Palythoa Deadly? Scared right now!

DustinS85 · 02/06/2015, 10:23 PM

I bought a Palythoa, and didn't know about the Palytoxin it produces. I handled it in the tank without gloves and have a cut on my hand too. I saw it secrete in the water about 5 minutes before I put my hand in the water. I am seriously nervous right now. This stuff is the second deadliest marine toxin too? How fast acting is it? Should I be worried?

DustinS85 · 02/06/2015, 11:19 PM

This is the Paly in my tank.

discoreefer · 02/06/2015, 11:22 PM

I wouldn't worry about it.

650-IS350 · 02/06/2015, 11:38 PM

They can be potent if it gets directly into your blood stream, but that type is not as bad, I got tagged by that in my eyes and mouth before.

I'd be more worried if it was these types

[IMG]

[/IMG]

http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/a...thid-toxin.htm

DustinS85 · 02/06/2015, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 650-IS350

They can be potent if it gets directly into your blood stream, but that type is not as bad, I got tagged by that in my eyes and mouth before.

I'd be more worried if it was these types

[IMG]

[/IMG]

http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/a...thid-toxin.htm

What type do I have? And how dangerous is the one I have? I don't want any Palytoxins in my tank to be honest.

650-IS350 · 02/07/2015, 12:14 AM

I believe all of them have some its just the potency of the animal. I've got hit by the ones you have before. got squirted in the eye and got some on my lips. lips went numb, burning in my eyes for hours. went to hospital got eyes flushed and had to put antibiotic eye drops for a couple weeks.
happened when I was fragging them long long ago

DustinS85 · 02/07/2015, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 650-IS350

I believe all of them have some its just the potency of the animal. I've got hit by the ones you have before. got squirted in the eye and got some on my lips. lips went numb, burning in my eyes for hours. went to hospital got eyes flushed and had to put antibiotic eye drops for a couple weeks.
happened when I was fragging them long long ago

Are the ones I got Green Button Polythoas?

650-IS350 · 02/07/2015, 12:21 AM

standard green bottom polyps. I don't let those get to my main rocks, very very invasive growers , also grows with a thick polyp matt, hard to remove on the rocks.

DustinS85 · 02/07/2015, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 650-IS350

standard green bottom polyps. I don't let those get to my main rocks, very very invasive growers , also grows with a thick polyp matt, hard to remove on the rocks.

Thanks for all the info! I will move it from my rock to the sand alone now that I know that it can invade like that.

Bpb · 02/09/2015, 09:50 PM

Just don't snack on it or cook with it and you'll be fine lol

Wryknow · 02/10/2015, 10:55 AM

I don't worry about it at all myself. The toxin is just a defensive mechanism to keep other creatures from eating them. As long as you don't cut them open or try to eat them you'll be fine. If you do decide that you need cut them apart then you need to use gloves and eye protection. Running some carbon is also a good idea if you decide to start making frags out of them.

ajespo85 · 02/10/2015, 11:06 AM

yours looks like the normal green button paly. I have a huge rock in my tank with them. Just wash your hands after having them in the tank. I use an antibacterial soap every time I take my hands out of the tank, just to be safe. They are horror stories about people handling them and they "slime" on you, and this one guy rubbed his eye and was hospitalized a day later. It's not much to worry about, just be smart and wash your hands. I never wear gloves, unless I'm fragging.

tkeracer619 · 02/10/2015, 11:14 AM

So I have been to the ER with palytoxin poisoning.

I wouldn't keep what you have in my house if you paid me. Those are the same type or similar that hit me. I was cleaning a part of my overflow they had grown on and made a bad judgement call. For some stupid reason I used hot water to clean the overflow wier. The effect was rapid and I was in the er within short order. I'll spare the sob story but palytoxin is not something to take lightly.

That said, not all of them have the toxin, but they all do have the ability to contain it.

In regards to how fast acting it is, the biggest sign you have been hit is common with many poisons. You taste aluminum in your mouth. At this point you need to seek help immediately regardless of your exposure level.

I was lucky, I was only in the ER for 18 hours which is how long they wanted to hold me. The longest time to death recorded after exposure was at 18 hours from sudden heart failure. There is no antitoxin, they can only treat the symptoms.

DustinS85 · 02/10/2015, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

So I have been to the ER with palytoxin poisoning.

I wouldn't keep what you have in my house if you paid me. Those are the same type or similar that hit me. I was cleaning a part of my overflow they had grown on and made a bad judgement call. For some stupid reason I used hot water to clean the overflow wier. The effect was rapid and I was in the er within short order. I'll spare the sob story but palytoxin is not something to take lightly.

That said, not all of them have the toxin, but they all do have the ability to contain it.

In regards to how fast acting it is, the biggest sign you have been hit is common with many poisons. You taste aluminum in your mouth. At this point you need to seek help immediately regardless of your exposure level.

I was lucky, I was only in the ER for 18 hours which is how long they wanted to hold me. The longest time to death recorded after exposure was at 18 hours from sudden heart failure. There is no antitoxin, they can only treat the symptoms.

I got rid of it and got a Trumpet Coral instead for this exact same reason. And the guy commenting earlier said another long time reefer went to hospital because of these. I just don't want to chance that, and that is why I won't be keeping Coral containing Palytoxin.

tkeracer619 · 02/12/2015, 12:25 PM

I got it easy, Tommy was in intensive care for 2 weeks and was pretty darn close to death. No thanks. Not trying to scare you but for some reason there is push back from sellers regarding informing their customers of potential risks. Of course the odds are in your favor and I had lived with those corals for at least 5 years without getting hit. The right circumstances can be deadly.

DustinS85 · 02/12/2015, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

I got it easy, Tommy was in intensive care for 2 weeks and was pretty darn close to death. No thanks. Not trying to scare you but for some reason there is push back from sellers regarding informing their customers of potential risks. Of course the odds are in your favor and I had lived with those corals for at least 5 years without getting hit. The right circumstances can be deadly.

Yeah, I read about how people were essentially dying from these species, and I have kids. I just don't want to chance it personally. I hear people say "don't worry about it" but a lot of those same people have a story about getting it in their eye, or mouth and having some issue. I just don't want to take any chance on my life, or my children. There are tons of beautiful coral that don't have the Palytoxin anyway.

DivingTheWorld · 02/12/2015, 12:47 PM

From my researching (Note: I am not a Dr. or Scientist), it seems like there are several different families of "Zoas". The ones you want to stay away from are the Palythoa's. The Zoanthids also shouldn't necessarily be touched with your bare hands, or eaten for a snack :-), but are far less dangerous than Palys.

Personally I love the look of Zoas with my SPS, but I don't put any Palys in my tank.

Rastas = Ok, Armageddon = Not Ok

http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/resources.asp?show=16

02/06/2015, 10:23 PM	#1
DustinS85 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Elyria, OH Posts: 88	Palythoa Deadly? Scared right now! I bought a Palythoa, and didn't know about the Palytoxin it produces. I handled it in the tank without gloves and have a cut on my hand too. I saw it secrete in the water about 5 minutes before I put my hand in the water. I am seriously nervous right now. This stuff is the second deadliest marine toxin too? How fast acting is it? Should I be worried?

02/06/2015, 11:38 PM	#4
650-IS350 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 14,555	They can be potent if it gets directly into your blood stream, but that type is not as bad, I got tagged by that in my eyes and mouth before. I'd be more worried if it was these types [IMG][/IMG] http://www.tfhmagazine.com/details/a...thid-toxin.htm __________________ * RETIRED FROM REEFING * Just enjoying the box of water from afar

02/07/2015, 12:14 AM	#6
650-IS350 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 14,555	I believe all of them have some its just the potency of the animal. I've got hit by the ones you have before. got squirted in the eye and got some on my lips. lips went numb, burning in my eyes for hours. went to hospital got eyes flushed and had to put antibiotic eye drops for a couple weeks. happened when I was fragging them long long ago __________________ * RETIRED FROM REEFING * Just enjoying the box of water from afar

02/07/2015, 12:21 AM	#8
650-IS350 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 14,555	standard green bottom polyps. I don't let those get to my main rocks, very very invasive growers , also grows with a thick polyp matt, hard to remove on the rocks. __________________ * RETIRED FROM REEFING * Just enjoying the box of water from afar

02/10/2015, 10:55 AM	#11
Wryknow Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,203	I don't worry about it at all myself. The toxin is just a defensive mechanism to keep other creatures from eating them. As long as you don't cut them open or try to eat them you'll be fine. If you do decide that you need cut them apart then you need to use gloves and eye protection. Running some carbon is also a good idea if you decide to start making frags out of them. __________________ You cannot use reason to change the opinion of a person that did not use reason to form their opinion in the first place. Current Tank Info: 65 G RR, w/ 50 G sump/refugium, DIY LED lighting, AquaMaxx CO-1 skimmer, Tunze 1073.050 return

02/06/2015, 11:19 PM	#2
DustinS85 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Elyria, OH Posts: 88	This is the Paly in my tank.

02/06/2015, 11:22 PM	#3
discoreefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 54	I wouldn't worry about it.

02/09/2015, 09:50 PM	#10
Bpb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 3,148	Just don't snack on it or cook with it and you'll be fine lol

02/10/2015, 11:06 AM	#12
ajespo85 Espo Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Akron, ohio Posts: 447	yours looks like the normal green button paly. I have a huge rock in my tank with them. Just wash your hands after having them in the tank. I use an antibacterial soap every time I take my hands out of the tank, just to be safe. They are horror stories about people handling them and they "slime" on you, and this one guy rubbed his eye and was hospitalized a day later. It's not much to worry about, just be smart and wash your hands. I never wear gloves, unless I'm fragging.

02/10/2015, 11:14 AM	#13
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	So I have been to the ER with palytoxin poisoning. I wouldn't keep what you have in my house if you paid me. Those are the same type or similar that hit me. I was cleaning a part of my overflow they had grown on and made a bad judgement call. For some stupid reason I used hot water to clean the overflow wier. The effect was rapid and I was in the er within short order. I'll spare the sob story but palytoxin is not something to take lightly. That said, not all of them have the toxin, but they all do have the ability to contain it. In regards to how fast acting it is, the biggest sign you have been hit is common with many poisons. You taste aluminum in your mouth. At this point you need to seek help immediately regardless of your exposure level. I was lucky, I was only in the ER for 18 hours which is how long they wanted to hold me. The longest time to death recorded after exposure was at 18 hours from sudden heart failure. There is no antitoxin, they can only treat the symptoms. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

02/12/2015, 12:25 PM	#15
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	I got it easy, Tommy was in intensive care for 2 weeks and was pretty darn close to death. No thanks. Not trying to scare you but for some reason there is push back from sellers regarding informing their customers of potential risks. Of course the odds are in your favor and I had lived with those corals for at least 5 years without getting hit. The right circumstances can be deadly. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

02/12/2015, 12:47 PM	#17
DivingTheWorld Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: San Ramon, CA Posts: 1,963	From my researching (Note: I am not a Dr. or Scientist), it seems like there are several different families of "Zoas". The ones you want to stay away from are the Palythoa's. The Zoanthids also shouldn't necessarily be touched with your bare hands, or eaten for a snack :-), but are far less dangerous than Palys. Personally I love the look of Zoas with my SPS, but I don't put any Palys in my tank. Rastas = Ok, Armageddon = Not Ok http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/resources.asp?show=16