Infection from Live Rock - Personal Experience

[jonwright]

Wow. I wash my hands almost up to my elbow after doing anything with my tank, feeding the fish, wiping down, anything.

I'll be getting some gloves, too.

[HeavyWater]

Originally Posted by sam3113

How do you accidentally swallow aiptasia?

Lol, I was wondering that too. I would be interested in hearing the back story on this one

[HeavyWater]

Originally Posted by ghostman

I was a bit worried, but it did turn around. Never stopped reefing I guess I'm an addict.

Ghost, I am glad you are doing better, but that sounds like it was a pretty rough experience! I am glad that I did not end up needing surgery for the infection that I dealt with.

I know what you mean about being an addict. After I got the infection and had my tank crash while I was in the hospital, I told myself that I was done... I was so bumbed out that I lost the fish and so many coral colonies that I just did not think that I could go on. I drained my tank and dried all of my rock and sand.

After the tank was drained, I REALLY started to miss my system. Its almost like I did not realize how much I loved looking at my tank till it was broken down.

Now, I cannot wait to get everything set back up and running. I am trying to wait for my arm to fully heal before getting it around salt water again, so I am hoping to re-boot my tank in the next week or two

[Digitalelectric]

I think it has a lot to do with your immune system and how healthy it is. Being a Floridian 15 minutes from the ocean/marshes Ive cut myself many times on oyster bars and glass from those damn rednecks that throw their beer bottles on the rocks. Our water is disgusting and warm (bacteria haven) and Ive never had anything like this.

[Duna_]

Originally Posted by sam3113

How do you accidentally swallow aiptasia?

Originally Posted by HeavyWater

Lol, I was wondering that too. I would be interested in hearing the back story on this one

Maybe someday I'll open a thread with the whole "amazing" story about that ... sorry about my english, but to sum up, the nightmare started one day when I was scraping four aitapsia off the glass of my empty sump, took them out, cleaned the tools and somehow (I really don't know how) one stuck to my arm and I didn't realise it.

I didn't wash my arms, only hands, and still didn't see the brown little ball. I sat watching tv, having a nice relaxing time with a delicious chocolate icecream (yes, yes ... you're guessing it right) I saw the tiny brown drop I thought it was from the chocolate icecream, licked it (I dropped some chocolate also on the shirt) ... BUT WASN'T.
It took to me only half a second to realise that the brown little drop on my arm wasn't chocolate, and was instantly followed by such a violent cough attack that I was even unable to breathe between coughs, fall to my knees, fighting for breath ... I finally managed to get to the bathroom, just to watch my face (I still remember it) and thinking I should call for help (I was alone) ...

... but when the cough was less strong, I started to slobber, mouth half open, an incredibly amount of saliva ... and if wasn't enough, together with a horrible nausea and started vomiting ... So I spent more than half an hour feeling really sick, on my knees, grasped to the toilet, slobbering saliva as a river; I had nothing more in my stomach, everything had gone out earlier but the nausea was still a torture.

But the nausea slowly ended and I could stand up, I felt my stomach as if I had eaten fire, throat the same, mouth was better. I was relieved and didn't go to the doctor. At night I was ok.


That's when I discovered why aitapsia are so irritant to other corals. I know it's a very strange story that may never be repeated but just another experience to be careful with your tank.

And wash your hands and arms very well ...

[glstine1966]

That's pretty scary, glad you are about healed. I'm pretty careless about putting my hands in the tank, although I do always wash them off right after (I don't like the stickyness saltwater causes). I've thought about gloves, but don't have a clue what kind are good, I'm always concerned about contaminating my tanks. I saw some shoulder length pvc gloves, would something like that work?

[cubiclewarrior]

Same happened here dropped a very large piece of live rock on my foot and thought nothing of it! I worked as a auto tech most of my life and cut my self wide open all the time and never had an issue until I dropped some live rock on my foot.. 6 days in the hospital with iv vancomycin! broke out in what they call redman syndrome from the vanco but it saved my life/leg .. they don't call it live rock for nothing!

[Jewcano]

I know I'm resurrecting an old thread, but I just cleaned my saltwater tank yesterday, and might have knicked a knuckle on a rock. That wouldn't be the first time it's happened, HOWEVER, this particular issue is. Curious if I've got what the OP has, or something less/more annoying? It's concentrated around the knuckle area, and spread a LITTLE down the hand towards the wrist. It's sore/tight feeling, maybe a little burn feeling too. Any ideas?

[gprdypoo04]

I'm sure i saw those photos on google somewhere.. hmmm.

[Jewcano]

Originally Posted by Jewcano

I know I'm resurrecting an old thread, but I just cleaned my saltwater tank yesterday, and might have knicked a knuckle on a rock. That wouldn't be the first time it's happened, HOWEVER, this particular issue is. Curious if I've got what the OP has, or something less/more annoying? It's concentrated around the knuckle area, and spread a LITTLE down the hand towards the wrist. It's sore/tight feeling, maybe a little burn feeling too. Any ideas?

Edit UPDATE:

Went to a carespot (urgent care) and the PA recommended I go to the ER.....long story short (5+ hours there), they gave me IV antibiotics and a script for 10 days of antibiotics.

Dont let it get to my point, if you think you cut yourself in the tank, WASH it out, and if it gets red, get it taken care of ASAP...

[liverock]

Is defiantly something to be concerned about when cut with anything in a marine environment.
I had a friend back in the '70s cut cleaning a boat bottom......did not end well...but that was really before the professionals knew the implications.

Personally I have literally been cut thousands of times..collecting live rock over 45 years.....stuck with urchins about the same.....was lucky as nothing ever got out of hand....urchin spines can take a few years to work themselves to the skin surface....they hurt a lot more than anything else I encountered out there..I guess you build an immunity to the bad guys after that many years....hibiclens should be on everybody's shelf. I use it on the boat for any kind of injury.....is what they rub you down with before surgery...