triggerfish bite information please

[tracyjane]

Hello all you folk,
I was hoping some of you may be able to help me with some information about triggerfish bites. About 5 weeks ago i was snorkelling in the Maldives and got attacked quite badly by a large trigger fish. He got me very badly on my left leg and another go on my right before i could get away.

I had fang marks, blood lots of swelling and pain!!!!!

It did not get infected as such but the tissue under the area is very tough and still not back to normal at all.

Has anyone else had such an experience or know if this is serious and get a specialist to look at it? or is this normal and will the tissue soften in time.
(don't know where you get one on triggerfish bites in Abu Dhabi!whis is where we are living now, am Australian, so a bit of a worry really)???

Can anyone help?
thanks alot tracyjane

 

[Spoon]

hello there and sorry to hear about your misfortune. i almost had several close calls with triggers before i found out they were capable of such things. attacked one of my friends fins. you seem fine though nothing like the healing of time. good luck

 

[Web Monkey]

I'd see a doctor, if you can.

Terry

Hello all you folk,
I was hoping some of you may be able to help me with some information about triggerfish bites. About 5 weeks ago i was snorkelling in the Maldives and got attacked quite badly by a large trigger fish. He got me very badly on my left leg and another go on my right before i could get away.

I had fang marks, blood lots of swelling and pain!!!!!

It did not get infected as such but the tissue under the area is very tough and still not back to normal at all.

Has anyone else had such an experience or know if this is serious and get a specialist to look at it? or is this normal and will the tissue soften in time.
(don't know where you get one on triggerfish bites in Abu Dhabi!whis is where we are living now, am Australian, so a bit of a worry really)???

Can anyone help?
thanks alot tracyjane

 

[tzeyap]

Hello all you folk,
I was hoping some of you may be able to help me with some information about triggerfish bites. About 5 weeks ago i was snorkelling in the Maldives and got attacked quite badly by a large trigger fish. He got me very badly on my left leg and another go on my right before i could get away.

I had fang marks, blood lots of swelling and pain!!!!!

It did not get infected as such but the tissue under the area is very tough and still not back to normal at all.

Has anyone else had such an experience or know if this is serious and get a specialist to look at it? or is this normal and will the tissue soften in time.
(don't know where you get one on triggerfish bites in Abu Dhabi!whis is where we are living now, am Australian, so a bit of a worry really)???

Can anyone help?
thanks alot tracyjane

Hi Tracy,

Sorry to hear that you got hit by a trigger. As far as I know the triggerfish is not a venomous creature but you would do well to take the suggestion posted by webmonkey to see a doctor and get a jab to stop the wound becoming infected.

Triggerfish normally hit you and then do a loop to come back at you again. I have a friend who has bite marks on each of his fins !! The titans are the one to watch out for as they are the most aggressive.

They normally give an indication that they are going to attack by going on their side before the charge. Get your guage ready or a pointer if you have one and fin away backwards watching them as you do. If they come at you give them a little tap with your guage or pointer. they are not mean but just defending their nest.

 

[pasley]

I owld offer that this question should be moved to "dive Medicine" portion of this forum.

For my $0.02... see a doctor, if nothing else, the doctor can use a good chuckle all while charging you for the visit. But seriously, there maybe somthing else going on and and ounce of prevention....

 

[Web Monkey]

I owld offer that this question should be moved to "dive Medicine" portion of this forum.

For my $0.02... see a doctor, if nothing else, the doctor can use a good chuckle all while charging you for the visit. But seriously, there maybe somthing else going on and and ounce of prevention....

It's possible to have an infection that isn't on the surface. You wouldn't want something to be eating away at you from the inside . . .

There was an article n something very similar in Diver's Alert NEtwork magazine, where the guy got stuck with something while working on a boat, ignored it, and got a really nasty infection.

Terry

 

[El Orans]

Like it was said before: see a doctor.

Laurens

BTW, welcome (Scub)aBoard! :happywave

 

[tracyjane]

thanks for all the answers, did think to go to the dr but here in Abu Dhabi doubt very much how successful diagnosis would be as not many would come across triggerfish bites! but may try and seek out one of more specialist quality to save time and money..! thanks again and would love to hear about anyone elses experience with being bitten.
cheers tracy jane

 

[OBXDIVEGUY]

I've been bitten by them, but I've never had any swelling. I had my revenge though when I grilled him up that night. (Atlantic Trigger, the gray one, not the tropical one) I would guess the pain and swelling you have is an infection. Wouldn't hurt to have it checked out.

 

[DandyDon]

I have hard of the Triggers on that side of the world. Wow! :11:

If you cannot obtain suitable help there, email DAN: http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/index.asp

don

A few suggestions I do like to offer every new member. First, it's good to keep your Profile with location and Dive Info with number of dives up to date so other members can address any questions appropriately; edit these as possibly needed from your UserCP above or the Quick Links above.

And don't be shy about posting. Click Forums above, tour the long list of choices, and jump in anywhere you're qualified. PM me with any questions, and I'll try to find a pretty good answer.