Rashes...

[Xtasia]

Has anyone gotten rashes from working in their tank?

Potential causes... Too salty water... LPS like Frogspawn stinging your arm...

Any input is appreciated.

- X

[mr_alberta]

I've gotten minor rashes before. Didn't last too long. A couple hours and it was gone. Cortizone cream and have some Benadryl handy just in case.

[Bob I]

I have never had any problem, but then I can handle Bristleworms with no effects:biggrin:.

[muck]

I have recieved some nice stings from Frogspawn Corals.
Melted the skin. I wouldn't call it a rash per say though..

[fakename]

I once had a patient with an aquarium associated rash, who ended up having a Mycobacterium marinum skin infection.
Mycobacterium marinum is a relative of tuburculosis (one of the atypical mycobacteria). The skin infection it causes usually starts as a small red/blue nodule that then becomes an ulcer and then begins to drain.
It's a fairly serious infection but can be treated. Thankfully it is fairly rare, although people with aquariums are known to be a higher risk group for contracting this infection.
Here's a link if I have not already bored you to death :o)
http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1538.htm

Cheers, and happy holidays!
Aaron

[asherah]

I dont really get a rash per say but I do get all itchy and stingy after working with the tank. *shrug*
I rinse my arms off after because it's stinging and then it usually goes away after about 10 mins. I do end up scratching which makes it red tho =p
asherha

[deep6er]

when ever I do a good cleaning of my tank I get itchy and stinging feeling aswell. I use cold water to rince off warm water just makes it hurt

[vertex]

One word: gloves

[danny zubot]

Muck said:
I have recieved some nice stings from Frogspawn Corals.
Melted the skin. I wouldn't call it a rash per say though..

Melted the skin?:eek: I've never had that happen from mine, thankfully. I didn't realize they were so toxic.

I too get irritated skin, but I always wash and moisturize after my hands are in the tank.

[Willow]

One word: gloves

ive got a better one.. carbon

[Xtasia]

Running carbon, and I have on gloves.

I do wash my hands after putting them into the tank... the rashes always occur in the same spot within 2 hours of putting my hand into the tank... The rashes correspond to the area the forgspawn touches me when my arm is at the bottom of hte tank.

Good to know that it's not just me.. I'll be sure to use more care.

[Johnny Reefer]

when ever I do a good cleaning of my tank I get itchy and stinging feeling aswell.
I get that too. On my arms.
I think it's the salt.

When I worked on a buoy tending ship as a deckhand I used to get the same thing on my hands.
Salwater everywhere. Messy, wet work.
They'd get so dry, chapped and raw they'd burn.

I have gloves but don't always wear them.
As for the carbon...I use that too and it doesn't seem to make a difference.
How does carbon help?

Cheers,

[Ruth]

I get a rash every once in a while. I *try* to keep my hand out of the tank as much as possible. If I am cleaning the glass and my upper arm rubs against the tank I will get a rash there.
I have also gotten a really weird thing on my finger - I've gotten it twice now and always after working in the tank. It comes the next day and comes up like a hard lump the size of a pea, almost like you would get from a rose prickle. It usually swells right up and hurts and then gets clear liquid in it that when the skin is broken it drains for 1 week or 2. I am not really sure it is related to the tank but can't think of anything else and it has come up in the same spot about 6 months apart.

[monza]

So what rub carbon on your arm?

[deep6er]

I would say its the salt and the toxins in the corals. Im just wondering if toxins from the corals did leach out and we did not do water changes on our tanks would the toxins in the water build up to a point were everything dies?

[BT05]

The only problem I've ever had was with palythoa. When first setting up my rockwork, I brushed up against a small one that had gone dormant (yes they can go dormant!). No rash, but it left my entire arm numb for a week. I still had control of my arm, but the sensation was really wierd.

So now I wear gloves as it could have been alot worse.

If you are concerned about toxic buildup you should run carbon in your water every now and then or even 24/7. I would guess that it could help explain the "sudden death" of certain corals that are more sensetive to the chemical warfare going on in our tanks.

There is also a silly myth that carbon will remove all trace elements from your water. It's more like a half-truth - Carbon does remove trace elements but ONLY when the ph of the water is at the extremes. (lower than 4 or above 12 I believe). I don't remember the exact numbers but I do remember that it is nowhere near saltwater or freshwater ph levels. So by the time it does start to remove these elements, everything in your would be dead.

[BMW Rider]

I have a couple of pairs of gloves and have had to become more diligent at using them as of late. I get exzema on my hands when exposed to moisture or chemicals, probably due to long term exposure to all kinds of nasty crap in my former occupation as an auto mechanic. I have prescription cream for it that helps, but its better to not irritate my skin in the first place. About the only time I get my hands wet now is when I feed, and then it's just my fingers. All other tank work is done gloves on. Better for me, better for the tank since I don't want the oils and medications from my hands in there. It does reduce dexterity though for some jobs. I also have to wear gloves when using any kind of household chemicals too. Its a major PIA.

[Xtasia]

http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic281.htm

"Background: Infection with Mycobacterium marinum, although unusual, could be encountered by any general practitioner, and it should be considered in patients who handle fish or swim in freshwater or saltwater. The organism characteristically produces 2 types of cutaneous lesions in people: a solitary indolent granuloma and an ascending lymphangitic type bearing a strong resemblance to sporotrichosis. Disseminated disease is uncommon and typically occurs in hosts who are immunocompromised."

Get those gloves on..