mikedawg8898
New member
Do all Zooanthids contain the dangerous toxin? If not, how can you tell them apart from the ones that do and don't contain the toxin? Thanks in advance
Palytoxin question
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mikedawg8898
New member
Dang. Well you see, I don't know if I'm allergic to the toxin but I don't want to take any chances of even getting anywhere near it because of all the things I've heard/read about the toxin. Are zooanthids the only corals that possess the toxin or are there other corals that have it too?
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
Palys and Zoas have it and I believe that's it. Your reading yourself scared about it honestly. When I started in the hobby 17 years ago I had never heard of palytoxin, maybe I'm just lucky as far as that goes. Most reefers I know don't do anything special and haven't had a issue. The toxin will only be released if you really disturbing the coral. I know things fall and have to be moved but I mean really messing with them
Palytoxin is not an allergen, it is a toxin (see the specific action in the body here under discussion http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6431a4.htm). While some people may be more sensitive to it than others it affects important cellular processes. There is no one that is immune to it.
I do not know if they all have it but I do know that concentration can vary greatly.
The only way to know the concentration is to have a lab assay performed to look for it.
Bottom line is that all Zoas/Palys should be treated with respect and handled with proper PPE, the exposure stories I have heard have resulted from improper handling.
I do not know if they all have it but I do know that concentration can vary greatly.
The only way to know the concentration is to have a lab assay performed to look for it.
Bottom line is that all Zoas/Palys should be treated with respect and handled with proper PPE, the exposure stories I have heard have resulted from improper handling.
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PirateLove
New member
And your source for this is what?
mcozad829
Premium Member
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0018235
They found some zoas to be none toxic or very mildly toxic, however they found some to be highly toxic. It is best to assume they are all highly toxic because even the people that do this type of research are unable to tell the difference between species. Universal precautions if you will.
e048
New member
Only times I know of them releasing it is when someone has trash palys on a rock and decides to boil the rock in order to get the things off and ends up almost dying from the vaporized toxin
Honestly I avoid palys and Zoas like the plague beauty is in the eye of the beholder and to me those corals aren't all that great looking and why would I pay $80 for a couple of Zoas when I can get a frogspawn or a birdsnest the size of a softball for the same price?
Honestly I avoid palys and Zoas like the plague beauty is in the eye of the beholder and to me those corals aren't all that great looking and why would I pay $80 for a couple of Zoas when I can get a frogspawn or a birdsnest the size of a softball for the same price?
You need to be careful with them. Even dry they can kill. I had a big rock covered in brown ones so I pulled the rock out set it up on a shelf. Never thought about it. About 6 months later I moved it to clean the rock and the dust and pieces fell off. Me and my dog became very sick . Metal taste in my mouth. We took her to the vet but she died with in 3 hours 50lb English Bulldog. I was very ill for most of the night. Now if I mess with them at all I use safety glasses and gloves. A friend of mine got some in a cut on his thumb and almost lost it. They flew in a doctor from Florida to help since they knew what it was.
CStrickland
New member
wow, I would not have thought it would be dangerous after it's all dried out. That's good to know if you ever buy old liverock from broken down tanks, figured that stuff was pretty harmless.
sorry about your dog bud, that's rough
I agree universal precautions are important with them.
Thanks for the link;very informative.
Psychomantix
New member
I heard this from my lfs, so take it for what it's worth, but I do trust this guy. Part of his job includes fragging corals and he said once years ago he fragged a zoa colony and some juice splashed on his lip and to this day the lip is still numb. He also said that the ugly generic brown zoa are the more poisonous ones, and that the trendy colorful zoas are generally not as bad in terms of toxins.
tripdad
Frustrated Stick Gardener
Just a thought on the universal precautions front. I have zoa's and now a new paly. I have informed my non reefing wife and my adult children of the risk and symptoms so that in an emergency they may inform the doctors about them. Despite what we all think, doctors can not know about everything and may miss it if you or your loved ones are found ill and unconscious. I was admitted a few years back in dire condition, body shutting down and so on, thank god a doctor was willing to ask for help and saved my life, no one at this hospital had seen legionnaires disease before.Be your own best advocate.
Coelli
New member
Don't do what? Geez.
Gloves and eye protection when fragging, gloves and/or care when handling. They're not time bombs. Just be aware when handling them the same way you would with anything you know to be toxic/poisonous (insecticide, nicotine [many people including me make our own e-cigarette juice], battery acid), etc.
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