Is this the dangerous zoa? Palytoxin?

[elagstein]

Friends,

I just bought a fully established tank that includes rocks. I was informed their are zoas on them and to be cautious with them.

Are these the dangerous Zoas? See p

if so, I do not want to keep them in my tank, it’s just not worth the risk. What do I do with them?

Any advice and suggestions are welcome.
Thanks!

 

[zoaprince]

no way to know for sure. if you're worried, then toss them (make sure to wrap them up)

 

[N.Sreefer]

I would assume every paly and zoa has the potential to poison just to be safe theres no one bad paly or zoa people make guesses like the duller ones are more dangerous but thats not a good assumption to make. Just be careful dont boil the rock or anything crazy and youll be fine. My buddy regularly frags palythoa grandis a very dangerous species and nobodys gotten sick just wear protective gear if fragging

 

[Reefing_addiction]

They are not dangerous if you take the right precautions when dragging.
Like previous poster said. Do NOT boil the rock. Wear protective eye protection and gloves when fragging
You could remove the rock and place it in a bucket of salt water and cover it with kalkwasser to kill them off if you don’t want them but want to keep the rock.
But they may be pretty. I love my zoas!

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

Most of the “designer” colorful zoa we’ve bred to death don’t contain much if any toxin. Palys are generally more toxic than zoa. The kind you have above look like wild type zoa to me which are the ones that studies show have the most palytoxin and are one of the “more” dangerous ones. That being said don’t eat them, boil them, cut them up and snort them, and you should be ok. Tons of stuff in this hobby is dangerous. It’s not worth never keeping zoa because of that. I have like 30 varieties I fool with all the time barehanded

 

[zoaprince]

Most of the “designer” colorful zoa we’ve bred to death don’t contain much if any toxin. Palys are generally more toxic than zoa. The kind you have above look like wild type zoa to me which are the ones that studies show have the most palytoxin and are one of the “more” dangerous ones. That being said don’t eat them, boil them, cut them up and snort them, and you should be ok. Tons of stuff in this hobby is dangerous. It’s not worth never keeping zoa because of that. I have like 30 varieties I fool with all the time barehanded

I've seen this alot never any proof. Do you have some studies that proove that the colorful zoas don't have palytoxin?

 

[sfin52]

I've seen this alot never any proof. Do you have some studies that proove that the colorful zoas don't have palytoxin?

Agree i do


@elagstein
If you are going to toss the rocks soak them in bleach first this kills all the palys and nuterlizes the palytoxin.

 

[Oscar47f]

I've seen this alot never any proof. Do you have some studies that proove that the colorful zoas don't have palytoxin?

We don’t breed them per say... we grow and they’re genetically the same as when they were taken from the ocean I would assume... however yes there’s some truth the last article I read about there were 9 species of zoanthids from palythoa to zoanthids and all of them have varying levels of paly toxin some have so little it would never be a threat... (I can try to find the article) that being said ALWAYS assume the zoa you are handling is highly toxic... take precautions and you will never encounter paly toxin poisoning, wash your hands after handling, wear eye protection when fragging and don’t handle them with open wounds etc.

 

[Rooki3]

I agree with the info above. Treat them all as toxic. Especially brown polyps and palythoa grandis. Always use gloves when handling.

 

[MohrReefs]

You'll be okay . If you want them gone just wear ppe and do not boil them which will turn the toxin into an aerosol.

 

[sp1187]

fear not.
embrace (not literally) them.

 

[zoaprince]

We don’t breed them per say... we grow and they’re genetically the same as when they were taken from the ocean I would assume... however yes there’s some truth the last article I read about there were 9 species of zoanthids from palythoa to zoanthids and all of them have varying levels of paly toxin some have so little it would never be a threat... (I can try to find the article) that being said ALWAYS assume the zoa you are handling is highly toxic... take precautions and you will never encounter paly toxin poisoning, wash your hands after handling, wear eye protection when fragging and don’t handle them with open wounds etc.

yes please post it here

 

[MohrReefs]

fear not.
embrace (not literally) them.

Please tell me how you kept those pink Mohawks from overtaking your tank.

 

[sp1187]

Please tell me how you kept those pink Mohawks from overtaking your tank.

mohawks? which pic?

 

[MohrReefs]

mohawks? which pic?

Are these not Mohawks? They look a lot like mine which are if so.

 

[sp1187]

Are these not Mohawks? They look a lot like mine which are if so.

few people in the know here told me those are Halle Berry's.
not spreading fast at all. not like much of the other stuff I have.

 

[MohrReefs]

few people in the know here told me those are Halle Berry's.
not spreading fast at all. not like much of the other stuff I have.

Ah, that may be why then. Different than what I got just similar looking. I have a paly colony thats running a marathon in my tank, driving me crazy

 

[sp1187]

Ah, that may be why then. Different than what I got just similar looking. I have a paly colony thats running a marathon in my tank, driving me crazy

I've got other's doing sprints.

 

[MohrReefs]

I've got other's doing sprints.

What do you do with the sprinters? Anything special?

 

[sp1187]

What do you do with the sprinters? Anything special?

depending on what, some I let go. some I pull out and give away to the local financially strapped college kid and his reefing friends.
I'm also setting up a 50g tub to start moving stuff in to for grow out.