L264 Sultan Pleco - is there any truth to "venom"?

[geminiluna]

I've been pondering picking up a trio of Sultan Pleco (L264) and like any decision, I'm reading/thinking/reading some more. And in my search of information, I came across this:

"It is assumed that the large, retractable tooth, the vampire tooth that gave these fish their name, is used to inject an immobilizing venom in the prey animal, to prevent escaping." (copy/paste from the "diet" section of this page: http://www.piranha-fury.com/information ... t=np&id=22)

I know they write that it is an assumption - and that is the first place I'd seen any mention of that. Is there any truth to that? I was really leaning toward going ahead and obtaining the L264 but threw on the brakes when I saw that - worried about whether they would be a danger to any other tank mates if this is true.

(PS - I kind of feel stupid even asking this - so don't laugh - but dang! LOL!)

[Birger]

That is quite an assumption that is very wrong ( but it did give me a chuckle), both the venom and the retractability, should get confirmation on the second but I am quite sure they do not have that kind of control over those teeth.

There is some truth to their territorial reputation though.

Birger

[Suckermouth]

Hahaha that's absolutely ridiculous. I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing that anyone would make that up.

Loricariids have non-hollow teeth that are regularly shed; they grow in batteries like shark teeth and have no direct muscle attachment to allow for retractability. There are many species of venomous catfishes, but venom isn't transferred through the teeth, but by the fin spines; furthermore, no loricariids are known to be venomous in this way either.

[racoll]

I guess this is the sort of nonsense you get from visiting a site called "Piranha-fury"!

[MatsP]

They do bite if you give them a change, tho'. And their lips/mouths are very flexible.

--
Mats

[Shane]

This thread

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... =5&t=34079

explains how those "vampire teeth" are used to feed.

-Shane

[geminiluna]

I guess this is the sort of nonsense you get from visiting a site called "Piranha-fury"!

Haha. Thanks for the constructive feedback. (Though I kind of thought the same - however, you know the old saying "where there's smoke..." and I'd have been remiss to not verify before bringing the fish to my aquarium).

Thanks everyone for the input, and Shane - for the link to the other thread about how they use the teeth.

[sidguppy]

if they still scare the bejeeves out of you, you can always call her

[geminiluna]

Yeah. thanks.

[MatsP]

I suspect, if they manage to pierce the skin with their teeth, it does hurt, and this could lead to the misconception that they are injecting venom. The

Leporacanthicus joselimai

is a small species, so I wouldn't think they'd get through the skin on a human (at least not tougher areas of skin like the hand/arm - if you are stupid enough to do a "mouth-kiss", then blame yourself!). The larger species, like L. triactis or L. galaxias etc would perhaps get through a less tough part of your hand/arm. Certainly, my L263 tried to bite me, and I felt it, but it didn't get through my skin.

--
Mats

[Proteus]

I got bit more than few times with my L264s and they hurt didn't feel any side effects though the skin was broken maybe 2-3 times on my finger

[2wheelsx2]

An L. galaxias drew blood on my friend's finger as he captured it to bag it for me, so I'm sure a Leporacanthicus species can pierce skin if it tried hard enough. And as with any bite from anything (including humans), the bacteria and other contaminants from a bite can lead to infection. Maybe that's where the venom reputation comes from.