Palytoxin Poisoning

Thanks everyone for this...especially acerhigh for typing it with one eye..

Im going to buy myself some safety glasses to keep by the tank..
 
You really do need to protect yourself when handling zoanthids.
One thing I use that helps me see and gives me protection is a 4" x 5" magnifying glass on a stand. It even has a light in it. The stand is flexable so you can bend it in any direction and the magnifying glass gives you a closer look at what you are trying to frag, plus gives you atleast one layer between your eyes and and a potentual accident.
I found mine at harbor freight.
 
Call me overprotective, but when I frag them I commonly use gloves, eyegear, and a mask to avoid additional splashes on the face. Don't remove any of them until you're done and ready to cleanup. The number of stories I've heard from rubbing your eyes, wiping off your face, to a mistake due to a delivery guy are numerous. One story I heard was a careful and cautious fragger that had a ring at the door for a delivery, and proceeded to remove his gloves the easiest and quickest way possible... with his teeth/mouth...
 
Thanks to everyone for the well wishes, I go back to the doctor on tuesday again this week. The eye still isn't 100% back to normal..... thinking there is probably some kind of permanent damage, though I don't know the extent.... It really doesn't bother me now, but I worry about the long term effects.....

Can't stress enough...... Please Use Caution!!!

Happy Reefing People!
 
Wow glad noone is blind from this! Well I must say I never realy worry to much about protecting myself when fragging zoas and palys. But you guys have freaked me out big time! My wife is a nurse so I think i'll have her bring me home some gloves!
Thanks for shareing your experence.
 
acerhigh said:
Thanks to everyone for the well wishes, I go back to the doctor on tuesday again this week. The eye still isn't 100% back to normal..... thinking there is probably some kind of permanent damage, though I don't know the extent.... It really doesn't bother me now, but I worry about the long term effects.....

Can't stress enough...... Please Use Caution!!!

Happy Reefing People!
Click to expand...


Glad it's not bothering you Dan, but lets hope and pray there's no permanent damage. I'll check on you this week my friend. Hang tough and thanks for the update.

Mucho Reef
 
i just bought some frags from a local reefer who told me he grabbed a rock out one day, not realizing some zoas had grown on the underside. Somehow or other he squeezed it and ended up getting it directly in his eye. He said he was in the ER for 4 days where they drained 3 large bags of fluid from his eye. He says nowadays when fragging he wears full arm length thick gloves and a full face shield, and keeps a printed sheet detailing the specifics of zoa/paly toxins to take with him to the hospital. They had no idea what it was the first time, the doctor had to leave him and freakin go look it up and do research on it. Just goes to show how little is known about it.
 
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such an important reminder! Thanks for posting this. It will definitely remind me to wash hands/be more careful.
 
Just wanted to say thanks for this thread it saved me. I have always known this could happen but just never figured it would happen to me. Last night I was going to make some frags but got on the computer and I rarely visit this site because I have a local site I usually visit but thought I would just look around. I seen this thread and decided it wasn't worth risking it so I put my safety glasses on and sure enough the first cut I made it squirted all over the right eye of my glasses and it wasn't just a couple drops. I am sure that if it wasn't for reading this thread when I did I would be in some serious trouble so THANKS AGAIN!!!!!
 
Thx for Bumping this one Mucho...I never thought it would happen to me....but it did...ouch! Washing your hands is critical...and if you are fragging I would suggest eye protection. I didn't take pics..but my eye looks a lot like th OP. What was interesting is that the Dr. was aware of palytoxins and had a plan of action.
 
I'm really glad this thread has helped people. Kinda makes my stupidity worth something. As a long term update to this.. my sight in the affected eye is actually better than it was before now... but that eye fatigues quicker than my other eye. I will probably deal with that the rest of my life. Small price to pay to still have sight anyway! I hardly notice it anymore, but I will always have that constant reminder to wash my hands and wear safety glasses!

Take care,

Dan
 
Editing title and probably sticky worthy. If anyone else has links or other feedback they want to add, go for it.
 
I recently got sick not too long ago...
I was fragging up a big colony of Zoas then started on with a Toadstool colony. I didnt wear gloves like I usually do but I used DAWN dish soap and washed the life out of my hands
That evening I started feeling ill..that night I was so sick it lasted for 13 hours straight.
I was finally able to make my way to the couch but it started in again and I couldnt keep any liquids down.
I was just about to go to the ER when I finally was able to drink something.

In my opinion even if you wash your hands with soap and water its too late becuase the 'stuff' has soaked into your skin or maybe a hang nail.
So now I wear gloves and a face mask when fragging:wildone:
 
What an eye opener! (No pun intended)

Excellent information. This post has me rethinking what to put in my tank. I'm already blind in one eye and sure don't want to take any risks when it comes to eyesight.

Is this type of poisoning/infection regulated to just Zoa's or can you have similar problems with other types of tank inhabitants such as hard/soft corals, macroalge or fish only tanks?
 
Glad to here that you are doing better Dan.
I defiantly will change the way i handle corals.
Not to mention my wife is all over me like a cheap suit about it know.LOl
 
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