As much time as we spend in our aquariums, a little cut or sting here and there is virtually inevitable. And the subject of this week’s Picture of the Week is a result of one such occurrence. Our friend and occasional AquaNerd contributor, Daniel Lieja, had a brief run-in with a bristleworm over the weekend. While working around one of the many aquariums in his care, he lightly grazed a bristleworm, which deposited dozes of tiny bristles into his finger. Being a victim of an attach like this many times, we are all too familiar with the sharp pain associated with the chance encounter with the normally harmless worm. The bristles can cause a sharp pain, much like a sizable splinter, and they have to be carefully removed one at a time.
The only way to prevent a bristleworm sting, and any other injury for that matter, is to wear the proper protective gear. Nitrile gloves are a good stating place, as they provide for good dexterity and still keep your hands safe from stinging animals. Unfortunately, they also tear quite easily and don’t protect well against rocks and other hard objects that can easily puncture the skin.
