Help... Palytoxin release...

[ooja3k]

Hi,

I was getting rid of some palythoas on one of the prime locations in my reef to make room for some sps frags... I was tearing them out with tweezers, and i noticed my fish started acting funny... Like kinda twitching and swimming erratically...

I threw some carbon in the sump quickly and went to the LFS to get a polyfilter to throw in there too...

Everyone is acting normally now, but i was wondering... My guess would be palytoxin is harmful to marine life, but to what extent??

I have ripped other zoanthids out of my tank and never had this issue...

I have enough water for a 10% water change and im going to do that as soon as its ready..

Can this palytoxin kill my fish/reef?

 

[Elorian]

I'm not sure what effect it has on fish (though it is probably an anti-predation device...) but it is quite deadly to humans. Be sure you thoroughly wash your hands and arms and *don't* touch your eyes/nose/mouth.

 

[ooja3k]

I think everything is fine.

I removed the carbon and polyfilter and everything is totally fine...

I have torn apart some palys/zoanthids before with no problems..

I think I began tearing them off, and then noticed that my fish were twitching... But they are clowns and always do weird things, but I automatically assumed it was because of palytoxin or something..

 

[GSMguy]

clowns twitch as part of the male female submission behavior

 

[widmer]

Can anyone provide a link for anyone who's landed in any sort of serious condition from zoas or palythoas toxins?

 

[Radioheadx14]

check on www.wetwebmedia.com. they have a safety section and it shows people with stings and stuff. I have some that give me little welts when they rub against the back of my hand... So i try to avoid them.

 

[ooja3k]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12501582#post12501582 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
clowns twitch as part of the male female submission behavior

I notice this all the time.

This time it was different... I can't really describe it, but they were definitely "off".

 

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12501346#post12501346 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ooja3k
I think everything is fine.

I removed the carbon and polyfilter and everything is totally fine...

I have torn apart some palys/zoanthids before with no problems..

I think I began tearing them off, and then noticed that my fish were twitching... But they are clowns and always do weird things, but I automatically assumed it was because of palytoxin or something..

Most likely or something... For every person out there that believes to have been squirted in the eye, stung with, or absorbed palytoxin through a cut I'll show you someone that most likely was afflicted by some other toxin. If you're alive to type about your swollen and red eye or rash on Reefcentral it was NOT caused by Palytoxins.

Sorry for the rant...

 

[ooja3k]

Haha.. Its all good.

I know that I am totally fine...

It was my livestock I was worried about... Hopefully everyone is alive when i wake up in the morning!