Toxopneustes Pileolus

cee · Nov 13, 2015

OK, I've got a chance to purchase one of these but am a bit on the fence w.r.t. owning one. Curious what people think -- is it foolish to purchase an animal with such a strong toxin or does the "coolness" factor outweigh the risk? I've always admired these and they're beautiful IMO but they're not often available and I've always been a bit leery. Opinions are welcome as I doubt there are few out there with first-hand experience but if so, I'd be especially interested in their experiences.

Dave

Reefrookie220 · Nov 13, 2015

With the knowledge and experience you have you know how to handle it! If you've always wanted it strike while the iron is hot!

cee · Nov 13, 2015

Oh, and please, don't take this animal lightly. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It's not a blue-ring octopus but can pack a powerful wallop.

MrDJeep123 · Nov 13, 2015

I don't have any experience with them. You may have come across this, but I feel it bears repeating.

Effects on humans
In 1930, the Japanese marine biologist Tsutomu Fujiwara accidentally envenomated himself with seven or eight flower urchin pedicellariae while working in a fishing boat. He described his experience in a paper published in 1935:[32][51][50]

On June 26, 1930, while I was working on a fishing boat on the coast of Tsutajima in Saganoseki, I scooped up with my bare hand an individual of the sea-urchin which had been carried up by a diver with a fishing implement on the water surface from the sea-bottom about 20 fathoms in depth, and I transferred the sea-urchin into a small tank in the boat. At that time, 7 or 8 pedicellariae stubbornly attached themselves to a side of the middle finger of my right hand, detached from the stalk and remained on the skin of my finger.

Instantly, I felt a severe pain resembling that caused by the cnidoblast of Coelenterata, and I felt as if the toxin were beginning to move rapidly to the blood vessel from the stung area towards my heart. After a while, I experienced a faint giddiness, difficulty of respiration, paralysis of the lips, tongue and eyelids, relaxation of muscles in the limbs, was hardly able to speak or control my facial expression, and felt almost as if I were going to die. About 15 minutes afterwards, I felt that pains gradually diminish and after about an hour they disappeared completely. But the facial paralysis like that caused by cocainization continued for about six hours.

Tsutomu Fujiwara (1935). "On the poisonous pedicellaria of Toxopneustes pileolus (Lamarck)". Annotationes Zoologicae Japonenses 15 (1): 62–68.
There have been reports of fatalities resulting from flower urchin envenomation.[52] One such report was the purported drowning of a pearl diver after being rendered unconscious from accidental contact with a flower urchin.[53][54][55] But it remains difficult to confirm if these incidents actually occurred since no documentation or details of the deaths have been uncovered so far.[56][53]

Nevertheless, flower urchins are still considered highly dangerous. The severe debilitating pain of the flower urchin sting compounded by muscular paralysis, breathing problems, numbness, and disorientation can result in accidental drowning among divers and swimmers.[4][18][57] The flower urchin was named the "most dangerous sea urchin" in the 2014 Guinness World Records.[58]

Chriscrna · Nov 13, 2015

GO FOR IT

cee · Nov 13, 2015

It would be good insurance against wet pocket thieves LOL. Wonder if my homeowner's insurance offers a rider for poisonous sea urchins???

Rob.D · Nov 13, 2015

cee said:
It would be good insurance against wet pocket thieves LOL.

I say no go, I'm not getting stung!

Jmcdaniel0 · Nov 15, 2015

cee said:
OK, I've got a chance to purchase one of these but am a bit on the fence w.r.t. owning one. Curious what people think -- is it foolish to purchase an animal with such a strong toxin or does the "coolness" factor outweigh the risk? I've always admired these and they're beautiful IMO but they're not often available and I've always been a bit leery. Opinions are welcome as I doubt there are few out there with first-hand experience but if so, I'd be especially interested in their experiences.

Dave

for me, its too much risk. one slip up when cleaning and your in serious trouble. for me it is a no go, but your an adult, you know the risks, if you want it, get it. just
be smart.

cee · Nov 15, 2015

In the end I decided against it, not due to the toxicity but fear of not having enough algae in the tank to sustain it long term. Now I just have to keep an eye on Robert when he visits LOL.