Touching Carpet Anemone

[Cstar_BC]

To those who have a carpet , do you notice any lingering pain/tingling after touching your nem?

I got it out of the bag and into a bucket , then drip acclimated , then tilted the bucket til it’s foot came loose . I maneuvered it upside down (and it got stuck to the back of my hand once or twice) however I then picked it up by the foot and placed it in my tank .

On to my hand .

The guy at the store picked it up no problem , and I definitely did not want to injure it by attempting to net it

The back of my hand had little red dots but now almost an hour later I have almost numbness and stiffness on the superficial top layer of skin

Does this happen to everyone else ?
How do you recommend moving anemone from bucket to tank ?

 

[Hemmdog]

You should use gloves when handling things from your tank. Carpets can pack a decent punch.

 

[Copingwithpods]

It differs person to person and I am in no way saying it's a good idea to touch our anemones as it is detrimental to their health as well but... Some people are just not affected by anemones. I've touched hundreds at tide pools, public aquariums and out snorkeling. My gf on the other hand cant touch them at all without getting a rash. She also gets rashes to a much lesser degree from just having her hands in the tank. Goes double for touching them with the back of your hand (thinner skin).

I think it's the same kind of reactions people have with bee stings or mosquito bites. To some it's nothing, to others it's a huge itchy painful welt.

 

[lpsouth1978]

It differs person to person and I am in no way saying it's a good idea to touch our anemones as it is detrimental to their health as well but... Some people are just not affected by anemones. I've touched hundreds at tide pools, public aquariums and out snorkeling. My gf on the other hand cant touch them at all without getting a rash. She also gets rashes to a much lesser degree from just having her hands in the tank. Goes double for touching them with the back of your hand (thinner skin).

I think it's the same kind of reactions people have with bee stings or mosquito bites. To some it's nothing, to others it's a huge itchy painful welt.

+1

I have had a number of nems stuck to my hand, not on purpose of course. I have NEVER had any sort of reaction to them. I have however seen other touch the exact same nem and get a rash and even welts from it. Some people are sensitive and have a bit of an allergic response, while others are completely unaffected by them.

 

[Cstar_BC]

Okay thanks everyone ,

I just wanted to make sure , unfortunately I did not have a net big enough for the carpet and did not want to injure it squeezing it in - and potentially getting it stuck .

Will be investing in some proper arm length gloves

 

[Miller535]

Carpet Nem's are different then other's. When They sell that at my LFS they have giant signs that say, "caution marine stingers, use gloves when handling". They do not have those signs on any other Nem tank, like BTA or Condy

 

[Cstar_BC]

Here is the beast looking way happier this morning . Pretty sure it’s a Haddoni

 

[Miller535]

Here is the beast looking way happier this morning . Pretty sure it’s a Haddoni

Looks cool, those are known to eat fish (other then clownfish), so be careful.

This is from Liveaquaria:

The Haddon's Carpet Anemone (Stichodactyla haddoni ) has a very potent sting and may harm corals and other anemones as it moves about the aquarium. It is not compatible with other anemones within a 12" diameter, so monitor it when it is first introduced into the tank. This species of Carpet Anemone can eat fish in the display aquarium so use caution when housing a Carpet Anemone in with fish other than clownfish.

 

[Cstar_BC]

It was specifically bought for a clownfish tank (90G) so thankfully I’m ok there it’s in my 45G right now

Looks cool, those are known to eat fish (other then clownfish), so be careful.

 

[Miller535]

That's good. And it looks like you got a really nice one.

 

[Osler]

That's a good looking carpet. As noted, if you display sensitivity to the nematocysts on the anemone, use caution with handling. Also be cautious if you put things on the rock work above the anemone at some point. I had a T. squamosa fall into one I had and by the time I got to it there was nearly only the clam shell left.

Osler

 

[jsvand5]

Make sure you get it a deep enough sand bed. From the pic, it doesn’t look like you have much sand in the tank it is currently in.

 

[Rmckoy]

Carpets are one of the stickiest and pack a good punch .
Always wear gloves ....


I used to handle them and ritteri anemones bate Hand .
After a few stings and blisters I bought shoulder length gloves

 

[Cstar_BC]

My plan is to let the carpet pick it’s spot - and after it hasn’t moved in a few months start planning the rest of the tank .

I’m so sorry to hear you lost your clam ! I would be so sad

That's a good looking carpet. As noted, if you display sensitivity to the nematocysts on the anemone, use caution with handling. Also be cautious if you put things on the rock work above the anemone at some point. I had a T. squamosa fall into one I had and by the time I got to it there was nearly only the clam shell left.

Osler

 

[Cstar_BC]

This is my “quarantine tank/clown separation tank”

It’s probably only an inch or two of sand , the 90 will definitely have a nice deep sand bed

Make sure you get it a deep enough sand bed. From the pic, it doesn’t look like you have much sand in the tank it is currently in.

 

[Cstar_BC]

This is great advice , honestly I had researched whether I needed gloves but reports were conflicting and it came down to “some people are affected some aren’t”

I just wanted to make sure that numbness was a normal symptom

Carpets are one of the stickiest and pack a good punch .
Always wear gloves ....


I used to handle them and ritteri anemones bate Hand .
After a few stings and blisters I bought shoulder length gloves

 

[Silent]

Carpets never irritated my skin. Differs from person to person.

 

[D-Nak]

It also depends on the carpet species. I'm not sensitive to a haddoni, but gigantea causes an itchy rash and sometimes even heart palpitations (definitely not something to take lightly). The underside of my arm is especially sensitive.

 

[jsvand5]

I get a small rash on the underside on my forearms and feel itchy for a while but nothing too serious. I’ve had a bunch of gig tentacles pulled off the anemone and stuck to my arm before. That one wasn’t too fun but I still didn’t have any effects that lasted more than 30 mins.

 

[a;lksdjf]

at least with my mini carpet they're not a problem for me as long as i touch them with just the palm of my hand and fingers, but the back of the hand and forearms are a danger zone