How dangerous are Zoanthids?

[snake]

I had to reglue a frag and the thing squirt somthing out. Nothing hit me. Then today I move it to a different spot, a few seconds later I noticed it released something cloudy in the tank. I thought these guys were harmless. Should I be more careful and start wearing gloves?

 

[Myteemouse]

Zoos have DEADLY TOXINS in them more when you cut them when fraging but beware
There toxin will burn your skin, poison the tank when cut open when fraging and possibly BLIND you if gets in your eyes!
Do some reading on these you'll see.
My palys always "SLIME UP" when I move them.

 

[mfinn]

They are bad news if you were to get some of the ones that have the more potent toxin into your body via, cuts and getting nailed in the eyes with the juice in them, etc.
But from what I've read over the years not all are that bad.
I've gotten a few reactions by being careless. Mostly a little swelling at the cut site, a little pain. And then the really dumb one, rubbing my eye, while doing a little fragging. Burned like hell.
I also have fragged them in my main tank and not had any problem.

You do need to protect yourself when handleing and fragging.

 

[oldsaint]

Some good reading on Zoanthids toxins

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=158663

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=158730&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

 

[ac7av]

You know that’s too bad about the guys dog in the link but each time I read about this kinda stuff if just makes me want to never put my hand in a fish tank again. There is crazy stuff we don’t even know about yet out there. Myteemouse got it right in his right up for member of the month when he said keep your hands dry.

 

[surf_buddy]

See the last creature they list in this article, or link to the thread where this was posted.


http://listverse.com/nature/top-10-animals-you-didnt-know-were-venomous/

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31756

 

[trido]

In short, zoo's have toxins called Palytoxins. Some are more toxic than others but it is unkown which pack the most or least punch. There is no known antidote or cure if you become poisoned from them. Use caution when handeling them.

 

[5150REEFER]

Yes Palytoxins!!! can be real trouble!!! had a fellow reefer on another site visit the hospital!! he thought he has having a heart attack!! turn out to be palytoxins!!!

 

[ajnweb]

It would seem to me that if zoas are really as toxic as everyone says they are that we would be hearing about many deaths a year, and I have not heard of anyone dying from zoos. I wonder if it is something in there natural diet, possibly concentrating the toxin made by a dinoflagellate (read that in an article), that is not present in most home reef aquariums. For instance, Poison Dart forgs get there toxins by ingesting toxic ants, and once they become tank raised without that available toxic diet, they are no longer toxic, or as toxic. Is it a possibility that our tank raised zoos, as long as they are not wild caught, no longer posess the same level of toxicity as their wild counterparts?

 

[mfinn]

Yes Palytoxins!!! can be real trouble!!! had a fellow reefer on another site visit the hospital!! he thought he has having a heart attack!! turn out to be palytoxins!!!

I'm wondering, what test did they do to determin that?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Yes they contain these extreme toxins, but so do many plants and animals. The question is not how nasty the poisen is, the trick is how easy it would be to accidentally get enough in one to be dangerous. They need to be handled with care such as gloves and eye protection, as one would need to do the same with anemones, lionfish, fire coral, and the following household list just as a point:
Cardiovascular Toxins
Avocado (leaves, seeds, stem, skin)*
Azalea (entire rhododendron family)
Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale)*
Bleeding heart*
Castor bean*
Foxglove (Digitalis)*
Kalanchoe*
Lily-of-the-valley*
Milkweed*
Mistletoe berries*
Mountain laurel
Oleander *
Rosary Pea*
Yew*

Gastrointestinal Toxins
Amaryllis bulb*
Azalea (entire rhododendron family)
Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale)*
Bird of Paradise
Bittersweet
Boxwood
Buckeye
Buttercup (Ranunculus)
Caffeine
Castor bean*
Chocolate *
Chrysanthemum (a natural source of pyrethrins)
Clematis
Crocus bulb
Croton (Codiaeum sp.)
Cyclamen bulb
Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia)*
English ivy (All Hedera species of ivy)
Garlic*
Hyacinth bulbs
Holly berries
Iris corms
Lily (bulbs of most species)
Marijuana or hemp (Cannabis)*
Narcissus, daffodil (Narcissus)
Onions*
Pencil cactus/plant*
Potato (leaves and stem)
Rosary Pea*
Spurge (Euphorbia sp.)
Tomatoes (leaves and stem)

Respiratory Toxin
Almonds*
Apricot*
Cherries*
Chinese sacred or heavenly bamboo*
Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia)*
Elderberry, unripe berries*
Hydrangea*
Jimson weed*
Peaches*

Neurological Toxins
Alcohol (all beverages, ethanol, methanol, isopropyl)
Amaryllis bulb*
Azalea (entire rhododendron family)
Bracken fern
Buckeye
Caffeine
Castor bean*
Chocolate*
Choke cherry, unripe berries*
Chrysanthemum (natural source of pyrethrins)
Crocus bulb
Delphinium, larkspur, monkshood*
Lupine species
Marijuana or hemp (Cannabis)*
Mistletoe berries*
Morning glory*
Poinsettia
Potato (leaves and stem)
Rosary Pea*
Tomatoes (leaves and stem)

Kidney/Organ Failure Toxins
Anthurium*
Begonia*
Caladium*
Calla lily*
Jack-in-the-pulpit*
Lantana*
Oak*
Philodendron*
Rhubarb leaves*
Scheffelera*
Shamrock*

 

[ajnweb]

Just on a quick calculation, if this toxin has a similar density table salt (have no idea if it is even close), and if the article I read is correct that 4 micrograms is a deadly dose for humans, then you would need to ingest a cube approximately .15mm x .15mm x .15mm, or about 13 grains of salt. If my numbers are correct. It might be tough to get that much toxin through an open wound, but enough to make someone sick, and therefore we don't hear of any deaths.

 

[returnofsid]

I know of someone who was got "squirted" in the eye and was temporarily blind for over a month. Precautions should always be taken. Knowing that, most of us, myself included, don't.