Has anybody ever had an allergic reaction from touching their corals and other critters found in the sand? I recently had to empty my 165g reef to a smaller tank while I'm moving some tanks around. Both my hands have swelled up a bit for about a week now. Has anybody ever had any sort of reactions of any type? Are there full length gloves that can be worn while handling all reef items?
Allergic reaction to corals, etc. ????
- Thread starter Glennw
- Start date
yoboyjdizz
Active member
yes they sell full length gloves which i recomend to anyone working in their tanks for your safety and espically your fishes e.t.c safety from you.. I got mine from dr. fosters and smith
conefree
Gene Pool Lifeguard
Another place to get the gloves is www.thatpetplace.com
I have been stung and poked by pretty much everything in my tank. Nothing more than unpleasant, but I got gloves and stopped taking chances. Zoos are capable of killing you, as are a few other things in the tank. There is a thread around here somewhere that one of our fellow reefers lost his best friend (dog) to some zoos. Get some gloves and protect yourself from the corals, and them from any stuff you might have on your hands.
I have been stung and poked by pretty much everything in my tank. Nothing more than unpleasant, but I got gloves and stopped taking chances. Zoos are capable of killing you, as are a few other things in the tank. There is a thread around here somewhere that one of our fellow reefers lost his best friend (dog) to some zoos. Get some gloves and protect yourself from the corals, and them from any stuff you might have on your hands.
RichConley
New member
Re: Allergic reaction to corals, etc. ????
I spent a night in the hospital after digging around in someone's tank. My whole face swelled way up, and I was having trouble breathing. I swelled and got hives all the way down my neck and onto my chest. Missed 2 days of work. They basically gave me a shot of benadryl in the butt, and put me on steroids for a week.
I still have no idea what did it.
I spent a night in the hospital after digging around in someone's tank. My whole face swelled way up, and I was having trouble breathing. I swelled and got hives all the way down my neck and onto my chest. Missed 2 days of work. They basically gave me a shot of benadryl in the butt, and put me on steroids for a week.
I still have no idea what did it.
Travis L. Stevens
Active member
Most people will swell up from their body reacting to the sting of the nematocysts, but occassionally the body will have a reaction and cause you to go into Anaphylactic Shock. This is dangerous and can be fatal. Please take all precautions against your tank. This is serious stuff. Also, some people have bad reactions to the salt in the tank. There is a rare chance that you could even catch a bacterial infection from your tank such as Vibrio and Mycobacterium. Neither of which you would want. I would play it safe and go to the doctor to have it checked out. Tell the doctor what you were doing when it happens and any known venomous animals in the tank such as urchins, polychaete worms (bristleworms), corals, and fish to name a few. Let him check you out to make sure that you are fine and that it isn't anything serious. Of course, since it has been a week, it makes me suspect things. Not bad things, but the swelling should have gone down by now if it was a typical envenomation.
You would be talking specifically about Palytoxins. In a worst case scenario, a full grown human can die in five minutes. But don't have this as a cause of alarm. It isn't often that various Zoanthidae species are able to produce PTX. It is speculated to be caused by a dinoflagellate that takes host in the animal. It's the same situation with the Blue Ring Octopus, it's a very deadly animal IF it has been exposed to the proper dinoflagellate. Blue Ring Octopuses are not venomous until they are subject to these single celled organisms.
You would be talking specifically about Palytoxins. In a worst case scenario, a full grown human can die in five minutes. But don't have this as a cause of alarm. It isn't often that various Zoanthidae species are able to produce PTX. It is speculated to be caused by a dinoflagellate that takes host in the animal. It's the same situation with the Blue Ring Octopus, it's a very deadly animal IF it has been exposed to the proper dinoflagellate. Blue Ring Octopuses are not venomous until they are subject to these single celled organisms.
alde
Premium Member
I got very sick from mojanos. I had chills, sweats and was shaking like a leaf. My wife came real close to calling 911. I wear the arm length gloves now. On guy on RC lost his dog to zoos a couple of years back. He had the rock in a bucket and the dog licked it. It was a sad story.
I know a few people in my reef club have had some serious health issues from working in their tank. One person almost had to have one of their fingers amputated because of a bacterial infection. He had a small cut on his knuckle and while working on the tank something got in there. He was very sick and in bed for one week.
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