How long does a rays venomous stinger last once shed?

[West1]

Dude, EXCELLENT Q!


I have been scared $hitless of the stinger (as I should) and was trying to figure out this Q. It never crossed my mind to ask MFKers

Any more Info???? I'm sure Miles will add some more Flavor to this thread

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

I once held a freshly shed barb from my ray with a good bit of skin left.

Can somebody post a pic of this? skin vs no skin? I alittle confused by this?!?!?

 

[sjick]

if the skin is still on the sting is black, if the skin is off, the sting looks white and you are able to see the barbs..

 

[keepinfish]

I know what you mean, if they have skin on them it kinda makes my hand tingle by just holding it.

I would take a picture of skin vs no skin but i just checked and my stinger skin has already disappeared.

 

[Brent]

u can totally tell when there is a fleshy skin still on the stinger usually the skin is almost gone whrn they shed there stinger

 

[csx4236]

A stinger with skin on it will be colored black or brown and with ho skin it's white colored.

 

[Lode]

The skin story can be red in any good stingray book.

What I have always wondered though. Does the skin stay poisonus when it is totally dried out?

 

[Zoodiver]

To be safe, boil shed barbs prior to handleing them too much. They will clean nicely. The toxin acts on a complex protein based catalyst that breaks down with heat (hense, you run a stingray injury under HOT water if you are so unlucky).

 

[spotfin]

I've noticed that sometimes the skin on the barb starts to die off before the barb is shed. Once the skin tissue starts to die, how much longer is the venom potent? I would think that once the skin dies, the venom won't last much longer.

 

[Nic]

I just net mine out of the tank.... they are usually white with no skin when I find them... either way I wash my hands when I'm done...