YHSublime April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 After 3 years of having my hands in saltwater pretty much every day, I finally got hit by a bristleworm last night. I was grabbing a bunch of empty frag plugs that I tossed in the back of my biocube and felt a little p#*!k in my pinky finger. Pulled it out and little spikes were all down my finger! I just used a piece of duct tape to strip them all out, and kept moving along. It didn't hurt any, but it itches like crazy today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruleyii April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 I found my first one in my tank this week. It was a decent size sucker. I have heard mixed things about them and how it feels when they hit you. Ive heard it's like a bee sting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime April 15, 2015 Author Share April 15, 2015 I have always had them all over my tanks. My melanurus used to dive bomb them out of my sandbed. Anything that eats detritus is beneficial IMO. No pain. But super itchy! At least for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruleyii April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 I wasnt planning on removing it, just was curious on how much pain it really caused. I agree about keeping them on the fact that they help clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incredible Corals April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 The itchiness will drive you bonkers. Also dip your finger on vinager. Supposed to help dissolve the spines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keraxis April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 Duct tape.... way to man up the situation. I heard its supposed to sting after... weird that its itchy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 I was going to say something about ten years and never having had to suffer your experience, but I'm not inclined to tempt fate. I've heard the same about vinegar dissolving the bristles. Could be real; could be anecdotal. Probably wouldn't hurt. Besides vinegar, you could also try dipping the finger in ammonia (in case there's an acid type of venom involved). Or putting it under a stream of hot water (to accelerate the breakdown of histamines that are probably aggravating with the itchiness). Topical Benadryl (diphenhydramine) may help, too. Also, watch to finger just to make sure you don't begin to see signs of some sort of infection. Probably won't happen, but just keep an eye out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime April 15, 2015 Author Share April 15, 2015 Duct tape.... way to man up the situation. I've heard super glue works well also, two things I always have on hand. I was going to say something about ten years and never having had to suffer your experience, but I'm not inclined to tempt fate. I'm always amazed I went this long. Aside from a hand wash after, I'm pretty cavalier when working in the tank. It's just one of those things nobody in the office would understand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 Haven't had the displeasure of getting any pokes from a bristle worm, but all I can think about is this guy... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4KPWOUkbw8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 Pee on it....maybe it will work like jellyfish stings....maybe it won't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime April 15, 2015 Author Share April 15, 2015 Haven't had the displeasure of getting any pokes from a bristle worm, but all I can think about is this guy... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4KPWOUkbw8 That is awful. I grimaced the whole video. He better be making some bank on the tube to pull that kind of stunt. Pee on it....maybe it will work like jellyfish stings....maybe it won't I knew I left out a step! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrench April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 felt a little p#*!k :X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott711 April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 having been stung many times, vinegar does work. Hydrocortisone works for the itching. I am very sensitive to the stings and whenever I get hit, i get some nice rashes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruleyii April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 Haven't had the displeasure of getting any pokes from a bristle worm, but all I can think about is this guy... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4KPWOUkbw8 The follow up video was just as good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NamReefs April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 i got all the time . the itches will go away about 2-3days . but your hand look litter red where the itch at . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2nhle April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 Haven't had the displeasure of getting any pokes from a bristle worm, but all I can think about is this guy... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4KPWOUkbw8 I just wonder how it tastes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 I just wonder how it tastes. Maybe a little bit like blood. Ouch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef April 15, 2015 Share April 15, 2015 So.. I'm getting more and more allergic to things as I get older... My anemone now makes bright red welts if I accidentally brush up against it and... Well.. Bristleworms... Ugh.. My first encounter a few years ago was similar to yours Isaac... Now I have to soak my hand in the vinegar after using some kind of tape to remove the large bristles quickly... Then my hand swells up like a beach ball :( So I'm thinking the more exposure some have the more allergic you an become? P.s. I am also now allergic to fire ants when I wasn't as a child... Coincidence? Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 April 16, 2015 Share April 16, 2015 how does duct tape not push the bristles in all the way? especially if the bristles are wet how does the tape grab? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime April 16, 2015 Author Share April 16, 2015 how does duct tape not push the bristles in all the way? especially if the bristles are wet how does the tape grab? It was a bunch of frag plugs and I had just drained the water out of the tank. I laid the tape down with the grain of how it pricked, and pulled against. Something I learned as a young child that always used to get splinters, was if you run a sharp knife down into it where it broke into the skin, and any of it is sticking out, you can leverage it up a bit to pull out. The bristles are super thin... I don't think they hold water! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wangspeed April 16, 2015 Share April 16, 2015 Vinegar or a citric acid solution should help. The bristles are calcium based, so acids will dissolve them. Fireworms are different. IIRC, they are also toxic. -- Warren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDRDATA April 17, 2015 Share April 17, 2015 When I used to run into them years ago in Hawaii, the conventional wisdom recommended a paste of meat tenderizer -- it seemed to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 April 17, 2015 Share April 17, 2015 All wives tales. jk I havnt got one yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k April 17, 2015 Share April 17, 2015 When I used to wotk with Justin cutting up frags, bristleworm pokes were a constant. Vinegar works just fine at dissolving them, but diluted muriatic works best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxy April 17, 2015 Share April 17, 2015 Most bristleworm spines don't have venom in them, but the spines themselves can cause irritation (sometimes can lead to infection), as others have already mentioned. The fireworms (Amphiniods) do have venom in their spines. Not sure which got you. Hot water (not scalding) helps to break down the proteins in the venom, same application as if treating lionfish stings/venom. Hydrocortizone on the area (as already mentioned) does help with iching. For pain over the counter acetominophen or ibuprofin can help. If you think you are allergic take a benedryll and contact your doctor for further advice, this is not something you want to linger w/o begin looked at. So.. I'm getting more and more allergic to things as I get older...My anemone now makes bright red welts if I accidentally brush up against it and...Well.. Bristleworms... Ugh.. My first encounter a few years ago was similar to yours Isaac...Now I have to soak my hand in the vinegar after using some kind of tape to remove the large bristles quickly...Then my hand swells up like a beach ball :(So I'm thinking the more exposure some have the more allergic you an become?P.s. I am also now allergic to fire ants when I wasn't as a child... Coincidence? Lol I am also finding that I am getting more and more allergic to my tanks as I have gotten older. Now anytime my hands have been in the tank my joints ache after ward and become a little swollen. Sometimes minor throbbing happens after a few hours working on the tank. If really bad I take a bendryll. I've been in conversations with my doctor about this. I've been exposed to all kinds of toxins from various marine inverts that I have worked w/ in the past, as a researcher... Guess it all catchs up at some point. Now I always use gloves in my tanks (or really try to ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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