Zoanthids are they toxic?

[kmk2307]

I'm really sorry to hear that dude. Does anyone know if there are other corals or organisms that are as toxic as zooanthids? I have heard that caulerpa inhibit the pancreatic lipase if you eat it and other things (not gonna advertise what ) if they sting you or you injest them will make you "trip."

Thank you for sharing this information I certainly will keep it in mind!
Kevin

 

[gregt]

Just as an FYI, this is one of the most toxic and is commonly available because it is a legal carribean species. You should always treat these with extra caution, but nearly all corals have toxic properties to varying degrees and should be handled with care.

Palythoa caribaeorum

 

[playa]

So sorry to hear about your loss.

I have been thinking about propagating zoos. I will be more careful at this point on how to proceed.

Thankyou so much for posting your story. You have touched the hearts of many and have at the same time educated us with your unfortunate experience.

Luis

 

[KorbinDallas]

I made a latex glove dispenser for my fish room tonight. In bourneman's (sp.?) book, he states an example of someone feeling the effects of the toxin quite sometime after the initial contact (like a few days I beleive). So korbinDallas, please watch out for yourself, and if you feel funny in *any* way go get some medical help!

Super. Was he referring to palyotoxin from zoanthids?

 

[johnrags1234]

Thanks gregT. I do beleive I saw this species in S.W. Florida last summer. A good heads up to us ALL.

 

[playa]

I owned that particular species of zoos. They are a form of encrusting green zoos. They were neon green when I first got them. I had them on my 20 gallon and never new that they were so highly toxic.

They now rest in the hands of the reef shop from where I got them. I traded the Zoos for an acropora. A colony of those sells there for about $69

 

[Geri]

technoshaman - I have a pair of those and Its been the best thing i've got. I am a new reefer (very new) and i got those for the main purpose of my hands not drying out if i need to reach in there. I am glad I seen this post now. I am sure Zoo's arent the only toxic corals around but that makes me not want to keep zoo's at all and I probably wont. And i will never reach in the tank without gloves on.. how scarey.

 

[chet-tonja]

I would also like to give my condolence to your loss. Everyone needs to be extremely careful while handling anything in our tanks. I've read how scientists are doing research for cancer cures using toxins and such from our worlds reefs, so you know there are some pretty powerful chemicals out there. This truly may be a hidden blessing to many of us to be more careful. Sorry again for your loss!!!

 

[FireMarshalBill]

I am so sorry to hear about your dog.

This is the first post I've read about zoanthids.
i was trying to find a picture of them
The pictures I've found look like what the LFS always calls polyps.
Are they one in the same?

 

[FireMarshalBill]

This seriously has me freaked out about how much I've done in my tank without ever wearing gloves.

.... and to think, earlier today, I was looking up on the internet what happens if my lionfish stings me...
This makes me think I'd laugh if my lionfish stung me now.....

 

[tgrupert]

Is it posible there was a frag floating around and your dog ate it?

This is really sad. I hope you are okay. it's kinda funny how we go nuts if a dog trys to eat poop, but this event wouldn't bother most people.

my cat died a couple years ago and that's how I got back int aquariums. it was very hard for me to deal with the lose of my cat and I blamed it on myself even tough she was 14. I hope you are okay.

I run a reef aquarium club at a day care center and this story is great, and a much better example compared to anthony calfos adventures with palytoxins that would seem almost fun to a 5 year old. Almost like alice in wonderland.

 

[Bowman]

Kevin I can't tell you how bad I felt when I read this earlier today my heart goes out to you and your family. I was taking a break from my tank and checked the boards. Something so inocent that most of us never give it a second thought, at least until now. Thanks for sharing your loss, may we all be more vigalant in our propagation. Again sincere condolences.

John

 

[Maury]

Kevin, so sorry for your loss, your dog looks exactly like mine.

I used to have zoos in my 210, but my emperor angel ate them all. Still have a few colonies of green zoos in my 55.

Here's a question, if they are so toxic, how could my emperor eat them like popcorn, wiped 'em out in a day. I know that the obvious answer is that mine were not the toxic kind, but zooanthid polyps are one of the corals that are frequently nipped at by angels. Anyone have any problems with frequent death of angelfish with polyps in the tank? I'd just think that we'd hear a lot more about it.

 

[Paradigm]

loss of a friend!

loss of a friend!

Kevin,

I would again like to say how sorry i am for your loss! I wish i could have been more help! Being a dog lover and having met your dog, i send my deepest condolences to you and your family.

It is really great to to see this many people reply so quickly to such a terrible event. I light of this event and the overwhelming lack of knowlegde for coral and zoos toxic abilities...with your permission i would like to copy your initial post , and with a little additional info, give it to the LFS's in my area, in hope to avoid any future tragedy like this!

ray

 

[BlennyBabe]

I offer my utmost condolences to you and your family. I lost my beagle last weekend. She was hit by a speeding car on a near by road. My family is going through the same sort of loss as yours, so I know you are very sad. The picture of your beautiful dog made me cry. Its very similar to my dog Daphne, (affectionately called Weasle.) Thank you for sharing your experience. I have never worn gloves when dealing with my tanks. I will for sure now.

 

[SSEAL]

Kevin

I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. My condolences to you and your family.

Thank you for make all of us more aware of the dangers in our reef tanks. I would have never giving it a second thought about the dangers of evening just handling the zoo's. I will take caution in the future.

Again, I am sorry about your loss,

sseal

 

[delafe]

WOW! What a wakeup call. I was looking at that picture of "flesh colored" zoos, and realized that I have a patch which I brought back from a dive trip in the Carib. Also kept reading, and realized that I had several of the green/blue ones which I spent several hours fragging, and which I had yanked off a rock on the beach in Puerto Rico with my bare hands.

Thanks for the warning, and sorry to hear about your loss.

-Alfred

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

Awwwww jeeeez Kevin. That really really sucks. Sorry man.

On an equally serious note:
Those of you that got sun zooanthids from me (I handed out 4) remember, the P. grandis(sun zooanthid) is the palytoxin king.

I mentioned in the swap announcement my sun zooanthid frag lore and I will repeat it(or something like it):

When I fragged these guys Sat am before the swap, I cut the mat with a razor and carefully worked under the mat with the razor and a scalpel to minimize tissue trauma. Where I cut and dinged the mat, white milky juice (the palytoxin) oozed out.
Typically there are pods that get into the fragwater bucket because they were on the frag victim's rock and they just run around in the bucket. Not this time. They all dropped dead immediately after the white juice hit the water.

I made sure I was rinsing everything that touched the toxin off into the sink immediately after use. I just kept the water running. I even changed their fragwater twice and handled them with tweezers until they calmed down. I rinsed all the buckets, my piece of HD fako marble tile cutting board and all tools that I thought may have touched that juice AND my hands. I brought them to the swap in their own container of water just in case.

When these guys aren't cut, they don't ooze palytoxin. The other zoos and buttons(also species of Protopalythoa) have varying degrees of the toxin. I have not had any bad repurcussions from the cut pieces after putting them back in the tank and I have been doing a huge amount of zoo fragging this past month.

I suggest and hope you all adopt these more rigid handling procedures for yours and all innocent passersby. (Just in case any of you haven't read up thoroughly on zoo's and sun zoo's in particular)

Everyone now please turn to page 184 in Eric Borneman's "Corals, Selection..." book look at the pic on the top of the page, then read the text regarding the "Protopalythoa Genus" thank you.

Once again, sorry Kevin.



edit to comment on Maury's post about the angelfish: The various animals on the reefs have evolved by eating each other, creating defenses and overcoming others' defenses. There are many documented cases of this. certain animals have adapted to eating certain compounds that may be lethal to other animals.

Anthony, if you're out there, your oral fixations are going to kill you :hmm3:

 

[rhiggsbear]

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. It is a very sad situation.

Thank you very much for sharing this with us and giving all of us a warning to be careful.

 

[fishymissy]

I want to offer my condolences too......how very sad to lose your pet and how awful to lose her in such a bizarre way. I never would have known about the zoo's poison if you hadn't posted about it. So thank you for doing so. I'm going out now to buy some gloves........