Can corals release airborn toxins?

[ReefKing101]

I’ve been a bit paranoid lately reading stories of toxic corals. In my nano tank I have lots of soft corals eleganc corals, hammers etc and a small zoa with 8 heads. I’ve never experienced any noticeable ill effects but it got me thinking if I’m doing myself harm when my arms go in the tank for a water change or if the corals are somehow releasing toxins in my bedroom air while I sleep.

 

[lapin]

If a coral releases a toxin it is in the water. I dont know of any coral that shoots them in the air. If you touch a coral you could get a dose of what ever it has as a defense.
If you remove the coral from the water you can have airborne issues.

 

[DJF]

I’ve been a bit paranoid lately reading stories of toxic corals. In my nano tank I have lots of soft corals eleganc corals, hammers etc and a small zoa with 8 heads. I’ve never experienced any noticeable ill effects but it got me thinking if I’m doing myself harm when my arms go in the tank for a water change or if the corals are somehow releasing toxins in my bedroom air while I sleep.

Palytoxins is probably what you’re referring to. Yes some palys have toxins that can be serious but issues occur when they are disrupted and when there is a large amount of them- with that said, it’s a subset of palys (not all) and usually not the ones that people have in their tanks- tons of info on r2r on palytoxins. You don’t need to worry too much- just be mindful.

 

[ReefKing101]

So other soft corals have no way of effecting me?

 

[DJF]

So other soft corals have no way of effecting me?

Other than maybe irritating skin not that I’m aware of (other than palys).

 

[Ef4life]

Don’t boil any rocks or coral, don’t smoke any reef coral, wear ppe when fragging corals (personal protection equipment) and you should be fine.

 

[ZoWhat]

Don't buy any fartopora corals....

A big bubble surfaces ever so often and ppl have been know to run out the front door due to the toxic fowl odor.

Yeah, fartoporas are pretty bad

 

[Sarcazian]

It seems super rare, but maybe best to not wash buckets/tools in steaming hot water when cleaning up. It can cause additional arenization of the poison's. Assuming they exist.

I saw a speaker talking about it when the whole Paly toxin discussion was going around earlier this year. I don't remember what the gentlemans name was, but I think he was talking at one of the Macnas?

I heard that Nems, Dinos, and other things can in theory also release similar compounds. One source I just found in a quick google- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/palytoxin