If I eat the zoa in this pic will it kill me?

[mike54784]

I'm not the best at looking through pictures on other sites to determine exactly what type this is, but is the zoa in the attached picture, that I just added to my tank, one of the ones that can kill me?

I wouldn't actually eat the zoa, but wondering how cautious I should be with these things when handling? Or is it a type I don't have to worry about?

 

[cloak]

It's best that you wear gloves when handling these, but everybody is different. I've always used my bare hands and have never had any problems. If your going to frag them, you might want to wear some safety goggles as well.

Check these out.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=158730

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=605364

Those are Eagle Eyes btw.

 

[mike54784]

It's best that you wear gloves when handling these, but everybody is different. I've always used my bare hands and have never had any problems. If your going to frag them, you might want to wear some safety goggles as well.

Check these out.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=158730

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=605364

Those are Eagle Eyes btw.

Thank you cloak! Btw, do Eagle Eyes contain Palytoxin? (But I'm assuming that is a definite yes from your response) And is there a list somewhere that provides not only identification pictures, but also a list of concentrations of palytoxin in each species for comparison?

 

[cloak]

Here's a list of various zoanthids, but as far as palytoxin goes, just consider all of them to be dangerous. I don't know of any research regarding palytoxin concentrations from one zoanthid to the other. Just be careful.

http://www.coralpedia.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=15

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/inverts

 

[mike54784]

Here's a list of various zoanthids, but as far as palytoxin goes, just consider all of them to be dangerous. I don't know of any research regarding palytoxin concentrations from one zoanthid to the other. Just be careful.

http://www.coralpedia.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=15

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/inverts

Thanks again cloak!

 

[mike54784]

One more quick question for you while I'm thinking about it cloak. Why is it that my local fish stores (3 of them), and online vendors (such as liveaquaria.com) don't have any type of warning associated with the dangers of palytoxins that their products contain?

Example: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+599+2966&pcatid=2966

this site is just one example. Hardly any websites selling them, or local fish stores, have any warning. I would think this would be a serious liability issue

 

[cloak]

I'm not really sure. Palytoxin poisoning is not something that happens that often though IMO. The local fish stores might not even be aware of this.

 

[mike54784]

I'm not really sure. Palytoxin poisoning is not something that happens that often though IMO. The local fish stores might not even be aware of this.

Makes sense. A friend owned a LFS several years back and he had never heard of it. I hadn't until after my first zoe frag. smh

Thanks again

 

[mike54784]

Probably shouldn't have made a reference to eating a zoe, but was looking for a quick response, and it worked. Just thought I'd point that out to anyone...