How do I frag zoas without killing myself?

[AydenLincoln]

I have some zoas that have happily encrusted themselves to a frag rack and are spreading. How do I frag them without poisoning myself? I get so nervous with them and the possibility of palytoxin which is why I have never touched them. I’ve never fragged any corals either and I have mushrooms exploding all over my tank. I know the risks are small/unlikely but it can happen? If palytoxin is released underwater isn’t that fine? From my understanding it’s only if it gets airborne correct me if I’m wrong?

 

[crazyfishmom]

I have some zoas that have happily encrusted themselves to a frag rack and are spreading. How do I frag them without poisoning myself? I get so nervous with them and the possibility of palytoxin which is why I have never touched them. I’ve never fragged any corals either and I have mushrooms exploding all over my tank. I know the risks are small/unlikely but it can happen? If palytoxin is released underwater isn’t that fine? From my understanding it’s only if it gets airborne correct me if I’m wrong?

As far as I understand if it’s released under water you can still have adverse effects if for example you have an open cut or touch a mucosal surface like your eye with a little bit of residue.

Wear gloves and eye protection and it shouldn’t be a big deal.

 

[Opus]

So far, I just take a benedryl after working in my tank. I have very dry skin so I've always got open cuts on my hands. No clue if it is just the salt, polytoxin or something else, but my hands will stiffen up when working my tanks, which are mostly zoas. I just pop a benedryl and I'm fine in 30 minutes or so. Unless you have really bad allergies, gloves and eye protection should be fine. My wife is allergic to everything known to man so I would never ask her to do anything in my tank.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Basically, all you need is gloves, eyeglasses, and proper ventilation in the room, and you should be good to go.

Make sure to wash your hands after.

 

[Biokabe]

For the most part, zoas are not nearly the hazard that they're presented as. It's not even certain that all of them contain palytoxin. And even among those that do house palytoxin, getting a dose of the poison is actually rather difficult.

That's not to say there's no risk, which is why those who are saying you should use hand & eye protection are correct. But most of the big zoa-related incidents come when someone does something stupid, like flash-boil zoas and inhale the resulting vapors. Don't boil them, don't get their juices in your mucous membranes or into an open cut.

 

[mfinn]

I have some zoas that have happily encrusted themselves to a frag rack and are spreading. How do I frag them without poisoning myself? I get so nervous with them and the possibility of palytoxin which is why I have never touched them. I’ve never fragged any corals either and I have mushrooms exploding all over my tank. I know the risks are small/unlikely but it can happen? If palytoxin is released underwater isn’t that fine? From my understanding it’s only if it gets airborne correct me if I’m wrong?

If the frag rack is a eggcrate frag rack, sacrifice some of the frag rack by cutting it with wire cutters, or tin snips.
As long as you don't break the skin of the polyp ( which is the goal ) I would feel safe.
Not all are as toxic as has been reported. In 30 years of handling zoanthids, I have never had a issue or noticed and adverse effects.
Wear gloves, and eye protection. Do it in a bowl of water. Some say wear a mask, but I'm not convinced a normal mask ( dust mask, N95 ) would be of any use. I would think you would need a half face mask with charcoal filters to effective.

 

[jkcoral]

If they are on egg crate it’s super easy, just ship a chunk off the egg crate by cutting through the mat between the polyps.

If they are on something else, like a rock, you can take a box cutter/razor blade/etc. and cut between the mat to separate the ones you want, then you can gently work under the mat with your finger and they’ll usually peel off the rock.

Just wear some gloves (nitrile gloves are cheap on Amazon), make sure you cut between polyps on the mat, and try to avoid squeezing polyps or anything and you should be good to go

 

[AydenLincoln]

If the frag rack is a eggcrate frag rack, sacrifice some of the frag rack by cutting it with wire cutters, or tin snips.
As long as you don't break the skin of the polyp ( which is the goal ) I would feel safe.
Not all are as toxic as has been reported. In 30 years of handling zoanthids, I have never had a issue or noticed and adverse effects.
Wear gloves, and eye protection. Do it in a bowl of water. Some say wear a mask, but I'm not convinced a normal mask ( dust mask, N95 ) would be of any use. I would think you would need a half face mask with charcoal filters to effective.

It’s not it’s on a magnet frag rack. I worry if I cut or scrape things off it will release palytoxin.

 

[mfinn]

It’s not it’s on a magnet frag rack. I worry if I cut or scrape things off it will release palytoxin.

Go at it like you are trying to remove them without cutting into the skin.
Not all zoanthids have that deadly toxin.
It's not like the spores jumping out at you like some alien creature on a distant planet.
Do it in a bowl of water.

 

[jkcoral]

Good thing is that if the frag rack is acrylic, they should “peel off” pretty easily. Touch them to get them to close up, and start from the edge of the colony and gently work up a piece of the mat, and from there you should be able to kinda shimmy on the mat and separate it from the rack.

Just take your time, go slow, and like the other poster said, avoid cutting the skin on the polyps, just try and only cut the mat between them.

 

[The_Paradox]

It’s not it’s on a magnet frag rack. I worry if I cut or scrape things off it will release palytoxin.

Algae and dinoflagellates are a bigger risk of releasing palytoxin. To put your mind at ease look at how many people die a year from palytoxin. Then look up in last ten years, then ever.

 

[KC2020]

Do be careful.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Good thing is that if the frag rack is acrylic, they should “peel off” pretty easily. Touch them to get them to close up, and start from the edge of the colony and gently work up a piece of the mat, and from there you should be able to kinda shimmy on the mat and separate it from the rack.

Just take your time, go slow, and like the other poster said, avoid cutting the skin on the polyps, just try and only cut the mat between them.

It’s 3D printed sadly. And if I didn’t know people who got sick or ended up in the hospital from it I probably wouldn’t be worried but I do know. Also I’m a klutz. The actual coral tissue between them is okay to cut? Not the polyp part is that where the toxin would be released from?

 

[AydenLincoln]

Algae and dinoflagellates are a bigger risk of releasing palytoxin. To put your mind at ease look at how many people die a year from palytoxin. Then look up in last ten years, then ever.

I know it’s not that I’m like aaa I’m going to die. It’s more like how do I go about it to minimize risks. Also because I have a colony of unidentified green palys growing and I really want to remove them but I’m not sure the species and have a gut feeling it’s definitely toxic ones those are on a coral skeleton.

 

[Goaway]

How about a picture of target?? A drawing of what you have planned or would like to do?

But, you should use eye protection, gloves, scalpel to peel back zoas.

Use peroxide to clean hands and arms. While some people are probably laughing their socks off.. there are such things as chemical reactions. I cannot touch certain coral with my bare hands. I'll break out into hives.

Good luck!

 

[jkcoral]

It’s 3D printed sadly. And if I didn’t know people who got sick or ended up in the hospital from it I probably wouldn’t be worried but I do know. Also I’m a klutz. The actual coral tissue between them is okay to cut? Not the polyp part is that where the toxin would be released from?

Yes, you’d want to cut the connective tissue that grows between the polyps. It has multiple benefits like faster healing and less likely to kill/smash/maim individual polyps.

And you should be fine with the 3D printed rack. Just go slow and take your time, and I’m sure you’ll find that it isn’t so bad.

 

[KrisReef]

I only get sick if I lick my fingers after cutting them free. I wear gloves and goggles to help me remember not to lick my fingers.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I only get sick if I lick my fingers after cutting them free. I wear gloves and goggles to help me remember not to lick my fingers.

I feel like/hope this is a joke knowing you it is lol!

 

[KrisReef]

I feel like/hope this is a joke knowing you it is lol!

Of course. How is Hewbie doing today?

 

[AydenLincoln]

Of course. How is Hewbie doing today?

He’s doing great! He’s a big boy now and he says hello!