Questions about zoa

[Sexytang]

I’ve seen lots of tanks with zoa gardens and I think they look great and have been thinking of starting one. The thing is the toxins I hear they have. I like to move stuff a lot. Is the toxins only letout if out of water or broken?

 

[rkpetersen]

Only some palys contain palytoxin.
Most zoas and palys that we see in the hobby do not.
But it's pretty difficult to know which do and which don't.
Palytoxin won't be an issue in the tank.
You don't want to handle sizable zoa or paly colonies with bare hands.
And you don't want to tear or scrub undesired colonies off of rocks without eye protection as well.
And don't boil rocks with zoas on them, or do other things that might aerosolize the toxin.

 

[Sexytang]

So it really takes a lot to get the toxins how fast do they grow might start a garden under my torch coral

 

[rkpetersen]

Different zoas and palys grow at very different rates.
Some colonies will double in size in a month. Gobstoppers, Happy People Eaters, Dragon Eyes, etc.
Others will take much longer to grow new polyps.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Toxins although of concern are not an issue if zoas are handled properly and left undisturbed.

 

[Dragonreef202]

some zoas grow at different rate it all depends on lighting and location. I have had some that take a long time to grow. I'm on my third time of growing Utter chaos. The only zoas that I have that has grows out a lot is Teal Palys and orang Oxides

 

[BayouReefer]

I may be wrong but pretty sure the torch will sting the zoa’s with it’s tips. Maybe someone else knows for sure.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I may be wrong but pretty sure the torch will sting the zoa’s with it’s tips. Maybe someone else knows for sure.

Most euphelia will reach for anything it can and sting

 

[rkpetersen]

Torch will sting almost anything but an anemone.

 

[MixedFruitBasket]

Only some palys contain palytoxin.
Most zoas and palys that we see in the hobby do not.
But it's pretty difficult to know which do and which don't.
Palytoxin won't be an issue in the tank.
You don't want to handle sizable zoa or paly colonies with bare hands.
And you don't want to tear or scrub undesired colonies off of rocks without eye protection as well.
And don't boil rocks with zoas on them, or do other things that might aerosolize the toxin.

From what I understand Zoanthids carry the same palytoxin as palys. All zoa and paly have it, no matter where they originated from. It's just some are more tolerant than others.

Suspected Palytoxin Inhalation Exposures Associated with Zoanthid Corals in Aquarium Shops and Homes — Alaska, 2012–2014

www.cdc.gov

That being said, just about everything in the ocean wants to kill you. Fish alone, even when non-poisonous can (and apparently more often do than we like to think) carry fish tuberculosis.
And there are fish we don't even think as being toxic that are, blue hippo tangs for example.
There are mushrooms if consumed can kill within minutes. There are fish that can bring on anaphylactic shock, invertebrate hitchhikers (although rare) that have fatal bites/stings.
And finally, when you own an aquarium, you're mixing electricity and water. If it's a saltwater one, you're taking an extra risk because salt will conduct electricity.

This isn't a "safe" hobby, such as making balloon animals (and I'm sure there are disasters in that too), however if you take basic precautions there is very little chance of any kind of poisoning, house fire, etc.
And lets face it, life is dangerous and there are no trigger warnings.