Zoanthids

M

Meaty24

New member
I just learned that Zoanthids secrete a slime that is highly toxic to humans. I was told to use gloves when touching these corals and do not touch polyps if you have an open wound. Also, I was told to not touch eyes or mouth after touching polyps.

Has anyone ever gotten sick from this? What happens?
 
People have gotten sick from it, It can kill. Its one of the deadliest toxins on the planet. One guy had his dog next to him while fragging some zoas, and when he turned his back the dog must have taken a bite and his dog died later on that day.
 
No freaking way! Can I get sick by just touching the polyps? I did not know this at all. ****! Can the toxin get thru gloves?

Is there anything else I should know about that may be toxic to me?

I was moving my zoa's in my tank all the time without gloves.
 
I beleive the dog drank some off the water the Zoa's where in if i remember the story correctly.
 
The toxin in question is palytoxin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palytoxin

I do not think that it is present in all types of zoanthids. I would say that you don't need to be too worried, unless you have a habit of swallowing zoanthid frags, or rubbing them in your eyes or in open wounds.

Just wear gloves and goggles when fragging and you should be fine (such a precaution is recommended for any fragging). I would actually be more worried about bacterial infections, as there are a whole plethora of potentially dangerous bacteria living in our aquariums.

HTH,

Tim
 
I had a guy come to my house to drop off a frag once. He was wearing sunglasses. When I finally made the comment about why he was wearing sunglasses inside he showed me...

He was fragging zoas and got squirted in the eye. He had some NASTY bump looking things on his eyelid.
 
If someone was poisoned by palaytoxin they would not live.

I am not saying you should do what I have done, but it's just my experience. I have fragged thousands of zoa/paly polyps, been squirt in the eye, got slime in a cut. Never used anything protective and I am alive! YAY!! :D
 
its suggested to wear gloves whenever handling zoanthids, or anything toxic for that matter. open cuts on your hands dont help either. lots of hand washing when your done messing about in your tank wont hurt either.

as a rule of thumb, dont put your hands in the tank then touch your face/eyes/mouth. just common sense.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12593080#post12593080 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Breakin newz
I have cuts on my hands all the time and I touch and rip polyps apart havent died yet......
Click to expand...

same here. I frag without gloves and i always have nasty hangnails and such on my fingers and cuts on my hands and i'm not dead.

I have gotten a little numbness in my hands and felt all woozy after fragging a couple of times and i'm pretty sure that if i wanted to, i could really poison myself bad like if i cut a certain type of polyp to bits and then rubbed it in an open wound or ate it or whatever.

really the poison is present in such small quantities that it's not a huge issue. just be careful.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12593171#post12593171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Meaty24
I heard that a guy once looked at a zoa and his penis fell off... Ain't that some ****.
Click to expand...
:eek:
 
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i think when fragging, wether its Zoas or Monti's you should have a bucket of fresh RO/DI water and rinse your hands in it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12593171#post12593171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Meaty24
I heard that a guy once looked at a zoa and his penis fell off... Ain't that some ****.
Click to expand...

i thought that was hilarious! :lol:
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12593417#post12593417 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kar93
That wasn't really necessary, Next time please think and read back what you have typed before you post. Some people may find it a laugh but it isn't really a contribution to the thread.
Click to expand...

Good thing everyone isn't as serious as you or else the world would be a boring place! :)
 
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