Ever get stung like this?

Catharsis70 · 11/24/2009, 06:37 PM

This is the second time this has happened to me. Doing cleaning hands in tank and BAMMO! nasty pain. Instantly there is a pin size hole in my finger that hurts like a burn not a sting. Run under cold water and the hole increases (not swelling) three to four times in size within minutes. Hurts pretty good for a few days and I have a high pain tolerance. The only corals in the direct area are some Zoas and galaxia this time. Last time a big toad stool leather. Im clueless here. Oh... it leaves a funny metal like taste in my mouth as well. Any ideas? Beside using gloves? LOL

Saltyllama · 11/24/2009, 06:40 PM

Spearing mantis? IS the metal taste the taste of blood? Galaxia can sting, but I don't think it would leave a hole.

Note:
Hot water next time if it's a sting. Important when you get into the dangerous stuff.

Catharsis70 · 11/24/2009, 06:52 PM

Very iron tasting so yeah like blood a bit. Would there be any evidence of mantis in the tank? I have never purchased one and havent added anything new in some time.

Thanks for the hot water tip.

Saltyllama · 11/24/2009, 07:01 PM

Mantis most often come as hitchhikers on/in liverock. I'm no expert but I do know they tunnel into rock or in the sand below rocks. You may be able to spy some tunnels in the sand at the base of you structure.

Best thing I can think of is to set a glass trap in there over night. (If you don't know what this is I JUST described it to the guy that has a post in this same section titled "should i i just throw in the towel?? fish wont stay alive"

Other than that just keep watching that finger. The hole is the key in my opinion, something took a bite or tried to stab you in my opinion.

parrotchute · 11/24/2009, 07:04 PM

I've heard of that happening with people who have jellyfish ephyra in their tanks. They're like the juvenile stage of jellyfish, and it can be introduced as a pest.

It could also (more likely) be a bristleworm sting.

Saltyllama · 11/24/2009, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parrotchute

I've heard of that happening with people who have jellyfish ephyra in their tanks. They're like the juvenile stage of jellyfish, and it can be introduced as a pest.

It could also (more likely) be a bristleworm sting.

Good point! I hear those feel pretty nasty for a while.

aquaph8 · 11/24/2009, 07:07 PM

That would freak me out.

Saltyllama · 11/24/2009, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aquaph8

That would freak me out.

Reading this post wouldn't help in that area either.

If the hand was green when I woke up... THAT would freak me out. Then it would be time to go to the doc for sure.

BLKTANG · 11/24/2009, 07:16 PM

Ive been stung by Zoas,&Palys,bristleworms all kinds of stuff.the onlt time i taste medal is when i get stung by Palys,& Zoos.Never the "pinhole" though.

Iskandar · 11/24/2009, 07:22 PM

Not to freak you out, but I would go to ER ASAP. You do not want secondary infection to spread...

rsaha · 11/24/2009, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parrotchute

I've heard of that happening with people who have jellyfish ephyra in their tanks. They're like the juvenile stage of jellyfish, and it can be introduced as a pest.

It could also (more likely) be a bristleworm sting.

I got stung by a bristleworm about two months ago. Had to pull a couple bristles out of my finger. I would characterize the pain as burn with significant swelling. It has healed just like a burn and I still have a residual "funny numbness" feeling in my finger. I read up about bristleworm stings after it happened. Nasty stuff. I'm going to be alot more careful about this from now on.

theyammieguy · 11/24/2009, 08:25 PM

Weird, I've never been stung by any of my bristle worms. I've had there bristles in my skin but didn't feel a sting.

somdinwong · 11/24/2009, 08:42 PM

i am allergi to bristle worms and every time i get hit by one my fingers swell for three days

JAustin · 11/24/2009, 08:58 PM

Quote:

i am allergi to bristle worms and every time i get hit by one my fingers swell for three days

me too! we should start a club. My fingers get HUGE and they itch like mad but it's an itch that can not be scratched. Bristle worms suck!

Fisher72 · 11/24/2009, 09:49 PM

Would a bristel worm make a hole?

Merkurfan · 11/24/2009, 09:54 PM

when I grabbed a bristleworm on a piece of live rock my finger looked fuzzy, but because I have thick skin (I am a mechanic) I don't think they penetrated very far. No pain, just cleaned them off and kept working. Did not leave a hole, and after cleaning the pokers off my finger tasted like water

I don't think it was an encounter with a bristleworm.

seafansar · 11/24/2009, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAustin

me too! we should start a club. My fingers get HUGE and they itch like mad but it's an itch that can not be scratched. Bristle worms suck!

Me three! And yes it itches like crazy, but I do itch it and run it under hot water to make it less itchy.

Do it look like you've touched a mini cactus? That's what my fingers look like when I get stuck really bad. Other times I don't know I've been stung until the next day when my fingers are swollen, hurt, and itch.

Also jamming your fingers into a vermetid snail hurts like heck and leaves a nice little hole that bleeds for a while.

aquaph8 · 11/24/2009, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merkurfan

when I grabbed a bristleworm on a piece of live rock my finger looked fuzzy, but because I have thick skin (I am a mechanic) I don't think they penetrated very far. No pain, just cleaned them off and kept working. Did not leave a hole, and after cleaning the pokers off my finger tasted like water

I don't think it was an encounter with a bristleworm.

I had the same experience with my iron worker hands. we dont take no crap from no bristle worms LOL

jflick345 · 11/24/2009, 11:05 PM

You don't have a long spined urchin (Diadema), do you? Reason I ask is there sting can have a nasty effect on some people and metallic taste in the mouth is a definite symptom of some marine toxins

Catharsis70 · 11/25/2009, 12:56 AM

Its still kind of throbby. wound hasnt gotten any larger. There wasnt anything physicaly in my skin like a stinger or bristle that I could tell. It did happen near a zoa colony and that seams like its where whatever got me was. Ive not seen any bristle worms of size in this tank but that surely doesnt rule it out. I called the E.R. and they said, after being on hold a while, to "keep an eye on it. come in if it worsens or a fever developes." Im pretty sure it wasnt the first time they had heard this and that they had no better knowledge now than then.

Kingumar · 11/25/2009, 01:09 AM

i would take a picture of your finger and upload it. Might be easier to tell.. I hope

xmasia · 11/25/2009, 03:06 AM

what about a fire worm ive heard there bite/sting is worse than bristle worms. there more red in color than the bristle if im not mistaken.

returnofsid · 11/25/2009, 03:10 AM

The metallic taste bothers me. That's a sign of some type of toxin or poison. I'd suggest getting to a Dr ASAP. Unfortunately, most Drs are going to be fairly clueless about the dangers of most of our marine critters.

baja_01 · 11/25/2009, 04:12 AM

On a side note, with bristleworm stings, dont try to get the fuzz out by hand. Chances are you will just make it worse.

Get some vinegar and soak the sting in it, the spines will dissolve in a 10-20 mins.

strout · 11/25/2009, 04:29 AM

Keep us updated on this, I agree with returnofsid, thats not a good thing when you have a taste in your mouth.

11/24/2009, 06:37 PM	#1
Catharsis70 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: IL Posts: 859	Ever get stung like this? This is the second time this has happened to me. Doing cleaning hands in tank and BAMMO! nasty pain. Instantly there is a pin size hole in my finger that hurts like a burn not a sting. Run under cold water and the hole increases (not swelling) three to four times in size within minutes. Hurts pretty good for a few days and I have a high pain tolerance. The only corals in the direct area are some Zoas and galaxia this time. Last time a big toad stool leather. Im clueless here. Oh... it leaves a funny metal like taste in my mouth as well. Any ideas? Beside using gloves? LOL

11/24/2009, 07:07 PM	#7
aquaph8 Love The Fish Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 5,652	That would freak me out. __________________ Brett Current Tank Info: Leemar 60x36x24, 8x80 T5/LED Sfiligoi GENESIS Alpha 300 skimmer

11/24/2009, 07:16 PM	#9
BLKTANG Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Never,Never Land Posts: 7,061	Ive been stung by Zoas,&Palys,bristleworms all kinds of stuff.the onlt time i taste medal is when i get stung by Palys,& Zoos.Never the "pinhole" though. __________________ We the few have done so much,for so long,for so little.That we are now qualified to do anything with nothing. ____________________________________________________________________________ Current Tank Info: RR 90 Maganvore sump,250w Hamilton fixture,VorTec's ASM skimmer.

11/25/2009, 04:12 AM	#24
baja_01 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: AZ,USA Posts: 887	On a side note, with bristleworm stings, dont try to get the fuzz out by hand. Chances are you will just make it worse. Get some vinegar and soak the sting in it, the spines will dissolve in a 10-20 mins. __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin

11/24/2009, 06:40 PM	#2
Saltyllama Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 283	Spearing mantis? IS the metal taste the taste of blood? Galaxia can sting, but I don't think it would leave a hole. Note: Hot water next time if it's a sting. Important when you get into the dangerous stuff.

11/24/2009, 06:52 PM	#3
Catharsis70 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: IL Posts: 859	Very iron tasting so yeah like blood a bit. Would there be any evidence of mantis in the tank? I have never purchased one and havent added anything new in some time. Thanks for the hot water tip.

11/24/2009, 07:01 PM	#4
Saltyllama Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 283	Mantis most often come as hitchhikers on/in liverock. I'm no expert but I do know they tunnel into rock or in the sand below rocks. You may be able to spy some tunnels in the sand at the base of you structure. Best thing I can think of is to set a glass trap in there over night. (If you don't know what this is I JUST described it to the guy that has a post in this same section titled "should i i just throw in the towel?? fish wont stay alive" Other than that just keep watching that finger. The hole is the key in my opinion, something took a bite or tried to stab you in my opinion.

11/24/2009, 07:04 PM	#5
parrotchute Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 163	I've heard of that happening with people who have jellyfish ephyra in their tanks. They're like the juvenile stage of jellyfish, and it can be introduced as a pest. It could also (more likely) be a bristleworm sting.

11/24/2009, 07:22 PM	#10
Iskandar Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 73	Not to freak you out, but I would go to ER ASAP. You do not want secondary infection to spread...

11/24/2009, 08:25 PM	#12
theyammieguy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 1,691	Weird, I've never been stung by any of my bristle worms. I've had there bristles in my skin but didn't feel a sting.

11/24/2009, 08:42 PM	#13
somdinwong Moved On Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: venice Posts: 593	i am allergi to bristle worms and every time i get hit by one my fingers swell for three days

11/24/2009, 09:49 PM	#15
Fisher72 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NH Posts: 65	Would a bristel worm make a hole?

11/24/2009, 09:54 PM	#16
Merkurfan Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Minneapolis MN Posts: 54	when I grabbed a bristleworm on a piece of live rock my finger looked fuzzy, but because I have thick skin (I am a mechanic) I don't think they penetrated very far. No pain, just cleaned them off and kept working. Did not leave a hole, and after cleaning the pokers off my finger tasted like water I don't think it was an encounter with a bristleworm.

11/24/2009, 11:05 PM	#19
jflick345 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 884	You don't have a long spined urchin (Diadema), do you? Reason I ask is there sting can have a nasty effect on some people and metallic taste in the mouth is a definite symptom of some marine toxins

11/25/2009, 12:56 AM	#20
Catharsis70 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: IL Posts: 859	Its still kind of throbby. wound hasnt gotten any larger. There wasnt anything physicaly in my skin like a stinger or bristle that I could tell. It did happen near a zoa colony and that seams like its where whatever got me was. Ive not seen any bristle worms of size in this tank but that surely doesnt rule it out. I called the E.R. and they said, after being on hold a while, to "keep an eye on it. come in if it worsens or a fever developes." Im pretty sure it wasnt the first time they had heard this and that they had no better knowledge now than then.

11/25/2009, 01:09 AM	#21
Kingumar Moved On Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 137	i would take a picture of your finger and upload it. Might be easier to tell.. I hope

11/25/2009, 03:06 AM	#22
xmasia Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Des Moines Posts: 85	what about a fire worm ive heard there bite/sting is worse than bristle worms. there more red in color than the bristle if im not mistaken.

11/25/2009, 03:10 AM	#23
returnofsid Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,852	The metallic taste bothers me. That's a sign of some type of toxin or poison. I'd suggest getting to a Dr ASAP. Unfortunately, most Drs are going to be fairly clueless about the dangers of most of our marine critters.

11/25/2009, 04:29 AM	#25
strout Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Biloxi Mississippi Posts: 767	Keep us updated on this, I agree with returnofsid, thats not a good thing when you have a taste in your mouth.