Couple almost dies after cleaning Reef Tank

JVU · Apr 9, 2018

The FOX readers’ comments are hilarious and scary at the same time. Most of them along the lines of "Socialist libtards who keep reef tanks all deserve the same fate! ‘Merica!"

I just have to hope they are all professional Russian trolls and not real people.

Funny that the journalist re-porting the story is going entirely on the opinion of the tank owner that it is the xenia releasing the toxin. The same owner who got himself into the dangerous mess by not understanding his corals.

tangtime · Apr 9, 2018

JVU said:
The FOX readers’ comments are hilarious and scary at the same time. Most of them along the lines of "Socialist libtards who keep reef tanks all deserve the same fate! ‘Merica!"

I just have to hope they are all professional Russian trolls and not real people.

Funny that the journalist re-porting the story is going entirely on the opinion of the tank owner that it is the xenia releasing the toxin. The same owner who got himself into the dangerous mess by not understanding his corals.

lol yep, if one wants to explore the crazies in our society, just read those.

But this is such a non story that became one somehow.

ca1ore · Apr 9, 2018

ca1ore said:
Man, lots of these kinds of stories at the moment .......

I was being sarcastic .... surprised nobody called me out on it LOL. I count, as of this evening, at least 10 threads on this topic, all traced back to the same dubious source story,

Sistawolf · Apr 10, 2018

Is it toxins from a saltwater tank or freshwater.. one minute he’s messing with Xenia and the next he is keeping tropical fish...

Timfish1 · Apr 10, 2018

I know many aquarists already know this but I want to start off by reiterating the importance of personal safety when dealing with our tank inhabitants. Palytoxin is a VERY STABLE toxin and is heat tolerant. NEVER HEAT UP ANY THING FROM AN AQUARIUM!!!!! When aquarists talk about "cooking" live rock they do not mean it literally! It's just jargon referring to quarantining and "cycling". Additionally be very careful when drilling or cutting corals or rock to minimize aerosolizing palytoxin.

Now on to my thoughts, note the phrase "power wash" a little way into the story. No further details are given but seems like some method was used that did a decent job of creating a palytoxin laden mist. To help put some of the hype in perspective people do die from palytoxin every year but it's from eating seafood. (How often do we hear about that?)

The FDA published a paper that looked at different zoas/palies and the majority didn't have much or any at all. The paper does have pictures and the palies in question had a mottled pattern consistant with the several types of "trash" pallies floating around. What I've seen in my tanks which has motivated me to avoid the "Texas Trash" and blue/green "trash" varieties is a similarity to the CDC pictures and seeing aiptaisa eating filefish avoid the "trash" types while chomping away on more colorful zoas (much to my dismay!). Additionally palytoxin is not made by pallies but by a dinoflagellate and/or bacteria and can be found pretty much anywhere. This paper looked at multiple species of corals and fish and found palytoxin levels higher in Sarcophyton (toadstool, leather), Sinularia (leather, soft) and gorgonian (GSP) species than in Palythoa species. One has to wonder why we're not seeing stories about cutting up leather corals.

tastyfish · Apr 10, 2018

rock_lobster said:
It is a lie. Only way this could happen is boiling a whole bunch of nasty palys which would be insane to do indoors...

Well, it wasn't a "lie", Police, Rescue and ambulance in full attendance. 10 people taken to hospital. Something happened lol

CNDReef · Apr 10, 2018

Didn’t the original story come out in the UK?
Now the same exact story in the USA?

McPikie · Apr 10, 2018

tastyfish said:
Well, it wasn't a "lie", Police, Rescue and ambulance in full attendance. 10 people taken to hospital. Something happened lol

I'd like to see the medical staff's diagnosis to be fair.

tastyfish · Apr 10, 2018

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/16...poisoned_by_lethal_toxin_want_to_warn_others/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-43558736

Entirely plausible that its palytoxin, not so plausible that pulsing xenia is the source. As per previous posts, he probably scrubbed the rock, destroying some palyzoa and left them out. Since palytoxin is very soluble, any water vapour could carry it, as well as contact transfer.

In any case, appalling reporting and no fact checking done.

siggy · Apr 10, 2018

tastyfish · Apr 10, 2018

siggy said:

ca1ore · Apr 10, 2018

Toomanyfish said:
Didn’t the original story come out in the UK?
Now the same exact story in the USA?

Near as I can tell all these stories and threads are based off the same story from the UK. Regardless of whether the reported details are accurate, palytoxins are very dangerous. Absent stunning stupidity on the part of this chap, even a modicum of common sense is enough to avoid a problem. This is up there with the folks that run their generators inside and asphyxiate themselves.

McPikie · Apr 10, 2018

ca1ore said:
Near as I can tell all these stories and threads are based off the same story from the UK. Regardless of whether the reported details are accurate, palytoxins are very dangerous. Absent stunning stupidity on the part of this chap, even a modicum of common sense is enough to avoid a problem. This is up there with the folks that run their generators inside and asphyxiate themselves.

If the story is true, then he is probably one of the muppets on the facebook groups for marine tanks, you know the type, "Can I use neat Domestos citric tang bleach to clean the inside of my glass". Too many idiots about these days who fail to do any research into the hobby and rely on the horrific advice from someone who has a tank full of kenya tree.

tastyfish · Apr 10, 2018

ca1ore said:
Near as I can tell all these stories and threads are based off the same story from the UK. Regardless of whether the reported details are accurate, palytoxins are very dangerous. Absent stunning stupidity on the part of this chap, even a modicum of common sense is enough to avoid a problem. This is up there with the folks that run their generators inside and asphyxiate themselves.

McPikie said:
If the story is true, then he is probably one of the muppets on the facebook groups for marine tanks, you know the type, "Can I use neat Domestos citric tang bleach to clean the inside of my glass". Too many idiots about these days who fail to do any research into the hobby and rely on the horrific advice from someone who has a tank full of kenya tree.

Harsh, but sadly very likely true...

gmneil · Apr 10, 2018

from my experience I didn't feel any effects until many hours later so its hard to believe the firefighters had issues once they entered, seems to me like someone is trying to take shots at the salt water hobby and industry just my opinion tho

ArowanaLover1902 · Apr 10, 2018

It seems that while the neurotoxin is undeniably potent and dangerous, too many people are keeping it without being aware/respecting the dangerous aspect of it. It's like keeping a tiger and being surprised when it ate you after not feeding it for a week. Its not that bad for the average person to keep it in their tank, we keep loads of other toxic things (lionfish, stonefish, etc), and never hear problems for that. I feel like the media is having a bit too much fun with it and that's partnered with the effects of idiots making what is almost impossible happen (its crazy people manage to do so little research that they send 10 people to the hospital).