Desert Fox
Pulling -6 to 9+ G's
Sharing/adding to the sympathy. Best wishes.
Blue skies,
~Fox~
Blue skies,
~Fox~
Zoanthids are they toxic?
- Thread starter kevin_kramer
- Start date
Frontier
Duke of Valonia
Sorry for your loss! My sincere condolences to you. That's really scary!
This whole thread startled me because I had an "issue" with a zoanthid colony in my tank when I was first introduced to this hobby.
Just to set a little background for you:
I was in that newbie stage we all go through where I had a small tank and was constantly moving things around. I had just bought a mushroom rock and a rock with two types of zoanthids.
I started experiencing a racing hearbeat over the next few days and had a "coppery" taste in my mouth (like I was sucking on a penny) which would not go away.
It got so scary that I went to see the doctor and had an EKG done. The results were fine because I wasn't experiencing the racing (and sometimes fluttering) hearbeat during the tests.
I finally made the connection, and realized I was poisoning myself by touching and moving the zoanthid covered rock, by spending hours searching the Internet for things related to a metallic taste in the mouth. "Mercury poinsoning..hmmm...don't think so", "Ovarian cancer medication...nope...I'm a guy", and then finally "Bingo"! One little article caught my eye about someone's description of his friend getting sick from polyps. It was a longshot but I occasionally bite my nails, and I had just gotten the polyps.
Well, I no longer have the yellow ones that I think were the problem, but I became very careful about touching all zoanthids. My girlfriend moved them and never exhibited any symptoms, but I refused to touch that zoanthid rock without gloves on! This incident was a couple of years ago and I have never had a problem health-wise since.
My non-reefing friends still rib me about thinking I was having heart problems because I touched something in my fish tank. Guess it's not so funny now.
This whole thread startled me because I had an "issue" with a zoanthid colony in my tank when I was first introduced to this hobby.
Just to set a little background for you:
I was in that newbie stage we all go through where I had a small tank and was constantly moving things around. I had just bought a mushroom rock and a rock with two types of zoanthids.
I started experiencing a racing hearbeat over the next few days and had a "coppery" taste in my mouth (like I was sucking on a penny) which would not go away.
It got so scary that I went to see the doctor and had an EKG done. The results were fine because I wasn't experiencing the racing (and sometimes fluttering) hearbeat during the tests.
I finally made the connection, and realized I was poisoning myself by touching and moving the zoanthid covered rock, by spending hours searching the Internet for things related to a metallic taste in the mouth. "Mercury poinsoning..hmmm...don't think so", "Ovarian cancer medication...nope...I'm a guy", and then finally "Bingo"! One little article caught my eye about someone's description of his friend getting sick from polyps. It was a longshot but I occasionally bite my nails, and I had just gotten the polyps.
Well, I no longer have the yellow ones that I think were the problem, but I became very careful about touching all zoanthids. My girlfriend moved them and never exhibited any symptoms, but I refused to touch that zoanthid rock without gloves on! This incident was a couple of years ago and I have never had a problem health-wise since.
My non-reefing friends still rib me about thinking I was having heart problems because I touched something in my fish tank. Guess it's not so funny now.
TJ
New member
Kevin,
Let me say how sad and sorry I am for your loss. We have lost 4 pets in our married life- (dogs) and each one was really like one of our kids; which we don't have any, so our pooches are really our kids! I have various types of zoos in my tank and I've never heard of them being toxic- this is a shocker to me. Just 2 weeks ago we were changing our 75 and 100 gal. tanks to the new 240, and had all critters in their rubbermaid tubs overnight. I realize how dangerous that was and blessed we are- our Amos could've very well gotten up in the night and stuck his head in one of them, or our neighbor's dog, which stays w/us most of the time! I will say a prayer for you, as I know how heartbreaking this is. Keep your chin up...
Let me say how sad and sorry I am for your loss. We have lost 4 pets in our married life- (dogs) and each one was really like one of our kids; which we don't have any, so our pooches are really our kids! I have various types of zoos in my tank and I've never heard of them being toxic- this is a shocker to me. Just 2 weeks ago we were changing our 75 and 100 gal. tanks to the new 240, and had all critters in their rubbermaid tubs overnight. I realize how dangerous that was and blessed we are- our Amos could've very well gotten up in the night and stuck his head in one of them, or our neighbor's dog, which stays w/us most of the time! I will say a prayer for you, as I know how heartbreaking this is. Keep your chin up...
Ouch!
Ouch!
Very, very sorry to hear about the loss of your 4 legged family member. I believe I would have to put the aquarium to rest if this had happened to me. I read most of these posts and I will heed the warning and will enter the tank with protection from now on. I just wanted to toss out this suggestion to those looking for glove ideas. Your veterinarian sould be able to order OB sleeves for you. They are very thin shoulder length gloves intended to cover a vet's entire arm while palpating a cow/horse uterus. They would offer increased dexterity for fine in-the-tank-work as opposed to the thicker more limiting aqua gloves from Marine Depot. They come 50-100 per box so they are disposable.
Kevin and family, many many sympathies.
Ouch!
Very, very sorry to hear about the loss of your 4 legged family member. I believe I would have to put the aquarium to rest if this had happened to me. I read most of these posts and I will heed the warning and will enter the tank with protection from now on. I just wanted to toss out this suggestion to those looking for glove ideas. Your veterinarian sould be able to order OB sleeves for you. They are very thin shoulder length gloves intended to cover a vet's entire arm while palpating a cow/horse uterus. They would offer increased dexterity for fine in-the-tank-work as opposed to the thicker more limiting aqua gloves from Marine Depot. They come 50-100 per box so they are disposable.
Kevin and family, many many sympathies.
Navymedic
Premium Member
limu make o Hanaâ€â€Âthe "deadly seaweed of Hana."
limu make o Hanaââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Âthe "deadly seaweed of Hana."
1st i am truly sorry with your loss. I did some reaserch and found this link. it tells of the story of this Zoanthid. Most importantly it has pics. As a reminder if you are exposed to any toxin you 1st call 911, next call 1 (800) POISONS. sometimes there are house hold items that can serve as anti-toxins so it is a good thing to remember. God bless and stay Safe !!!
Mike
/ex-FDNY Paramedic
http://www.pixi.com/~mgf/limumake.htm
limu make o Hanaââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Âthe "deadly seaweed of Hana."
1st i am truly sorry with your loss. I did some reaserch and found this link. it tells of the story of this Zoanthid. Most importantly it has pics. As a reminder if you are exposed to any toxin you 1st call 911, next call 1 (800) POISONS. sometimes there are house hold items that can serve as anti-toxins so it is a good thing to remember. God bless and stay Safe !!!
Mike
/ex-FDNY Paramedic
http://www.pixi.com/~mgf/limumake.htm
SaveOurReefs
New member
very sorry, (I am almost crying) after reading your post thank you that was a fery powerfull post
nf4sevenw
New member
i am so sorry about the loss of your dog. i just got my zoo's today and i "fragged" the colony with no gloves!ah! my arm is sore. i think it is all in my head but ya never know! thank you so much for sharing this tragic info. it will help the rest of us in the long run. he did not die in vain
try march of 2003 which would be this year.
Sorry to hear bout your dog. I am always scared of what might hurt me in my tank but still dont where gloves. I think i may just start having to do that =]. I saw on another thread that there is an antitoxin for palytoxin.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=158730&perpage=25&pagenumber=2
somewhere on that thread someone posted it.
Sorry to hear bout your dog. I am always scared of what might hurt me in my tank but still dont where gloves. I think i may just start having to do that =]. I saw on another thread that there is an antitoxin for palytoxin.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=158730&perpage=25&pagenumber=2
somewhere on that thread someone posted it.
bevis28
Member
2 meters by 1 meter
2 meters by 1 meter
Sorry bout the loss os your family member but did anyone NOT catch the following.
This according to University of Otago, Aukland, New Zealand.
Thankfully, the coral from which palytoxin is derived is found only in Hawaii, in a single tidal pool measuring 2 metres by 1 metre.
Now call me stupid if justified, but does'nt everybody think
that this is a very small amount of space that the death
offender could come from. considering the size of the planet
and the amount of people in this hobby, what does anybody
think the chances are that you actually have a piece of coral
that originated from this pool ? ? ? i will certianly handel
my zoo's with more care from now on but it seems that
there is alot of over reaction considering the previous
statement from University of Otago, Aukland, New Zealand.
i'm not playing it down but it does seem abit paranoid
considering the research material. just my 2c worth..:mixed:
2 meters by 1 meter
Sorry bout the loss os your family member but did anyone NOT catch the following.
This according to University of Otago, Aukland, New Zealand.
Thankfully, the coral from which palytoxin is derived is found only in Hawaii, in a single tidal pool measuring 2 metres by 1 metre.
Now call me stupid if justified, but does'nt everybody think
that this is a very small amount of space that the death
offender could come from. considering the size of the planet
and the amount of people in this hobby, what does anybody
think the chances are that you actually have a piece of coral
that originated from this pool ? ? ? i will certianly handel
my zoo's with more care from now on but it seems that
there is alot of over reaction considering the previous
statement from University of Otago, Aukland, New Zealand.
i'm not playing it down but it does seem abit paranoid
considering the research material. just my 2c worth..:mixed:
Frick-n-Frags
New member
After considering the research material, that seems ridiculous that a species of zoanthid would stay locked in one tidepool for all time. Remember, when the tide is in, all the little pools are connected to the big pool.
It also is my understanding that Palythoas all have some degree of palytoxin in them. Seamats are found on all the reefs.
So, yeah, I question that research material.
On the other hand, I have always wondered if Kevin's dog didn't just get done chowing down some chocolate from the candy bowl or something else toxic to dogs and much more tasty than saltwater. However it happened, it still sucked for Kevin.
It also is my understanding that Palythoas all have some degree of palytoxin in them. Seamats are found on all the reefs.
So, yeah, I question that research material.
On the other hand, I have always wondered if Kevin's dog didn't just get done chowing down some chocolate from the candy bowl or something else toxic to dogs and much more tasty than saltwater. However it happened, it still sucked for Kevin.
A Reef Scene
New member
sorry about the puppy, that sucks bad.
TomRep
New member
Well, I am not an emotional kind of guy, but after that story, I feel like I am 8 years old and just got done watching Old Yeller. I am very attached to my two puppies and always read about toxins, but never really worried too much about myself. However, knowing it can do this to my girls, I will definitly be very careful. They used to always pick stuff up and bring it to me while I was working on the tank to try and "steal" some attention. From now on they are in there beds when I am working. I am very sorry for the loss of your pet.
Tom
Tom
racrumrine
New member
A little off the topic; but, related to dogs and poisons.
Many years ago, my best friend lost one of the best dogs I've ever known to having eaten snail pellets laid out in the yard.
We were all sick about it for months. That was a special dog.
I've also heard of similar stories of dogs dying from licking up antifreeze (which supposedly tastes sweet to them).
Sorry for your loss,
Roy
Many years ago, my best friend lost one of the best dogs I've ever known to having eaten snail pellets laid out in the yard.
We were all sick about it for months. That was a special dog.
I've also heard of similar stories of dogs dying from licking up antifreeze (which supposedly tastes sweet to them).
Sorry for your loss,
Roy
