possibly stung by something...Ideas?

[spankey]

Figures I am posting this in the "responsible" area and I don't feel very responsible.

I was pulling apart my cheato in my fuge and I must have gotten hit by something. The funny thing is I didn't feel it happen.

It's in the tip(finger print area) of my right ring finger. It feels like there is a cactus bur in there, or better yet, fiberglass.

I can't even see to dig it out if I even could. It doesn't hurt sitting still but when I touch something it feels like something is there and is reasonably painful.....

Could it have been a bristle worm or such? Should I be concerned? The area isn't red or swelling but it's quite annoying and I think I learned my lesson!!!

Thanks for your comments and replies.

Spankey.

 

[ctenophors rule]

you are very irresponsible, trying to maintain your chaeto.lol
(next time wear gloves, if you are worried)

yeah, sounds like a lil bristle worm, good to have in your chaetomorpha too, help clean the alga of detritus.

 

[spankey]

LOL Well I cleaned the area and washed it down with alcohol. We will see. I tell you I don't even see a bristle that must be how small it was. Unless it wasn't a worm and was something else!!! OUCH!!!!

 

[ctenophors rule]

do bristle worms shed their parapodia into the skin?

also, ifit was a bristle worm, i believe that the pain comes from a toxin, and the bristle probably dissintegrated.

could be wrong, just a guess, though the big diadema urchins have much stronger spines, and when those get in you, wow, you have to tear your hand to pieces to take all the fragments out.

 

[spankey]

I had a long spine get me and broke off three tips in the palm of my left hand. I dug them out the best I could and the palm swelled and never went down. Also my left hand was numb for about a week!!!!!

 

[ctenophors rule]

lol, real PITA isn't it?

 

[dettigers77]

Sponges?

 

[billsreef]

Re: possibly stung by something...Ideas?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15079852#post15079852 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spankey
It's in the tip(finger print area) of my right ring finger. It feels like there is a cactus bur in there, or better yet, fiberglass.

Sounds like a bristle worm is the culprit. The bristles will come off and embed in your fingers just like small bits of fiberglass. Causes a lot of pain, but there is no toxin involved. The toxin myth got started a lot of years ago based on the pain factor, not from toxin being actually found in them. An old college professor of mine specialized in marine critter toxins took a look at that back in the 80's. We collected a quantity of fire worms and once he got them back to the lab started looking for toxins, found none. Same thing with the fire sponge he looked at. It just boils done to small spicules of calcium carbonate and silicate can be amazingly painful.

 

[spankey]

Well after about a day the pain went away.

 

[muddysr5]

Strong arugement to wear gloves...YIKES! Thank goodness you are feeling better!

 

[stugray]

Next time that happens take a piece of duct tape and attach it over the affected area then pull it off.

That usually pulls out the bristles after a couple of trys.

Stu