Anyone ever stung by coral?

[scubatiffy]

Just curious if anyone has had the problem I'm having- 5 months ago I was stung by my button polyps. Went to the doctor, got some steriod creme and it cleared up for a while. But it keeps coming back- red, itchy with little bumps. My doc keeps trying different cremes to get it to go away. The sacrifices of a reef tank!
Just curious if anyone has ever had such a reaction???

 

[dogstar]

I dont keep button plyps just for that reason. They do pac a wollop and spread quick also and can kill other coral. But thats me, never been stung by them but was warned by trusted LFS.

 

[snipe]

I have button polyps and they havent stung me I handled them just like anything els when putting them in the tank. What is it like a bee sting that wont go away or something?

 

[scubatiffy]

It's like a really itchy rash. There's little bumps that have stuff in them that will pop and spread the rash. It's strange. When it happened, it felt like a bee sting of sorts- hurt a little but not too bad. Just be careful with your polyps!

 

[feixjai]

maybe your allergic to something they have in them. JMO

 

[snipe]

Hmm Mabey the person didnt really send me button polyps or they just dont affect me. Try searching the web (google) and see if you can come up with something to stop it.

 

[scubatiffy]

My doctor is working on it, not too concerned. I was more curious if anyone else has ever had any reaction to a coral/fish sting. A guy at my LFS said his friend got sent to the hospital due to a Lion Fish Sting. Not too sure if I believe him or not!

 

[bang guy]

I have some Protopalythoa polyps that have knocked me on my butt twice now. Gloves are the answer, especially when cutting them.

 

[ophiura]

I've been stung by a hammer coral and a condylactus anemone. I believe the motivating factor for the condylactus was basically saying "oh these guys won't hurt you" or something like that. It was out to proove a point.

 

[snipe]

I suggest wearing gloves period. You never know if your gonna have a reaction to that coral or not so why risk getting hurt or seriosly injured. I wore gloves to put my anemone's in and to move them the LFS guy wore gloves on one but not the other I just dont wanna risk it. (you shouldnt either).

 

[jacknjill]

ive touched all my corals so many times im not woried about it now lol.

 

[ophiura]

That's what I thought....but sometimes you brush against them with your inner arm or something. I never thought twice about handling corals and anemones until I brushed against one on my inner arm almost near my elbow. That's the only time I've ended up with a rash. But when you think about it...these guess are literally firing off hundreds or thousands of tiny harpoons into your skin (which is why they are "sticky") so it is no wonder that on sensitive skin it will cause irritation

I reckon vinegar would be a good after sting treatment since they are basically similar to jellyfish in how they are stinging. :thinking:

 

[snipe]

You could do the pantyhose thing on your arms instead of legs lol.

 

[nomad]

Alllergies can pop up overnight. You can handle something thousands of times and have no problems and then the next time BAM! you've had it. Allergies can also go the other way. Some of our reactions to corals and corallike organisms are not allergies, they are reactions to toxins (poisonings). This whole discussion reminds me of Dale Earnheart who said that he didn't need to use a head restraint when he raced because he had never had any of his cervical vertebrate snapped yet. Barehanded playing in the tank is basically playing Russian Roulette, some people like to play and some people use their brains. To each their own.

 

[ophiura]

Now that I think of it I was moving something in the tank the other night and barely brushed against my LR and had some horrble sting. Couldn't identify anything obvious. The area swelled up and there is still a mark there like a mosquito bite though it hurts more. This happened last Thursday or so. So lots of stuff can get to you in there

I'll still never remember to wear gloves though

 

[snipe]

The biggest reason for gloves is that al mighty bristle worm. Never know where they will be on the rock. I havent got stung by them but I have been stung by a caterpiller here (it was on a tree and I leaned my hand up against it) It was like getting stung by 10 bees in the same spot man did it hurt.

 

[tizzo]

So, I get all these painful zit looking things all over my fingers and for the longest time I didn't know what was causing them. I am still not 100% sure but it's my best guess as of yet.
I thought I had orange/goldish coralline...til the polyps didn't try to grow over it. Then I noticed the "hairs"... I think I have a fire coral. Millepora alcicornus to be exact. Anyway, that bugger got me a couple of times. Now...I NEVER forget my gloves! Yeah, I'm a chicken!

 

[ophiura]

Oh yes, fire coral. Maybe you should try growing the "slimy sea plume" Pseudopterogorgia americana. Its slime is reputed to ease the pain of the sting (and I've tried it and thing it works). Interestingly enough, there is a "dry" sea plume and it is often overgrown and encrusted by fire coral but I think the slimy version is less likely to be overgrown. Interesting little defense there. Anyway if you ever see some it is a good excuse to buy it "for medical research and the benefit of mankind" and all.

 

[scubatiffy]

Don't you have a hard time managing things in your tank with gloves on? I tried once (after my sting) and couldn't really arrange things the way I wanted. But I was using heavy duty thick plastic gloves......
I guess I'm a slow learner, still don't wear gloves!

 

[tizzo]

Not thick gloves like house cleaning or even dishwashing gloves, but rather the ones like they wear in the hospitals (only powder free). This is the brand I like cause they are thick and tight fitting enough that they don't get in the way...