Is This Possible

[tttnjfttt]

Ok. I know i am severly allergic to shell fish, however i feed my fish shrimp pellets. I am always very careful to not handle the pellets. However, could reaching in my tank cause an allergic reaction?

The reason why i'm asking is about three days ago I broke out in hives head to toe. I did nothing out of the ordinary, used nothing new. Looking back, i think i cleaned out my tank that same day. Is this possibly the cause?

 

[annka5]

Could be - if you're allergic enough to shrimps that you can react just touching them, I'd imagine you could react to fish tank water which had had a lot of shrimp pellet residue in it - e.g. if there is a chemical in shellfish which makes you react which does not beak down in digestive system of the fish perhaps.
Id've have thought changing what you feed your fish (if possible) would be the solution. Or asking your doctor if it could be the shrimp pellets etc...

 

[tttnjfttt]

It is possible, i have anaphalatic (life threatening) reactions after eating shell fish. I've never noticed this problem before, but I know I also did the water change not too long after feeding.

Maybe buying a pair of cleaning gloves to use arond the tank. The only reason why i don't jump and change foods is my fish LOVE the shrimp pellets. Even fish who aren't "bottom feeders" go after them.

 

[annka5]

I Wouldn't like to argue that the reaction was definitely allergy from the fish tank, but to me it just does seem possible/ probable.
IF it is, do you really want to take the risk of anaphylactic shock just so's your fish can have tehir favourite food?
I know with bee-stings allergies, your body over-reacts more forcibly each time you're exposed to it. Same for shellfish?
As you can probably tell, am not 100% confident in any of the connections am making, but I really would try to get confirmation from a dr or someone you know is properly able to give you the facts.