Palytoxin, prayers needed

[MONTANTK]

Wow, this has me kind of worried.
I just got my first Zoa a few weeks back... just a single polyp.
A month later, that 1 polyp is now 5 polyps and doesn't seem to be slowing down. At this rate, I'm going to have to frag these constantly to keep them under control.
This hobby has already done major financial damage, I'm not sure I really want to risk physiological damage too. I don't need to go blind for this hobby. it would be pretty hard to enjoy fish and corals not being able to see. Maybe zoas aren't for me after all.

Trust me, getting palytoxin is still pretty difficult if you’re using proper care. What happened was likely a freak accident. If you wear safety glasses and gloves when fragging and wash your hands after you should have nothing to worry about. I’ve never gotten it but I know people who have gotten it multiple times and it was usually just a 24 hour sickness, albeit pretty intense.

 

[zoaprince]

Wow, this has me kind of worried.
I just got my first Zoa a few weeks back... just a single polyp.
A month later, that 1 polyp is now 5 polyps and doesn't seem to be slowing down. At this rate, I'm going to have to frag these constantly to keep them under control.
This hobby has already done major financial damage, I'm not sure I really want to risk physiological damage too. I don't need to go blind for this hobby. it would be pretty hard to enjoy fish and corals not being able to see. Maybe zoas aren't for me after all.

glasses, gloves, mask to cover mouth/nose and you'll be good.

 

[BKLYN651]

Reading all the horror stories on R2R and many other websites about palytoxin,I don’t know what my options are now?
About 1/3 of my live rock could have some. The monti and chalice that it is surrounding is bleaching out.
I understand the care with keeping it underwater. But don’t know how other things will be affected when I remove live rock for good. I have a 20 gallon and 10 gallon to move some items to. But what happens when I put back together with 1/3 missing?

 

[Jeremy K.A.]

Trust me, getting palytoxin is still pretty difficult if you’re using proper care. What happened was likely a freak accident. If you wear safety glasses and gloves when fragging and wash your hands after you should have nothing to worry about. I’ve never gotten it but I know people who have gotten it multiple times and it was usually just a 24 hour sickness, albeit pretty intense.

Not Entirely true since everybody handles things differently. I'd gotten palytoxin poisoning multiple times just from having my hand/ arm in my aquarium. Afterwards I would get extremely tired, lightheaded, nauseous and occasionally dizzy, as well as a metallic taste in my mouth. I never had any cuts etc on my arms or hands. I didn't have to touch the zoas or palys, just having my arm in the tank in general would do it. Absolutely 100% No fun whatsoever lol. I spoke with Julian sprung about it years ago at the Aquatic Experience in Chicago. He told me about his experience with it as well and that their periodic mucus secretions can be more than enough to affect different people. He also told me how if out of water for some time they can vaporize their toxins. I sold all of my Palys and Zoas a couple weeks later, at most, and haven't had any of those issues ever since. LOVE Palythoas and Zoanthids, I had incredible luck with growing them but my body doesn't like them so I don't keep them. It's amazing how differently things can affect people

 

[Jilly92]

Why is it safer doing it underwater?

Because when you cut them, sometimes they squirt

 

[MONTANTK]

Not Entirely true since everybody handles things differently. I'd gotten palytoxin poisoning multiple times just from having my hand/ arm in my aquarium. Afterwards I would get extremely tired, lightheaded, nauseous and occasionally dizzy, as well as a metallic taste in my mouth. I never had any cuts etc on my arms or hands. I didn't have to touch the zoas or palys, just having my arm in the tank in general would do it. Absolutely 100% No fun whatsoever lol. I spoke with Julian sprung about it years ago at the Aquatic Experience in Chicago. He told me about his experience with it as well and that their periodic mucus secretions can be more than enough to affect different people. He also told me how if out of water for some time they can vaporize their toxins. I sold all of my Palys and Zoas a couple weeks later, at most, and haven't had any of those issues ever since. LOVE Palythoas and Zoanthids, I had incredible luck with growing them but my body doesn't like them so I don't keep them. It's amazing how differently things can affect people

Wow that’s pretty interesting. I had never heard of that before. Even vaporizing was something I never really had on my mind. I’d have to imagine that if the toxin vaporized the sickness could become more serious.

 

[Opus]

I treat it like a bee sting. Some people just get a little red mark, others have to go to the emergency room and others can die in a matter of minutes. My tank is mostly zoas/palys and just messing in the tank really doesn't bother me unless I have open cuts, which unfortunately is a lot of the time. If I start feeling any symptoms, I take a benadryl and I'm fine in 30 minutes or so. I've had them squirt me in the mouth and eyes and so far nothing has happened. My worst injury so far has been getting stung by bristle worms. Had half of the skin peel off my finger from that episode.

Now my wife is allergic to everything, so I wouldn't ask her to stick her hand in the tank. Little FYI, she wouldn't do it anyway. She would just give me one of those looks and walk away.

 

[shred5]

I have had it once and it was a very long time ago and I was not to bad. I have been in the reef hobby 30+ years.

I was popping some bubble algae in a bunch of palys and it squired me in the eye.
I went to work and someone asked me what was wrong with my eye it was really red. I ended up getting light headed and feeling a little under the weather. It went away after a while. I now use gloves and eye protection.

 

[DHill6]

I’m on the opposite end here, no palys and no Zoas. The second tank had purple death palys which exploded in growth. Before hearing of palytoxin I ripped them out, not being careful of anything. No goggles or gloves. No desire to put the risk in the tank.

 

[DHill6]

Prayers were sent

 

[Jeremy K.A.]

Wow that’s pretty interesting. I had never heard of that before. Even vaporizing was something I never really had on my mind. I’d have to imagine that if the toxin vaporized the sickness could become more serious.

I would imagine so as well. Yeah, Palytoxin poisoning totally blows lol highly would not recommend experiencing it haha.

 

[LeftyReefer]

When you guys are saying zoas are relatively safe, but palys may need more care in handling..... I guess I'm still confused.

I just looked up my zoas, which are Utter Chaos, but when I look them up it says they are Utter Chaos zoanthid paylythoa, and that they are known to possess high levels of palytoxin. I also now see that some vendors list it as Utter Chaos Zoa and other sites list it as Utter Chaos palys... So I guess Utter Chaos is a paly that possesses alot of the palytoxin??

My Utter Chaos are growing like crazy. Started with a single polyp and in a month have 5 new polyps. Its starting to over grow the plug and down onto my frag rack. I had anticipated placing/gluing them permanently onto a rock in my DT soon, but now I'm not so sure...

 

[Casket_Case]

Of course! Many prayers.