Frozen Blood Worm Allergies

[Ulu]

I fed all the fish bloodworms yesterday, and of course I woke up this morning with a cold. I have a head full of stuffy sinuses and a nasal drip that will not stop.

Tell me that this is not the power of suggestion at work. ;(

 

[Kashif314]

Please DO NOT touch blood worms or not even go near them. Frozen or freeze dried both can cause extreme allergic reactions. It doesn't matter you touch bloodworms with your hands or not. I had severe asthma attack because of blood worms and I didn't touch them. There are some fine particles that floats in air when we open the lid of pack and that can cause allergic reactions. I was nubelized at the ER. So find some other options like Krill or shrimps but please stay away from bloodworms.

Edit: Mine caused by freeze dried blood worms. I made mistake and feed to my discus bloodworms again to induce their appetite. I bought the surgical mask from pharmacy and carefuly feed them to my fish but guess what I again got reaction. Wheezing and asthama attack after an hour or two. So better safe than sorry. Throw away any bloodworms you have. It can cause some serious health issues if you are allergic fo them.

 

[TwoHedWlf]

Everyone? That would be an extreme overreaction to something that most people experience only minor irritation if anything.

 

[adamsfishes]

I've fed bloodworms forever, touched them with my hands many times, and I've never had even a slight reaction. Either you're allergic or you're not.

 

[Ulu]

I've been feeding them for years but that doesn't prove the next batch won't be an issue.

I can eat shellfish, but once I had a reaction I attribute to iodine. I ate about 14 jumbo prawns and developed hives on the chest and itching. This itching started at the chest and traveled to the extremities, then stopped from the chest out to the extremities.

This took maybe an hour and I don't recall breathing difficulties.

 

[DiscusFish.com]

You should try freeze-dried blackworms. They've worked well for me.

 

[Sgowan713]

I've been feeding them for years but that doesn't prove the next batch won't be an issue.

I can eat shellfish, but once I had a reaction I attribute to iodine. I ate about 14 jumbo prawns and developed hives on the chest and itching. This itching started at the chest and traveled to the extremities, then stopped from the chest out to the extremities.

This took maybe an hour and I don't recall breathing difficulties.

Often times with shrimp, it is a sensitivity to Sulfates used to keep the product looking good that gets people. People with sulfate sensitivities often think they are allergic to shrimp or that they have bad luck with getting ‘bad seafood”, but in fact it is just a reaction to an additive in the seafood. It is regulated to a certain level by the FDA, but I doubt the bloodworms have any regulation on how much of anything is included in them. You would hope they wouldn’t contain anything too bad though, because it would kill the fish and that would be bad for business.

 

[Ulu]

You should try freeze-dried blackworms. They've worked well for me.

My LFS used to sell live blackworms, but they had problems with them bringing pathogens.

 

[WalksWIthGobies]

Just figured out I am allergic to BW.

What happens is my eyes start to get a burning itch and worsen if I scratch. Back of my hands get itchy. I just pinned it to it only happens right after I feed fish BW's!!!

Sure enough its all over the net.

Wondering if any members here have same reactions or any Info on what and why makes them an allergen?

Funny thing is I am completely not allergic to anything at all but this lol.

I too am allergic to blood worms. If I screw up and don't wash my hands well enough then touch my eyes they turn red, swell and itch like crazy.

 

[kristinelap]

That's crazy, better safe than sorry and avoid bloodworm I guess; unless your fish depend on it!

for sure