Polytoxin? also im back!!!

[Caleb M]

Hello everyone!

As the title says how common is this "polytoxin?" I have read about it, got warnings from other members about this toxin. Everytime I google it I honestly dont get any answers. Mainly I just want to know if any of you encountered this?

I have a lot of zoathinds in my tank and heard that they primarily carry it. But what is the best way to know if your zoas have it?
Has anyone on here ever gotten sick from it?
Or worse actually died?
Im genuinely nervous about it but I feel like my paranoia is working against me on this.

Also after a few months break from here I am gald to be back! I am looking to to get my first aquarium controller for my 25G AIO Lagoon so super excited as well!

 

[Unitylover]

Just wear aquarium gloves, they are cheap, and reusable. Palytoxin has no known cure, it has killed people, a lot, but rare, but it usually makes you go to the ER and stay in the hospital for a few days.

 

[reefsaver]

Yeah people have died from Palytoxin. It can be Aerosolized too, If I had symptoms I'd head straight to hospital. I've had coworkers tell me about close calls and having to go to the ER after cleaning frags outside of the tank, the zoas can squirt and someone got it in the eye, got symptoms and ended up in ER. But the Zoas that actually contain Palytoxin are really rare, although I wouldn't go eating any.

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I haven’t dealt with it and never met anyone who has. Worked in a lfs for years and . handling them . Back then we didn’t frag much as most all corals sold where colonies. The variety back then wasn’t as much on the market like today. I think it something to be careful of while cutting up colonies. And then again some people may be more sensitive then others

 

[Caleb M]

Yeah people have died from Palytoxin. It can be Aerosolized too, If I had symptoms I'd head straight to hospital. I've had coworkers tell me about close calls and having to go to the ER after cleaning frags outside of the tank, the zoas can squirt and someone got it in the eye, got symptoms and ended up in ER. But the Zoas that actually contain Palytoxin are really rare, although I wouldn't go eating any.

Thankfully i dont eat corals haha but if you had to guess like how rare are those, I just want to avoid that at all costs and not stress about it. Also what are the symptoms your coworkers experienced? Im all fine and all but just want to know!

Thank you!

 

[marmar]

In my experience I’m not 100% sure it was palytoxin poisoning, but pretty sure. I got a bunch of zoas just a few weeks ago and wore gloves when handling, but the gloves were really short so water got in them while i placed the zoas in the tank. I didn’t think much of it until a like an hour or 2 later my nose started bleeding, my muscles ached, i felt weak, and fatigued. I also looked back in my hand and noticed i actually had a cut on it, so I’m pretty sure the toxin went into my system that way. The symptoms weren’t too bad and i felt alright the next day. I’m pretty sure it’s only really dangerous if you eat it, if you exposed to the toxin for a long period of time like inhalation.

There was a documented case of a family all going to the ER bc the dad/husband cleaned his zoas with hot water. The daughter and wife were in another floor of the house and weren’t in the hospital for long, but the dad was in the hospital for a few days due to respiratory issues.

 

[Caleb M]

I haven’t dealt with it and never met anyone who has. Worked in a lfs for years and . handling them . Back then we didn’t frag much as most all corals sold where colonies. The variety back then wasn’t as much on the market like today. I think it something to be careful of while cutting up colonies. And then again some people may be more sensitive then others

So as long as im not Cutting them and boiling it and eating it haha, theoretically you should be good?

 

[reefsaver]

Thankfully i dont eat corals haha but if you had to guess like how rare are those, I just want to avoid that at all costs and not stress about it. Also what are the symptoms your coworkers experienced? Im all fine and all but just want to know!

Thank you!

She said it was flu-like, fever-like symptoms so it could be pretty hard to narrow down. I've only worked in an Aquarium for a little over 6 months and that's the only case I was told of after asking in a similar fashion. As for rarity I couldn't say, I'd guess as rare as your average collector Zoanthid if that makes sense?

 

[Caleb M]

In my experience I’m not 100% sure it was palytoxin poisoning, but pretty sure. I got a bunch of zoas just a few weeks ago and wore gloves when handling, but the gloves were really short so water got in them while i placed the zoas in the tank. I didn’t think much of it until a like an hour or 2 later my nose started bleeding, my muscles ached, i felt weak, and fatigued. I also looked back in my hand and noticed i actually had a cut on it, so I’m pretty sure the toxin went into my system that way. The symptoms weren’t too bad and i felt alright the next day. I’m pretty sure it’s only really dangerous if you eat it, if you exposed to the toxin for a long period of time like inhalation.

There was a documented case of a family all going to the ER bc the dad/husband cleaned his zoas with hot water. The daughter and wife were in another floor of the house and weren’t in the hospital for long, but the dad was in the hospital for a few days due to respiratory issues.

Thats insane, im glad your feeling better!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Polytoxin is not so much something you see but is atmospheric and in direct contact with their slime coat (reason to wear gloves or wash hands well) and can be vapor or absorption from the body. You will know you have from as simple as having a metallic taste in your mouth,

• Flu-like symptoms – Chills, Fever, Headaches, Cough, Sore Throat, Chest Pains, Muscle Aches
• Rash, Itching, Numbness in Affected Area
• Trouble Breathing, Shortness of Breath, Runny Nose, Wheezing
• Dizziness, Blurred Vision, Fatigue, Irregular Heart Beat
• Possible Foul Smell or Bitter/Metallic Taste in Mouthrunny nose along with wheezing when breathing, numbness with a rash and itching, blurred vision and feeling tired as well as flu like symptoms not limited to but including muscle aches, chest pains, shortness of breath, body chill or high fever and diziness.

 

[Mystery Fish]

Hey @Caleb M M this is a topic that keeps me wondering! The first article has some tips to ID specific and likely toxic zoanthids. The second is interesting and confirms the presence of the toxin in specimens purchased at several LFS’s.

The Dangers (and Myths) of Zoa Toxicity – Part 1

The oceans are full of creatures capable of killing us; one of the more surprising marine menaces is a group of popular aquarium corals known variably as “but

reefs.com

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www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Uncle99]

Not exclusively, but Palys usually show a great feeding response when feed in comparison to others.

Cant eat, boil, etc. Gloves sure. Don’t squash them, or they squirt. (In your eye and that’s bad)

Not supposed to be handled much anyways.

Sick absolutely, documented, but IMM not a big deal if you just treat with care and respect.

Had them 40 years, never a problem.

 

[Reefahholic]

Hello everyone!

As the title says how common is this "polytoxin?" I have read about it, got warnings from other members about this toxin. Everytime I google it I honestly dont get any answers. Mainly I just want to know if any of you encountered this?

I have a lot of zoathinds in my tank and heard that they primarily carry it. But what is the best way to know if your zoas have it?
Has anyone on here ever gotten sick from it?
Or worse actually died?
Im genuinely nervous about it but I feel like my paranoia is working against me on this.

Also after a few months break from here I am gald to be back! I am looking to to get my first aquarium controller for my 25G AIO Lagoon so super excited as well!

 

[JumboShrimp]

Love my Paly Grandis!