Entire family hospitalized due to palytoxin

Butuz

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Peach02

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thankfully the hospital was equipped to deal with It as most people don't know what it is
 
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Butuz

Butuz

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thankfully the hospital was equipped to deal with It as most people don't know what it is

Kudos to their medical emergency to realize what that was. Saved their lives as well as protecting first responders. Palytoxin is no joke.
 
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Darth.Daddy12

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thankfully the hospital was equipped to deal with It as most people don't know what it is
This is my issue with this story.. I’ve seen enough stories of people here in Florida with flesh eating disease and hospitals are quick to dismiss this. Something this rare? Idk seems bit fishy to me I’ve also never heard of issues airborn. I always wear gloves with softies just in case but this seems a little far fetched to me. More like the doctor or hospital isnteachjng for a reason and someone with a bit of knowledge stepped in said. Something false and everyone else jumps on the band wagon. People have been keeping corals for 100 years and nothing to this extent has ever happened before. History, logic and some common sense says this is a story. Someone more versed will chime in on this but I don’t see bird falling from the sky over a reef cause some corals got upset. This smells bad to me so until a versed biologist says different and provides proof that’s what it will stay.

Either way I’ll cintinue handling my softies with gloves and eye eye protection cause we all know some can be deadly but this that are are but few and rarely found in tanks..
 
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Butuz

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I think the difference here is that the rock with palys was out of the tank and when they scrubbed it, the fumes caused the reaction. With all the events going on around the world, I see no point in Daily Telegraph posting a fake story on something that 99.9% of readers know nothing about (neither do they care). Fake stories are designed to appeal to the masses. If you doubt the validity of the issue, please scrub a few palys, inhale and let us know please. That would be more factual.

By posting this, I was trying to warn reefers (most importantly new hobbyists) to know the risks, as this family clearly did not. Your post adds no scientific facts and can potentially endanger others inclined to dismiss the risk.
 

Abby A.

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mattzang

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one of my lfs owners apparently got himself good fragging some palys awhile back. he said he started to feel sick and then later that night he could barely breath so his wife (a nurse) took him to the hospital

he said he wasn't wearing gloves or a mask though. i did some paly destroying awhile back, my rocks had some hitchiker ugly palys on them so i took the rocks outside and wore a mask, glasses, and gloves. then showered with the hose outside afterwards.
 
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Butuz

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If I’m being honest, I was fully unaware that this is a possible issue with Zoanthids. I found this article from Reefs.com to be helpful and somewhat reassuring
Part 1: https://reefs.com/2015/09/14/the-dangers-and-myths-of-zoa-toxicity-part-1/

Part 2: https://reefs.com/2015/09/15/the-dangers-and-myths-of-zoa-toxicity-part-2/

MANY THANKS for sharing this. For those who do not want to read a few pages, here is an extract/conclusion from the article that @Abby A. posted above.

“Given the potentially lethal consequences of this toxin and its well-documented medical history, I would not encourage anyone to take a cavalier attitude towards it. In researching this article, I have become mildly frightened of this species and would never again let it anywhere near me. For those of you with children, it is probably a good idea to eliminate it from your aquarium as quickly and carefully as possible.”

In summary, there are many other great choices within the “zoa family”. If you have identified that you are an inadvertent owner of a deadly paly, I see no reason to keep it in your tank.
 

Peach02

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This is my issue with this story.. I’ve seen enough stories of people here in Florida with flesh eating disease and hospitals are quick to dismiss this. Something this rare? Idk seems bit fishy to me I’ve also never heard of issues airborn. I always wear gloves with softies just in case but this seems a little far fetched to me. More like the doctor or hospital isnteachjng for a reason and someone with a bit of knowledge stepped in said. Something false and everyone else jumps on the band wagon. People have been keeping corals for 100 years and nothing to this extent has ever happened before. History, logic and some common sense says this is a crap story. Someone more versed will chime in on this but I don’t see bird falling from the sky over a reef cause some corals got ******. This smells bad to me so until a versed biologist says different and provides proof that’s what it will stay.

Either way I’ll cintinue handling my softies with gloves and eye eye protection cause we all know some can be deadly but this that are are but few and rarely found in tanks..
im pretty sure it only happens if you boil the rock the paly's were on
 

vetteguy53081

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Crazy and concerning but also associated with handling/mishandling and improper precautions.
 

Peach02

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Ok... and you’re so sure of this how?
I wouldn't say certain but I found it in my own research plus it makes sense
Palytoxin is a liquid

Zoanthid / palythoa might still have some small parts on the rock or the rock may of picked some up over the years

If you boil a liquid it becomes a gas, if you boil the rock and it has some palytoxin in it...

Bam palytoxin gas
 

Darth.Daddy12

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Yea palytoxin exist, I don't keep zoas in my tank because of this, but... this article does seem fishy to me for some reason or another.
Thing is o my a handful of them actually contain the toxins.. I don’t know anyone who keeps them or anywhere you can actually buy one.. this is more like an old wives tale common days. If memory serves there are 6 maybe seven select species that have the toxin. 99% do not.

This is why I’m calling Bs in this story.. is it possible they bought a frag from an old timer who still has toxic versions.. yes. It it probable that someone has kept a tank with these running for 20 years and still selling feats of them.. hmmmm possible yes but I think I’ve got a better chance of winning the powerball and being hit by lighting on the same day then what is claimed.
 

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