Allergic Reaction Reef tank?

[Connie]

Has anyone ever had an alergic reaction from having your hands in your reef tank? Is it an accumulative response? My hands and arms itch and I've noticed it getting worse after having my bare hands in the tank, even for just a few seconds. :cry:

 

[perryxcore]

my hands get itchy after being in the tank when my skin is really dry, but thats the only time I've really noticed

 

[cdness]

I have not had an allergic reaction, but in the winter months I tend to get dry skin. The saltwater doesn't help that much and when it gets bad enough it can sting if your skin is cracking a bit... They make arm length gloves, but in my opinion they kinda suck as you lose your touch sense when working with stuff.

I have heard of allergic reactions to Lion stings, but that usually comes from those who are allergic to bee stings as well...

 

[stevieduk]

yes I was getting that a bit, but now i do the same as my fish supplier and did my hands in fresh water every time i take them out the tank , now i dont get it. try it

 

[Connie]

cdness...I'm with ya. I can't stand those big bulky gloves, makes you tear up things rather than fix them...lol. Good suggestion stevieduk. I will try that.

 

[swannyson7]

I get eczema on my arms and sticking them in the tank certainly brings it on, leaving me with a rash if I don't rinse afterwards. As stated above, rinsing your arms after being in the tank makes a world of difference.

 

[typicaltony]

Be sure to wash your hands and arms really good before and after putting it in the tank...I noticed that it only itches whenever I forget to wash my hands afterward and the saltwater dries up.

 

[shred5]

Tunze sells some nice arm length gloves that are not too thick.. Some people have allergic reactions to different things in our reefs. I know a girl who almost died from a anemone I had touched many times with no issues. It could just be zoanthids or some chemical put out by a coral.

 

[aznnutty]

always always was before and even more after. Mycobacterium is a serious illness that can attack anyone in the fresh or saltwater hobby and it's one of the hardest things to diagnosis because its so uncommon.

 

[mainereefer]

I notice I get little bumps in-between my fingers after messing around in the tank
they go away after a day or two

 

[Reed639]

Ya,
I used to not get rashes then I stoped putting my hands in The tank for a while so then when I did put my hands in the tank again I got some bad rashes on my arms and from that point on I bought some gloves from bulkreefsupply which are not to bulky and I have not had a rash sense

 

[MyNameIs]

I get this now and then, i just rinse my hands off before really good and wash after my hands are out. However i avoid putting my hands in the tank when i have open cuts.

 

[stylaster]

I get what looks like little blisters on my fingers if i handle chalice type corals too much. Never use to do that, but after years of handling corals i think i have developed a reaction to the slime on just that type of coral

 

[Connie]

Well, I went to the dermatologist. He prescribed Allegra for me. Now I'm not having the reaction I was having. :bigsmile:

 

[LegoZ81]

crazy i had problems in the past just make sure i am not in long w/o gloves and rinse in fresh water ASAP after being in the tank.

 

[Connie]

I hear ya.

 

[slugwall]

I had the same thing with rash on my forearms, it kind of hurt or more bothersome than anything... I wash before and after I take a dip in the tank.