I was on a FB page for aquariums and someone posted a pic of a zoa and wanted to know what it was and someone responded to him that they were highly poisonous and not to ever touch them. He also posted this link. I have read it. I was wondering what everyone elses thoughts were.
Pally are very poisoness that’s what I got in my eye a couple months ago and eye dr said I was very lucky that I can still use it . I can just imagine if you inhale it and accually get it in your lungs or blood stream
Not sure which ones are worst zoas or pallys but the pallys are super nasty and I make sure I use that antibacterial wash and then the antibacterial soap
I did a lot of reading on this awhile back and both Zoas and Palys can have palytoxin it has not been determined which ones contain elevated amounts and the recommendation was to consider them all to have the capability to release lethal amounts of the toxin.
I’ve gotten myself pretty good with palys over the yrars. Small cuts and scrapes on your hands or not paying attention / washing your hands good after handling them. I always had a bad metallic taste in my mouth, felt dizzy and nautious. I always use latex gloves whenever i handle them now. Especially if I’m fragging them.
Same with flatworms. Their toxin is just a bad imo.
Oh wow!! I was not aware of this. I guess I should start using gloves. I have handled them before but I have always washed my hands afterwards.
I’ve learn to never touch any part of my face or body after I stick my hand in the tank and especially after I’m fragging corals. I would double wash my hands with soap and make sure it completely dry before I touch any part of my body.
I learned my lesson years ago when I handled a hammer coral, dried my hands but didn’t wash them. At some point I rubbed my eye - woke up a few hours later and contemplated (seriously - I’m not making a joke) plucking my own eyeball from my head.
I now wash my hands up to the elbows after I’ve handled anything in my tank.
You’ve heard of poison blow-darts right? The tribes used to rub the points of their darts in zoas and palys - that’s what made them poisonous.
I always wash up to my elbows. Or in my case because my tank is so deep and my arms are short its up to my pits when I have to reach to the bottom!! lOl I knew there were some poisonous things but now I am seeing that just about everything is poisonous! I will keep it in mind for now on!
Good read, those things pack a punch.
Not the same animal but…About 7-8 years ago i worked are a LFS in NC and the women who owned the store was working in the nem tank and had a 10inch carpet nem wrap around her are and attached, sending her to the hospital.
yes, Paly and zoo slime is highy toxic. its more like a neurotoxin . and will destroy liver and kidney function in animals and people if ingested. so always wash your hands, nevere drop slime on floors with kids and pets in the house, and never get squirted by them in the eye, or rub your eyes with contaminated hands. there is no known antidote.
yet, despite the toxic hazzards, surprisingly few people have troubles. but you have to be careful with them.
I too have had my eyes affected by rubbing them even after a fresh water rinse of my hands. all read, black and blue and bloodshot and sore for a week several times.
It makes you look like Rocky, , After he won a fight?
Coral toxins are very dangerous, partly because the medical world does not completely understand them. There are so many different toxins and each is different in strength and effects. Some are even being studied to fight cancer. If it can kill cancer, you probably don’t want it in your eyes or open wounds.
I never use gloves handling zoos or palys inside the tanks but I always were glasses and big gloves when holding them outside the tank.
They are powerful and must be respected buy they don’t ussaly spray unless aggravated …
[quote=“Qfinz96, post:12, topic:7020”]
They are powerful and must be respected buy they don’t ussaly spray unless aggravated …[/quote]
It only takes once. A slight bump, a mild touch, a stiff breeze can cause them to “shoot”.
I know it only takes a :BUMP) and your in the hospital but that’s y you were protection. lOl