tetrodotoxin) is a potent neurotoxin that blocks the movement of sodium (Na+) ions across neural membranes by attaching to a Na+ channel receptor and capping the Na+ channel.
(...)
One milligram of TTX can kill a person, making it one of the most potent natural toxins known. There is no antidote to TTX.

I could go on with the quotes but you get the picture, by no means worth the risk IMHO.

Joaco


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My webpage Updated 14th September 2000

Joaco ~

I'm not sure if this was in that FAMA article or not (probably not) but in my extensive search of the medical literature online, I came across this tanalizing tidbit:

Persons who have been bitten will remain fully conscious and aware of what's going on around them as the toxins gradually paralyze them, shutting down respiratory function first, followed by cardiac infarction...they just can't speak once the paralysis sets in. [img]/ubb/eek.gif[/img]

How do they know that? Because the people who were rescued in time by intubation and ventilatory assistance survived to tell of their experience.

Cheers,

N I N [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] N G



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Irrational Exuberance!

Chinito ~

OK, time for another update! How's the anem doing now? Did it spit out the beak yet?

Does the anemone and/or clownfish have any new and improved powers? [img]/ubb/eek3.gif[/img]

Does the anem change colors when threatened?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Later,

Ninong [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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Irrational Exuberance!

I am thinking of starting a species-specific Fugu tank for the next goldfish-swallowing competition.

Gotta love that carpet anemone. Quite possibly the most expensive species of anemone. I think mine is up to well over $150. It now resides in a 29g species tank with 2 clarki's and some bristleworms.

It is quite possibly the wildest thing I have seen when an anemone gets a hold on another stong invert. I watched a brittle star battle my carpet for about 25 minutes before it lost. There is nothing you can do other than stand in awe of the efficiency of this creature.

Sorry to hear about the octopus. They are very interesting to watch. One LFS here had one for a couple of weeks on display before the person who ordered it took it home.

Doug



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"Wait a minute. There's no Shamus McCloud in North Kilt Town" Homer

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Just did a toxline search for blue ring octopus. I couldn't get the full article but the abstract is rather IMPRESSIVE.

"I report two cases of life-endangering respiratory failure after envenomation by a blue ringed octopus. Early and efficient support of respiratory function is vital in such cases. Cardiac asystole occurred in one patient (Editors note: not good ). Both patients recovered completely after vigorous resuscitation techniques."

Patients frequently have there status listed as "stable critical etc. but these guys sound like their status should have been listed as PBAB (Pine Box at Bedside).

Seems to me that due dilgence in research for this species should include the toxicology as well. A little too scary for me.



[This message has been edited by Brien (edited 01-16-2001).]

well the carpet is still the same, it has a little black patches underneath its carpet on the lower portion. could have been there before but i just noticed it 4 days ago when i examined it carefully. ive never seen anemone spit something out before, where does pooh come out from?

Maybe Mother Luck was on a good mood by killing the BRO. maybe this thing wasnt meant for me.

I havent touched the anemone since though... yikes.
Okey okey,i get your point guys, i promise not to buy another BRO in my life.

WG~ right now we are currently BASE sequencing the Fugu at LBNL-JGI do to its inhrerently similar(to humans), yet "junk free" DNA. They are going to use that as a sort of "key" to decoding all the garbage genes in the human genome. Just thought I'd throw that in for interests sake.

Hi Folks, just thought I would point out that the BRO is a native of east coast Australia and I can still remember the many times our teachers in primary school told us not to pick up the pretty blue octopus at the beach. Ninong is right there is no antivenom. refer http://www.csl.com.au/ look under anitvenom.
I cannot belive that someone would want one of these nasty creatures in your aquarium. I would be treating the anemone as the king after that huge effort at possibly saving your life. [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]
I cannot say that I have seen any for sale in Australia at the LFS.

cheers
Speedy