Sensitive Skin and Saltwater

[cryingrn]

I tore apart my 180g down to (and past) the sand bed recently to remove all the fish to treat them in hospital tanks for gill flukes. I fear my tank was just processing praziquantel too quickly, as they initially responded very well at the first dose then began to back pedal again afterwards.

This has been something I have been fighting for weeks at this point, and through all of the chaos I have been performing water changes on one tank or another basically every day (if not several a day) between the 180g, the multiple hospital tanks my fish went into, a quarantine tank for a newly acquired fish, and my 32g.

My skin is now *extremely* done with this process. I have never had a negative reaction to my tanks before, but even if I wash my hands immediately after and moisturize the palms of my hands immediately turn red and itchy. I am also getting dyshidrotic eczema on my fingers. My feet have also been somewhat of an issue lately because if I spill water on the floor and step in it, it will cause an almost immediate reaction.

I feel like the only common sense advice there is is to keep my hands out of the tank as much as possible and to wear long gloves (which I am doing). I am mostly just posting this to see if there's anyone else thats experienced something like this for solidarity reasons. I have always had somewhat sensitive skin, so I am hoping this will just calm down over time if I reduce my own exposure

 

[Lasse]

Do you have corals in the tank - and if so which type. Also - do you have had any cyanobacteria in the tank?

FYI

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...hus-and-palythoas.639842/page-2#post-12810255

Sincerely Lasse

 

[cryingrn]

Do you have corals in the tank - and if so which type. Also - do you have had any cyanobacteria in the tank?

FYI

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...hus-and-palythoas.639842/page-2#post-12810255

Sincerely Lasse

Yes, mostly sps but I do have some zoanthids in both DT tanks. However, I am having this reaction even to the water in my mixing bucket at this point which is about as clean as it gets. Maybe theres an additive in the salt that I am having a reaction to? I am unsure, but I seem to be managing better now that I wear shoes during water changes and rubber gloves it's just frustrating

Edit to add: no current cyanobacteria visible in the tank. Both tanks have had an outbreak in the past, but this was roughly 6-12 months ago. The 180g did just get over an ostreopsis outbreak (nothing severe but it pops up whenever there's instability in my tanks ime)

 

[Lasse]

The saltwater will dry your skin because of osmosis. To have this type of skin and work with water........ Ask me - I have 50 years experiences with both

Just use gloves and use moisturizing and softening ointment on the skin after you've been in the water.
I often get itchy hands after being in the aquarium - but I've always associated it with corals and/or cyanobacteria

If you swim in the sea - do you get the same itch?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Silly clownfish]

Yes, I go through phases when touching tank water gives me itchy bumps that look like patches of poison ivy. It once prompted me to Google what Monkey pox looks like back when that was in the news.definitely wasn’t that

I’m very reactive to bristleworms, RBTA, and pretty sensitive to touching euphyllia. But I also get random red bumps just rom something floating in the tank water. I do not keep zoas.

Long gloves suck because they tend to be one size fits people with huge hands. I wear a women’s size 6 and can fit both hands and arms into a big thick shoulder length gloves at the same time.

I mostly use these long dishwashing gloves. Not long enough to reach the bottom of my 75g, but good enough for most tasks.

I have had some weird isolated reactions when snorkeling (like only a 3” patch on one leg). And I have a shellfish allergy. So I always wash my hands very well after touching tank stuff.i also spray vinegar on my hands and arms to neutralize stings.

ThxToms 17" Rubber Dishwashing Gloves, Cotton Lined Kitchen Gloves, 2 Pairs | Reusable Long Cleaning Gloves for Washing Dishes, Extra-Long Cuff, Non-Slip Grip for Deep Sink & Kitchen Cleaning, Small https://a.co/d/07FDlFzX