Same reason some people have to go to the ER for bee stings while other folks it doesn't bother them.
Scorched by a torch coral. Not Fun.
- Thread starter TheFishTeen
- Start date
Same reason some people have to go to the ER for bee stings while other folks it doesn't bother them.
TheFishTeen
New member
I was told its more of an allergic reaction rather than a sting. All coral and even a large amount of invertebrates and fish release toxins or 'defense liquids' when touched or handled.
Some people are allergic to these 'defense liquids' so thats what the 'sting' is.
The idea behind peeing on stings is that some toxins are temperature sensitive and denaturate above certain temperatures making them inactive.
While on a beach the only hot liquid available is urine, at home you could have access to other hot liquids. But it would only help if the toxin released with the sting is termolabile. Otherwise it might just cause further harm to the wound.
callsign4223
Active member
Holy Dead Threads Batman!!!!!!
On the other hand, I'm glad this got resurrected because I had no clue that handling torches could be hazardous. I've never seen a need to wear gloves when handling in any coral, will definitely change that practice now.
On the other hand, I'm glad this got resurrected because I had no clue that handling torches could be hazardous. I've never seen a need to wear gloves when handling in any coral, will definitely change that practice now.
iamwrasseman
New member
I usually just have been careful not to get stung and just handle corals from their skeletons and have not been hit in a long time but I do have antibiotics at home just in case . I keep them in the freezer as instructed by my doctor to increase their shelf life .I have found that if I have "picked" my finger nails short and break into my skin and then handle many new corals while dipping a shipment seems to be when I get these infections . I'm in water so often that sometimes my nails get "waterlogged" and seem to tear easily ,that's when I need to be careful . just waiting to get hit again as I'm in water daily all day long .I have seen two customers really get hit bad to the point of having to have their arms cut open and there tendon "allies" get scraped clean of bacteria. one was really bad and had to get cut open from his elbow all the way down onto his hand and each finger cut open . 122 stitches closed up that one so please do be careful even if you just wear latex gloves while handling them so you reduce the direct stings . there is so much below the water that we need to be concerned with and commonly don't have the first hand knowledge of . don't have a false sense of security either because it just all of a sudden can hit you when you do the littlest of things in your tank .
Reef Frog
New member
No. It doesn't even really work so well for jellyfish stings at the beach. Just one of those old wives tales that is good for making people (tourists) look stupid
I think the idea was that ammonia in the pee would help. I have heard that straight household ammonia helps quite a bit, correct?. I do know it works great in taking the itch out of mosquito bites. But you'll never see me peeing on myself in the woods (well there was that one time I saw that Sasquatch...)
I have heard dive boat crew recommend vinegar and meat tenderizer or MSG but never needed to use it. True?
That probably is the idea, though our pee doesn't have ammonia, but rather urea...hence why it's called urine. Not sure how much difference that makes, but in any event it's fairly watered down. Straight up ammonia does help, mixed with vinegar is actually the best. The straight vinegar and meat tenderizer do work, but the mix of ammonia and vinegar works best IME.
Reeferz412
Coral Hoarder
I work for a wholesaler and I started my first 6 months not wearing any gloves. Well, that was stupid. I have gotten paly poisoning which isnt fun... I was dipping a whole Vietnam shipment barehanded with melafix .. all the zoas and palys were breaking down due to rotting sponge under all th rocks. My right hand swelled and was in quite some pain for about a month, kinda like burning. I began working for a second wholesaler and Ive tried wearing gloves as much as I can. I have come to the conclusion that continued exposure with anemones has made my hands break out continously.So now I dont touch anemones with my hands even with gloves. I use a net. Due to breaking out from anemones, I cant touch ricordea or any euphyllia. That torch sting can be delivered by hammers, frogspawn, and elegance. I have a stockpile of gloves now because my hands are slowly recovering from the torture I put them through. I have sensitive skin and not everyone reacts this way. You seem to have the same kind of allergies to corals that i have. If you want to see what your hands will look like with continued exposure I can provide pictures.
CritterHeaven
New member
Its interesting to see different allergies. I don't seem to react to any of the afore mentioned corals but I cannot touch palys, get stinging and burning skin then eventually itching and peeling.
MidwestReefa
New member
2 year old thread, but i'll play.
What type of gloves do you guys use in your tanks? Disposable latex? Non-latex?
What type of gloves do you guys use in your tanks? Disposable latex? Non-latex?
