Whoever said bristle worms are harmless never got stung like this...

[mort]

I feel your pain or have at least felt it.

I've always run my tanks with natural filtration and as much life as possible and have also worked in a shop where getting got was a near daily occurrence, so much so that unless I actually see the bristles in my finger, I don't notice I've been stung. I'm really sensitive to stings in general but think I've built up a immunity.

Simple Sellotape worked for me to get the bristles out but now I just wipe them off with a towel.

So my advice is to get stung daily for a couple of years and it will no longer be a problem

 

[Merry]

Ouch! I now use the blue hospital gloves, it seemed every time I did a water change I got stung...

 

[Tommy's Reef]

It's crazy that my wrasse eats these whole

 

[PranK]

Ha! Have been needled a bunch of times from my worms.

Funny thing is my clowns biting the worms if they come close and then spending the next day or two with needles in and around their mouths.

 

[mcarroll]

Eventually you learn not to put your fingers where your eyeballs can't see....not without a warning anyway.

It's a defensive move on their part – they just don't wanna be squished.

So at least when I'm thinking, I just wave some water into the area where I'm about to be working so they know I'm coming.....their instinct is to hide, so it works well when you remember.

 

[Nikita1981]

I just keep tweezers at hand. For me the most easy way to get them out.

 

[jimo12]

yup I got sting once by a dead Bristol wen i hade some sand in my qt tank try to clean the tank for about a week my finger was swollen and black dots would show up in my skin , it cept my wife busy for a fiew days with her tweezers

 

[vetteguy53081]

Harmless they are to aquarium. NEVER handle any pest whether in your yard or aquarium especially knowing most inverts and fish have defense mechanisms

 

[harryball69]

Evil critters. They hurt!!!

 

[tastyfish]

I'm all for ethical reef keeping, but I draw the line and stroking and petting bristle worms guys....

 

[Rakie]

Hands best friend

 

[mcarroll]

Ouch!!!

 

[tastyfish]

Hands best friend

Cor, I bet that tingles!

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

I’m curious as to how the blue latex gloves will protect ones hands. The 1-3 epidermal layers of skin are thicker than those gloves. I’m assuming they would puncture through the gloves just as needles do in the hospital setting. Personally I use a small medical forcept to catch them. They just creep me out, and if I move a coral I touch it (with gloves on of course) but when I see these guys the tweezers or long forecepts come into play. They can sting and stab those all day long. When I move my rock, to protect my hands I use a stick resistant or needle cut resistant glove. They are like a normal gardening glove but water resistant and they will stop a needle from getting through.

As far as allergic reaction, some may need to carry an epi pen that have severe reactions. Since these are part of the phylum group annelid and are classified as polychaeta. This means they have need like bristles but they do not have a venom release that one needs to worry about if they try to remove them. There are several tjnngs that can work, but I would not suggest tape. Since your skin is already irritated, that can make it worse. I’d suggest maybe rubber cement, or even a light coat of maybe oh gosh like clear silicon. If the lady of your dreams lives with you, maybe swipe some of her facial peel. I would check with her first my friends, some girls really hate when guys stick dirty hands in their stuff they use to clean with. Sorry we are sooooo picky and sensitive.

Once this is done I would never just soak your hands in pure vinegar; that will do some harm. I would try maybe a 20% to 30% vinegar and mixed with 70 % of rubbing alcohol, (guys do not poor your cold beer into the mix). Some may need to see a provider and get on prednisone which is a steroid and will help boost the immune system. Others can also try hydrocortisone creams, but would ask your pharmacist which would be best. Because this is a marine animal I highly suggest that you definitely get on some oral antibiotics to prevent secondary infections.

In my professional opinion I would use gloves much more resistant to sharp objects. Wearing two of them lol doesn’t really help since the needle will still just go through them. Again I use a cut, stick resistant glove, and my older brother who is in the USMC and is an deputy, gave them to me. I guess they can be found at like security or aka cop shops. You don’t have to be one to buy the gloves obviously, my lfs uses similar ones. @Roggio if you have already been able to remove these needles, and have pain, you can use 200 mg Tylenol or ibuprofen. Do NOT take more than 2400 mg in a 24 hour period. Some say 3200 but I would never ever suggest that unless they have seen a provider and the pain is fully addressed. Really hope you feel better .