I don't wear gloves when I work on my tank. This weekend, I did a lot of work on the tank and I touched a lot of liverock and coral. Usually, I'll get a few allergic reactions from acros when I scrape them with my forearm. This time it happened again but I also felt some tingling on one finger (on the hand that I used to move liverock around). Later in the day, I had some tingling in my chest. I thought, "ah crap, something must have stung me". I sometimes get some tingling or feel a bit sick after I aquascape my tank (and I've read others do as well). Luckily, it only lasted 3/4 of a day before the tingling pain in my chest went away. Certainly, I was a bit anxious and thoughts of what am I going to do if this gets worse ran through my mind as I went to sleep.

My Father worked for the Court.This part reminded me of something he told me.He said if a dog owner has a sign saying Beware of Dog.It only means the owner is aware his dog may bite.If you're dumb enough to walk up to the fence and try to pet the dog,and get bitten.The owner might still be charged.

Not sure how it works with LFS,but maybe no warning is in thier best interest.

I think Chad said it well, by no means am I saying that because there is no warning the LFS's are liable. That's definitely not what I'm getting at. I guess in short I'm hoping to get a "friendly heads up" posted so people have knowledge of potential dangers. But, when we're talking money , I can see why the LFS's wouldn't put them up.. I guess I'm trying to go in the opposite direction here... be friendly to your fellow reefers... put a little note up by the zoo's or something.. if you've explained properly and said it in a way so in the end the reefer is saying "just always wear gloves, and i'll be fine..." what's the big deal there? I wouldn't be chased away from buying them... I'd be thinking "damn, I'm sure glad I knew that...." Because that's probably what 99% of us said after reading the online articles. Not only is it good to wear gloves for zoanthids, but anything in the tank.. it's good to do in general. Not just for us, but all our corals... think of all the dirt and oils on our skin ..

I don't let my dog into my tank or handle my coral so I have never worried about that.

I was referring to an article where a man's dog had gone into a rubbermaid container he had with zoos in them, licked them and then died. (in a nutshell)

I made the assumption most people have read that thread on RC. Sorry.

I Never wear gloves in the tank and for the last 7 years the worst i ever got was a rash from Bristle worms,I've handled many Coral and Zoa's and never been poisened!How does it happen?ANd i'm not being a smartA**

We assume that is what killed the dog, don't we....:wink:

I'd rather they didn't sell blue ring octopi personally.

As I've said before, I had a doctor check the world medical base, and the only palytoxin deaths were from injesting triggerfish.

Still, people have allergies, so one should use as much caution as possible.

Would it then be prudent for all LFS employess to educate their customers on the many dangers associated with using electical appliances around water? How about a warning everytime someone purchases a mandarin fish stating that it would be in their best interest not to lick their hands if they ever handle the fish? Maybe it would also lie on the shoulders of the employee to ensure that a customer not consider ingesting iodide supplements in case of accidental blood poisoning. While we're up to bat, mayhap it would also be the right thing to do to make sure that everyone washes their hands before and after putting them into the tank? How about skimmate from the protein skimmer? You better not have any exposed cuts in your hands while you're handling that stuff! Bad juju!