Danger!

bang guy

Moderator
To anyone that traded with me for light blue Palythoa polyps.
I became very ill two of the times that I propogated them. I have definately linked my illness to these polyps. I recommend you remove them from your system. Wear gloves and don't cut the polyps.
If you would like some green polyps to replace them feel free to e-mail me.
Guy
 
Handle with gloves!!
ATTENTION: PALYTOXIN
Look here:
(copied form another bb)
Zoanthids are they toxic? Zoanthids are they toxic? I have to say YES! Yesterday I was getting ready for the Ohio frag swap. I was working over a rubbermade tub and my dog was sitting next to me as she always did. I got up to get some more gumbands to close the bags and when I returned she had her head in the tub. I thought nothing about it. Dogs always stick their heads in things. 12:30
I went to the frag swap and was having a really good time. An I got a call on my cell phone. My wife called to tell me that the dog was sick. 2:00
I hung around for a bit after I talked to my wife. Dogs get sick all of the time (right)?
She called again told me to come home. 3:00
I came home and the dog greeted me at the door but she was very lethargic. My wife told me to take the dog to the vet. 4:30
I took her to the vet. At this point I had to carry her from my truck. I talked to the vet and I had no idea of what could be the problem. He ran some tests on her blood and from the tests he said that it looked like she had ingested some sort of toxin. A bell went off in my head!! She had her head in my tub.
I got on my cell and had a friend do some searches about Zoanthids. We found Zoanthids carry one of the most powerful toxins in the world. The toxin is called Palytoxin. I read the symptoms and wow a direct match. Did a search for a cure only to find out that there is no antitoxin.
My dog passed away at 12:15am.
I normaly would not post any thing like this or make a post this long but I wanted everyone to know that Zoanthids are very toxic. Watch when your children and pets around your tanks. I am including a list of links to the research that we did last night. I knew that there are Zoanthids were toxic but not to this level.
http://www.asanltr.com/newsletter/0...Neurotoxins.htm
http://www.cinfo.com/Biological/Toxins/Palytoxin.html
 

overanalyzer

Active Member
can you post a picture please so we know what to look for - even if we did not trade with you?
Thanks Bang guy!
 
guess i better say clear of the Zoanthids and Xenia when finally adding corals to my tank
pretty sad article, btw.. but im sure in the end itll save some other people from getting sick, etc.
hopefully youre feeling better bang guy!
regards,
jib
 

bang guy

Moderator

Originally posted by Kipass4130
i believe these are the ones in question, just a different color variety, if these arent the ones ... Bang feel free to delete this post

Yep! That's them, just a different color:
 

fishkiller

Active Member
whoa... wait a minute... That's what I have in my tank.. I thought they were called Green Polyps. I've never seen em called anything else. So shouldn't touch them? Will they kill they other stuff in the tank? Now I'm kinda nervous..
 

cadbury

Member
I'm really sorry to hear about your loss, not a good way to find out their dangerous, prayers are with ya. Thanks for letting everyone know!
 
N

newreefers

Guest
bang guy,
are these the same thing that you posted?? man I hope not, I just fragged these and handled them like crazy!!!!
 
Little clarification needed here:
I copied that info from another thread on another board since it was relevant.
Thank goodness it's not my dog....
 

bang guy

Moderator
I've fragged many many polyps in the past two decades I've never had any problem except with the polyps pictured. I'm not ever going to handle those again but I'm not fearful of other polyps. I will probably start wearing gloves when handling button polyps though.
 

yosemite sam

Active Member
I did some searching in some marine biology journals I have online access to, and it looks like all zooanthid polyps in the Palythoa genus have the toxin (thus the name palytoxin), ie button polyps and crater polyps. I'm not sure about other zooanthids, or even if the toxin occurs in the same concentration in all species - still checking. I also found an interesting article that found the stuff in other marine organisims as well (in the wild), and suggests that certain corals, sponges, mollusks, etc. living near Palythoas can also absorb the toxins. I'm posting the article here because I am not a marine biologist and can't translate biologese very well, so it would be great if someone could read it and tell us if this has any implications for us. I personally really like my polyps, and don't plan on getting rid of them, but it would be nice to know if I should take extra precautions with them in my tank.
Thanks
Palytoxin article
 

marinerock

Member
HELLO ALL....
MAYBE SOMEONE CAN MAKE A STICKY OF THIS TO PUT ON THE
TOP OF THIS FORUM PERMANENTLY, AS THIS IS REALLY
SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ AND BE AWARE
OF....
REGARDS...
MARINEROCK
 
I agree...
Although I think that people should be made aware of the toxicity of other corals, or animals for that matter that we have in our tanks. ie: Firecoral, Sun Polyps, and even lionfish and toadfish... Or how about that wonderful small octopus?
 

scarybo

Member
Would the toxin produced by these stress other corals? I have a hammer coral that has been very stress since I added some encrusting polyps. I couldnt find the cause..I tested my water quality and everything was perfect, but I noticed coral slime in that area of my tank but couldnt narrow the cause.
 

saltyshark

Member

The lethal dose for a human is less than five micrograms.

Whoa...That's scary!
Get well soon Bang, sorry you had to find out that way. But thanks for bringing attention to this matter, I have a feeling that you may have just saved A LOT of people.
I have the same polyps as Newreefers...I think they are called Trumpet Polyps. Are these toxic? They don't look exactly like the ones in bang guy's picures, but better to be safe than sorry.
 

richard rendos

Active Member
I have fragged and handled mine many times with no adverse effects. Maybe different people react differently than others to the toxin, but no problems here.
 
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