# Bizarre question: Anyone have really itchy arms after a tank clean?



## LadyHawk (Jan 25, 2017)

Hi all! Just like the title, I've have this strange reaction when I clean my tanks: my arms get red, itchy and occasionally have red welts show up after cleaning my tank! (I know this isn't WebMD, but I was wondering if anyone else had this problem). I use Seachem Prime, Flourish, and Stability. It's always after I clean tank and do WCs. All of my plants and fish are healthy and happy. So....what the heck? Any ideas?


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

LadyHawk said:


> Hi all! Just like the title, I've have this strange reaction when I clean my tanks: my arms get red, itchy and occasionally have red welts show up after cleaning my tank! (I know this isn't WebMD, but I was wondering if anyone else had this problem). I use Seachem Prime, Flourish, and Stability. It's always after I clean tank and do WCs. All of my plants and fish are healthy and happy. So....what the heck? Any ideas?


Do. You feed your fish bloodworms?


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## LadyHawk (Jan 25, 2017)

Nlewis said:


> Do. You feed your fish bloodworms?


Yes..... :grin2:


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

LadyHawk said:


> Yes..... :grin2:


That's it, I'd almost bet my paycheck on it. I recently found out I'm allergic to them, its much more common than you think..


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

This can be serious, I saw one person on another forum (AC) who actually died from the powder in the bloodworm packages. I would wear gloves from now on. May just be a minor allergy, sometimes the allergy can get worse though So I hear.
1.Wash hands vigorously after touching the bw, do not touch anything you could transfer the allergy to (eyes, face, etc) 
2. DO NOT EVER shake or mix the packaging. the dust is hard to see, but it makes a mess of your body
3. Don't eat the worms. Should go without saying
4. When possible, get someone else to feed/get the worms if you are intent on feeding them. Just makes things easier.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

Everyone's reaction is different, I'd get sneezing fits and a super stuffy nose.


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## shhh (Jan 1, 2016)

I have a pair of long arm chemical gloves for each of my tanks. I almost always have cuts on my hands from work and I don't want them exposed to tank gunk.


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## LadyHawk (Jan 25, 2017)

Oh wow. I had no idea! I feed frozen (thawed) bloodworms to my puffers and betta! Thanks for the quick responses! I've had tanks my whole life but never had a reaction like this - it's been pretty consistently showing up for the last 5 months or so. I don't usually touch the bloodworms at all, and I don't feed the night before I clean the tank. Huh!

Thanks shhh! That's an excellent idea!


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

I have so many allergies, and yet I am one of the lucky ones that aren't allergic to bloodworms. Many reefers use elbow-length gloves because of toxins released by coral, im surprised more FW people dont use them just to help prevent an infection.


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## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

I use tweezers to get the bloodworms out of the package. Never had a reaction but I've read enough about it I don't want to take a chance. (I only feed bloodworms once a week I guess it's not enough to spread thru the water or maybe I'm not allergic because I put my bare hands/arms in the tank often)


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## LadyHawk (Jan 25, 2017)

Wow! Thank you all so much! I will be switching to a bloodworm alternative! I've used the frozen ones for years without a problem and it's just been in the last 5 months or so that I've had issues. SO here goes my next question: what's a good bloodworm alternative? I have some really picky eaters (I fed one some bloodworms as a treat and he refused to eat anything else. As in he chose to starve rather than eat the regular food he had been eating.) Do blackworms cause the same sensitivity issues as bloodworms do?


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## bmeate (Feb 9, 2014)

im kinda allergic to lawn grass and frogbit kinda iritates my skin. nothing like red dots, though, perhaps your more sensitve to plants


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## ichthyogeek (Jul 9, 2014)

Before everybody goes down the bloodworm route...something doesn't make sense. Ladyhawk, did you recently buy a new pack of frozen bloodworms? It doesn't make sense to me why you would be getting a new allergic reaction just now if you've been feeding bloodworms for longer than that. Did you do anything new at all around 5 months ago that you think could have caused this? I'm pretty sure that it's an allergic reaction, but if you get welts, does dipenhydramine (benadryl) work to make it go away in an hour or so?

The reason I'm asking this, is because I used to get those welts all the time. But here's the thing: I've got crazy seafood allergies (and probably freshwater food too). When I was around 12 or so, after doing aquarium water changes which involved me putting my arms in the tank (because my arms were tiny and the 29 gallon aquarium was so big), I'd get welts if I even scratched my arms after contact. As I got older, and I did more water changes, the welts went away. My doctor theorizes that it might be that I desensitized myself, at least on the skin (still can't eat seafood though...). I don't know much about bloodworms since I never developed a bloodworm allergy, but I do know of a few people who could eat seafood in their youth, but developed seafood allergies later in life.

Blackworms, to my knowledge shouldn't cause issue with you, since those are annelid worms (like earthworms), while bloodworms are actually midge fly larvae. I'd also suggest trying frozen shellfish like clams or mussels (my old toby puffer used to love shell on shrimp) for the puff.


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## Attackturtle (Dec 30, 2016)

ichthyogeek said:


> Did you do anything new at all around 5 months ago that you think could have caused this? I'm pretty sure that it's an allergic reaction, but if you get welts, does dipenhydramine (benadryl) work to make it go away in an hour or so?


It could have built up over time or perhaps she spilled bloodworms on her counter and cleaned it up with her hands and was exposed to more than her normal. I only recently developed an allergy to wasp stings. I used to get stung all the time doing yard work and it wouldn't bother me a bit then one day my body said enough. Now they put me in the hospital.


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## juneaunicholas (Jan 8, 2017)

I hear flourish excel can cause itchy arms.


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## LadyHawk (Jan 25, 2017)

So I thought I'd post an update for those of you playing at home: I thought I'd test out some of the possibilities of what I could be allergic to. It's definitely the bloodworms! I haven't touched them for a few days (feeding mysis shrimp instead, which they grudgingly ate), and I tried feeding them again tonight. BIG MISTAKE! It feels like I was gardening in poison ivy all day (which I definitely can't recommend) and I have a delightful little rash. It looks like its time for me to start culturing Grindal Worms from now on! Thanks to all of you for helping me out - I had no idea a bloodworm allergy was even a thing. Y'all are awesome!!


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

Bloodworms is an allergic reaction, some are severe and some are not. Its a very common allergy and if you feel like its minor a simple antihistamine before cleaning could eliminate the symptoms. Although I would recommend elbow length gloves or changing foods.

Dan


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## Veritas (Aug 9, 2013)

wow. I never realized this either! 


something else to be careful about I guess!


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## D3monic (Jan 29, 2012)

I wear gloves when I'm in any of my tanks. I get red rashy arms be it fresh or salt water. I do have shellfish allergies as well so that may be a contributing factor.


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