Ouch it stung me!

yalan · 04/30/2012, 05:37 PM

I had a tankalanch yesterday, while trying to pick up this huge hammer colony, it stung me! In the picture you will see my arm with red little dots roughly in circle shape, and the hammer that is responsible for it.

Ostara · 04/30/2012, 05:56 PM

Yep, they will do that.

I get huge, bright red welts on my arms when my magnifica anemones sting me. Feels like a cut with lemon juice in it.

tkeracer619 · 04/30/2012, 06:23 PM

Some people have bad reactions. I can touch them all day but my rbtas.... not a chance

yalan · 04/30/2012, 06:47 PM

I have touched them numbers of times before (just the hand part) without reactions, just felt a bit sticky, but I guess my forearm skin are just more sensitive. Also, I thought that maybe since it was on top of another coral (only for a few sec, good thing no real damage was done), it was gearing up for a chemical warfare

This also reminded me that my hippo tang had a small part of galeaxia's tenticles hanging from his back few weeks ago, but he/she didn't seem to mind. It fell off in a couple of days, and a discolored dot was in place, but in a few day the normal color returned. No harm done.

Cubbies · 04/30/2012, 08:57 PM

Ouch!

Reefing Newbie · 04/30/2012, 09:01 PM

I have only ever touched the skeleton of LPS corals. Well I did touch the "cap" of a candy cane coral, but no stinging. However, I have had those little red bumps after working in my tank, but I never contacted anything...

f3honda4me · 04/30/2012, 09:06 PM

Should really use arm length gloves. There are some unpleasant things that can hurt you. Some of them not visible to the human eye!

willietang021 · 04/30/2012, 10:50 PM

Hammer corals pack a mild sting comparing to the carpet anemone. I wear gloves to pick my old purple carpet up, and it wrap around my forearm pretty quick ( it was 11" across) before I can get every single bit of it off me, I can feel all the sharp stings. At the end, I had a very sensative forearm to deal with, and every time I went to wash my arm, it kindly reminds me with the pain. it lasted for about a week....

Seagars · 04/30/2012, 10:52 PM

wow, thanks for the warning....ouch!

robs.mark · 05/01/2012, 02:13 AM

I had it happen to me once, man it hurts!

f3honda4me · 05/01/2012, 08:06 AM

Here's what I use!

http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Glove-WG...5881182&sr=8-3

reefbooger · 05/01/2012, 09:21 AM

I've discovered that I only feel the stings from my tanks inhabitants where I have hair follicles. I looked it up on the web and there is a correlation between nematocysts and where you can actually feel their sting. Interesting!

Cstaricansrfer1 · 05/01/2012, 09:59 AM

Check out what one of my corals did to me. Never felt a sting, but this happened shortly after:

yalan · 05/01/2012, 03:44 PM

that looks nesty... do you know which coral did it? I felt a very light sting when my forearm accidentally touch the hammer, not much at the time. But now 2 days later, the red bumps are getting itchy

Cstaricansrfer1 · 05/02/2012, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yalan

that looks nesty... do you know which coral did it? I felt a very light sting when my forearm accidentally touch the hammer, not much at the time. But now 2 days later, the red bumps are getting itchy

Not too sure if it was a coral that stung me or if I brushed up against a rock and got some nasty bacterial infection. It never stung or hurt just kinda looked like 3rd degree burn blisters and the went away within a month.
Either way freaked me out a little.

yamaha16bw · 05/02/2012, 12:12 PM

My cynarina got me once and it felt like I was hit with a tazer! Nothing elses seems both to get me.

Radioheadx14 · 05/02/2012, 12:16 PM

I was talking to the owner of a LFS a few years ago and he said he had a small cut on his hand when fragging hammers. It brushed up against the cut and stung him pretty bad. He went to the hospital to get it looked at. Ended up feeling sick after it too. He said he's fragged and handled them hundreds of times, but that one exposure cause a bad reaction. Now im scared to touch mine.

dannyp02908 · 05/02/2012, 12:28 PM

Worst for me was a RBTA. Felt like a burn. Forearm swelled and welted pretty quickly. I have been hit the fingers by frogspawn/hammer and usually end up with a numb feeling for a cpl days. Sometimes achy joints.

mcrist · 05/02/2012, 01:49 PM

I remember reading an article that stated that the sting is cumulative. The more you are stung by a particular coral the more you will be sensitive to it later. I never gave it much thought but I have noticed over the years that I have started to get reactions from corals that never bothered me before. Then again it could be that I am just getting older.

rrasco · 05/02/2012, 02:11 PM

I have pretty sensitive skin but I've never been affected by anything, not even my frogspawn. I did have a small cut on my hand a few weeks ago that got kind of stingy after I had my hands in the tank, but that's it. I never did touch my Condylactis Anemone, I was too chicken. I think I'm going to look into those Nitrile gloves f3honda4me posted. I've been meaning to get some just to be safe (and because my clowns bite me constantly). I'm actually more scared of cutting myself on bacteria infested LR than getting stung by a coral, unless its a palytoxin, then I'm terrified.

purdueav8r · 05/02/2012, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f3honda4me

Here's what I use!

http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Glove-WG...5881182&sr=8-3

Thank you for that! I've been looking for a nice set of arm length gloves besides the Coralife ones that don't seem to have a very long life.

Moort82 · 05/02/2012, 04:01 PM

I got a real whack from a carpet nem a couple of weeks ago. Didn't think much of it as i've been stung more times than i care to remember. Anyway a few days later and my forearm is resembling hellboy. Been on really strong antibiotics since and only now is it going back to normal. I'm thinking the sting caused a wound and it became infected by the water. Pretty nasty really, could easily have been a stay in hospital but luckily now on the mend.

This is the first time anything like this has happen and thats after years of being wet.

reefinmo · 05/02/2012, 08:44 PM

I don't have any links handy, but there are lots of good first aid articles out there on what to do if you get stung. A 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water (or 100% vinegar even) is a good "standard" treatment for a lot of stings from nematocysts used by most anemones and fire coral. Lots of information out there about treating stings while scuba diving too.

I also strongly suggest you know what is in your tank and what to do if you take a shot from one of those little bugger! Basic first aid will help the healing process a lot, trust me. And hopefully you won't have an allergic reaction.

Misled · 05/02/2012, 09:46 PM

I hope your hammer is ok!!!

Robin764 · 05/03/2012, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misled

I hope your hammer is ok!!!

thanks for my morning chuckle

04/30/2012, 06:23 PM	#3
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Some people have bad reactions. I can touch them all day but my rbtas.... not a chance __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

05/01/2012, 02:13 AM	#10
robs.mark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 1,461	I had it happen to me once, man it hurts! __________________ knowledge is power! Current Tank Info: Lagoon

05/01/2012, 09:21 AM	#12
reefbooger Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Biloxi, Ms Posts: 76	I've discovered that I only feel the stings from my tanks inhabitants where I have hair follicles. I looked it up on the web and there is a correlation between nematocysts and where you can actually feel their sting. Interesting! __________________ Lifelong Reef Builder w/ Cheese Current Tanks - 125g mixed reef, BC29 completely Tricked Out Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef

05/02/2012, 01:49 PM	#19
mcrist Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania Posts: 1,598	I remember reading an article that stated that the sting is cumulative. The more you are stung by a particular coral the more you will be sensitive to it later. I never gave it much thought but I have noticed over the years that I have started to get reactions from corals that never bothered me before. Then again it could be that I am just getting older. __________________ Mark Current Tank Info: 450 Gallon Peninsula

05/02/2012, 02:11 PM	#20
rrasco Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,159	I have pretty sensitive skin but I've never been affected by anything, not even my frogspawn. I did have a small cut on my hand a few weeks ago that got kind of stingy after I had my hands in the tank, but that's it. I never did touch my Condylactis Anemone, I was too chicken. I think I'm going to look into those Nitrile gloves f3honda4me posted. I've been meaning to get some just to be safe (and because my clowns bite me constantly). I'm actually more scared of cutting myself on bacteria infested LR than getting stung by a coral, unless its a palytoxin, then I'm terrified. __________________ -You had me at PWM

04/30/2012, 05:56 PM	#2
Ostara Keep Calm and Reef On Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: California Posts: 302	Yep, they will do that. I get huge, bright red welts on my arms when my magnifica anemones sting me. Feels like a cut with lemon juice in it.

04/30/2012, 06:47 PM	#4
yalan Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Stafford, VA Posts: 24	I have touched them numbers of times before (just the hand part) without reactions, just felt a bit sticky, but I guess my forearm skin are just more sensitive. Also, I thought that maybe since it was on top of another coral (only for a few sec, good thing no real damage was done), it was gearing up for a chemical warfare This also reminded me that my hippo tang had a small part of galeaxia's tenticles hanging from his back few weeks ago, but he/she didn't seem to mind. It fell off in a couple of days, and a discolored dot was in place, but in a few day the normal color returned. No harm done.

04/30/2012, 08:57 PM	#5
Cubbies Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: NW IL Posts: 1,475	Ouch!

04/30/2012, 09:01 PM	#6
Reefing Newbie Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,435	I have only ever touched the skeleton of LPS corals. Well I did touch the "cap" of a candy cane coral, but no stinging. However, I have had those little red bumps after working in my tank, but I never contacted anything...

04/30/2012, 09:06 PM	#7
f3honda4me Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,218	Should really use arm length gloves. There are some unpleasant things that can hurt you. Some of them not visible to the human eye!

04/30/2012, 10:50 PM	#8
willietang021 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Newhall, CA Posts: 303	Hammer corals pack a mild sting comparing to the carpet anemone. I wear gloves to pick my old purple carpet up, and it wrap around my forearm pretty quick ( it was 11" across) before I can get every single bit of it off me, I can feel all the sharp stings. At the end, I had a very sensative forearm to deal with, and every time I went to wash my arm, it kindly reminds me with the pain. it lasted for about a week....

04/30/2012, 10:52 PM	#9
Seagars Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 1,084	wow, thanks for the warning....ouch!

05/01/2012, 08:06 AM	#11
f3honda4me Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,218	Here's what I use! http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Glove-WG...5881182&sr=8-3

05/01/2012, 03:44 PM	#14
yalan Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Stafford, VA Posts: 24	that looks nesty... do you know which coral did it? I felt a very light sting when my forearm accidentally touch the hammer, not much at the time. But now 2 days later, the red bumps are getting itchy

05/02/2012, 12:12 PM	#16
yamaha16bw Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: MI Posts: 57	My cynarina got me once and it felt like I was hit with a tazer! Nothing elses seems both to get me.

05/02/2012, 12:16 PM	#17
Radioheadx14 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,601	I was talking to the owner of a LFS a few years ago and he said he had a small cut on his hand when fragging hammers. It brushed up against the cut and stung him pretty bad. He went to the hospital to get it looked at. Ended up feeling sick after it too. He said he's fragged and handled them hundreds of times, but that one exposure cause a bad reaction. Now im scared to touch mine.

05/02/2012, 12:28 PM	#18
dannyp02908 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 190	Worst for me was a RBTA. Felt like a burn. Forearm swelled and welted pretty quickly. I have been hit the fingers by frogspawn/hammer and usually end up with a numb feeling for a cpl days. Sometimes achy joints.

05/02/2012, 04:01 PM	#22
Moort82 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Norfolk, England Posts: 1,576	I got a real whack from a carpet nem a couple of weeks ago. Didn't think much of it as i've been stung more times than i care to remember. Anyway a few days later and my forearm is resembling hellboy. Been on really strong antibiotics since and only now is it going back to normal. I'm thinking the sting caused a wound and it became infected by the water. Pretty nasty really, could easily have been a stay in hospital but luckily now on the mend. This is the first time anything like this has happen and thats after years of being wet.

05/02/2012, 08:44 PM	#23
reefinmo Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 45	I don't have any links handy, but there are lots of good first aid articles out there on what to do if you get stung. A 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water (or 100% vinegar even) is a good "standard" treatment for a lot of stings from nematocysts used by most anemones and fire coral. Lots of information out there about treating stings while scuba diving too. I also strongly suggest you know what is in your tank and what to do if you take a shot from one of those little bugger! Basic first aid will help the healing process a lot, trust me. And hopefully you won't have an allergic reaction.

05/02/2012, 09:46 PM	#24
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	I hope your hammer is ok!!! __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.