How bad is a Bristle worm sting?

[alan mcilvried]

I'm getting quite a collection of bristle worms. I don't mind them in the tank, but I'm getting hesitant to put my hand in there.

 

Is a thin vinyl painters/healthcare glove sufficient protection? How bad is the sting?

 

Al

[L8 2 RISE]

I would guess those would work, they aren't exacly sharp, it's more like sort of tufts of pointed fur sticking out of their sides. I pick them up with my hands... and haven't been stung, and by pick up I don't mine grab or pinch, I sort of flick them onto the palm of my hand and then feed them to fish, etc. . Supposedly, it hurts like H-E-double hockey sticks, and if you do get stung, you want to make sure you gait the "hair" out. But I've never heard or read of anyone being stung...

[Brian Ward]

It's not really a sting so much as the bristles getting stuck in your fingers. It's like a million of the tiniest splinters. They break when you try and pull them out so you pretty much have to wait for your body to push them out on its own. So it's more annoying than painful.

[jamesbuf]

Depends on if how allergic you are to their sting. I'm very allergic, and break out in rash and edema for about 2 weeks until it subsides. Some people don't have any trouble at all. I have 3 Melanurus wrasses in my tank to help eat them. You can also get an arrow crab which will eat them, but it might also eat some snails and small hermits in the process. I know the worms are great scavengers, but I'd annihilate them all if I could.

[jason the filter freak]

yes to the gloves. and if you get stung white vinigar soak to melt the bristles the as hot a water as you can stand soak

[jamesbuf]

I've also had success with taking 50mg of benedryl right after a sting, to help prevent some of the initial inflammatory response.

 

That's not a bad idea Jason. Never thought of that to dissolve the stingers.

 

And yes, I now where gloves. I stole some extra thick Orthopedic surgery gloves from the hospital, and they work great. The Ortho gloves are reusable since they're so thick. If anyone else is as sensitive to these things as I am, let me know and I'll snag you some extra gloves.

[MisterTang]

Ever since I got stung by a bristleworm, my stocks have tanked, my home value declined, and I got in a car accident.

[zoozilla]

+1 on wearing gloves. Almost like getting a hundred or so very fine fiberglass shards stuck in your hands. Not very nice.

 

The last time I got stung, I was able to remove the majority of the bristles from my fingers by dipping it in melted candlewax. I let the melted wax harden. When I peeled off the wax, the bristles peeled off too

I use tweezers for the more stubborn bristles.

[stevil]

I only wear gloves when working in my tank now. I have been stung by bristleworms (and corals as well) and for me it's not like getting fiberglass stuck in your fingers, but more like being burned. I think my reaction has been worse each time as well. I got a 100 pack of powder free latex gloves from Giant for like $3.... definitely worth it. Last time I was stung I got blood blisters and it took 2 weeks for my finger to get back to normal.