kdblove_99
New member
I had no idea there have been a couple amputations do to Stomatopods
has any one been hit by a mantis
- Thread starter acrodave
- Start date
englishgramma
New member
Dr Roy,
I posted a thread on the Zoanthid forum about an infection I got - would you take a read please and respond on both threads.
I have a mantis and 2 other tanks and still love the hobby. Any thoughts though would be appreciated.
regards
Richard
Gonodactylus
Premium Member
I took a look at the thread. I am not a physician, but I have been around dangerous marine organisms for more than a few years.
I doubt that your problem was caused by a stomatopod. The infections I mentioned developed over days and were chronic inflammatory reactions. The cartilage of the infected joints was completely destroyed. The infection did not respond to the usual off the shelf antibiotics such as Cipro or Clindamycin. The best guess is that a chitinolytic bacteria from the stomatopod was responsible, but all attempts to culture it failed. In the end, amputation seemed the only way to stop the spread of the infection - which it did.
I work with blue-rings and know a fair amount about the symptoms of TTX envenomation. They don't fit either the described pain or time course.
The first thing that I thought of was a cone, but you didn't find one. The venoms of cone shells are so varied that it is difficult to predict the symptoms that might present themselves. Throw in a possible allergic reaction and who knows.
Some coelenterate toxin is also quite possible. Palytoxin and irukandje syndrome are just a couple of examples of extreme toxicity - although the symptoms described seem a bit off.
The bottom line is that when dealing with live rock, you cannot be certain what might be living on it that could injure you. Take precautions.
Let me give one personal example. Several years ago I was collecting stomatopods off the southern tip of Baja. I was following what was then for me a standard technique. I would snorkel out off shore, free dive and pick up a likely rock or two, swim them back to shore and take apart the rubble collecting the stomatopods and octopus living in it. On the day in question, I was working in 2 m of water, 30 m off shore. I remember diving for a piece of live rock about the size of a basketball. I was wearing gloves but not a wet suit. I vaguely remember that there was a pale greenish grey encrusting growth on the rock - possibly a sponge - but that is all I remember until I woke up in a car being rushed to hospital. I had a large, inflamed patch on my chest and eventually lost some skin from that area. Apparently I had held the rock against my chest as I swam toward shore, but passed out almost immediately. Lucky for me, my dive buddy was on shore watching. She swam out and pulled me to shore before I took in too much seawater. We never figured out what was on the rock and I now always wear at least a stinger suit or neoprene when collecting LR. I am also a great believer in the buddy system.
Roy
I doubt that your problem was caused by a stomatopod. The infections I mentioned developed over days and were chronic inflammatory reactions. The cartilage of the infected joints was completely destroyed. The infection did not respond to the usual off the shelf antibiotics such as Cipro or Clindamycin. The best guess is that a chitinolytic bacteria from the stomatopod was responsible, but all attempts to culture it failed. In the end, amputation seemed the only way to stop the spread of the infection - which it did.
I work with blue-rings and know a fair amount about the symptoms of TTX envenomation. They don't fit either the described pain or time course.
The first thing that I thought of was a cone, but you didn't find one. The venoms of cone shells are so varied that it is difficult to predict the symptoms that might present themselves. Throw in a possible allergic reaction and who knows.
Some coelenterate toxin is also quite possible. Palytoxin and irukandje syndrome are just a couple of examples of extreme toxicity - although the symptoms described seem a bit off.
The bottom line is that when dealing with live rock, you cannot be certain what might be living on it that could injure you. Take precautions.
Let me give one personal example. Several years ago I was collecting stomatopods off the southern tip of Baja. I was following what was then for me a standard technique. I would snorkel out off shore, free dive and pick up a likely rock or two, swim them back to shore and take apart the rubble collecting the stomatopods and octopus living in it. On the day in question, I was working in 2 m of water, 30 m off shore. I remember diving for a piece of live rock about the size of a basketball. I was wearing gloves but not a wet suit. I vaguely remember that there was a pale greenish grey encrusting growth on the rock - possibly a sponge - but that is all I remember until I woke up in a car being rushed to hospital. I had a large, inflamed patch on my chest and eventually lost some skin from that area. Apparently I had held the rock against my chest as I swam toward shore, but passed out almost immediately. Lucky for me, my dive buddy was on shore watching. She swam out and pulled me to shore before I took in too much seawater. We never figured out what was on the rock and I now always wear at least a stinger suit or neoprene when collecting LR. I am also a great believer in the buddy system.
Roy
englishgramma
New member
Thanks Roy,
it was no mantis that caused my infection as we didnt have one at the time. This was posted as a very real warning to reefers as to what can happen and to enforcise the need for gloves and anti bacterial washes after putting hands in the tank.
I am still no clearer as to what caused my problems - I doubt I will ever know. I do not think it was a coincidence that I got a puncture wound from within the tank then fell ill.
If anyone has had the same or similar please let me know
regards
Richard
it was no mantis that caused my infection as we didnt have one at the time. This was posted as a very real warning to reefers as to what can happen and to enforcise the need for gloves and anti bacterial washes after putting hands in the tank.
I am still no clearer as to what caused my problems - I doubt I will ever know. I do not think it was a coincidence that I got a puncture wound from within the tank then fell ill.
If anyone has had the same or similar please let me know
regards
Richard
kdblove_99
New member
Wow thats a crazy story Dr Roy. Glad you are still with us
SWaquariast
New member
Are peacocks smashers.
