As I'm slowly getting back into aquariums. I know the dangers and I had always used gloves. back between 94 to 98 my salt water fish tank, I had 2 Lion Fish, 2 Green Wolf Eels, 2 Morey eels(forgot which ones), and 5 other that i forgot what they where, but everything in this tank was aggressive.
Both of the Lionfish stuck me hand at the same time and as i was removing my hands out of the tank one of the green wolf eels decide to chance my hand as i was pulling it out and came to close biting me.
I remeber the pain I was in from both lion fish. and since then I had always weared shoulder length gloves. and use them when i messed around all of my aquariums. This is something I will have before that first tank either setup or before it finish it's new tank cycle.
I'm glad that I came across this thread, to remind me of the dangers that can lurk, and especially with reef tanks, since this is what I want to build most of all.