Heartland man tragically dies of apparent palytoxin poisoning hours after cleaning aquarium

[Viva'sReef]

RIP

 

[Rubberfrog]

Such a terrible tragedy. I feel for his family.

 

[BZOFIQ]

It's terrible either way and I'm sure his family is in shock.

The question is, did he do something silly, and was he aware of risk while not taking precautions.

 

[ThatPhillyReefer]

Very sad we lost a fellow reef hobbyist. I am praying for the family and friends.

This is a very vague story. I’m just a little stumped on the story. I feel there is definitely more to it.

This is definitely a reminder that we need to be careful while handing or caring for Zoa/Palys.

To newer hobbyists, here are some things to note while having Zoa/Palys.
-NEVER BOIL YOUR ROCKS, this is release harmful toxins in the air and harming you and possibly your family.
-While fragging, always be careful and slow. Always wear gloves and eye wear.
-Always wear gloves while handling them.
-Make sure to wash your hands after handling and DO NOT TOUCH your FACE or ANYTHING that is frequently used in your home.

These are some things to note while having Zoa/Palys. I may sound very jurassic, but it is definitely NOT A JOKE.

Happy Reef Keeping
-ThatPhillyReefer

 

[ThatPhillyReefer]

I just bought 3 zoa polyps from lfs and now I’m scared to death to put my hands in my tank. What should I do. Should I throw them in the garbage. Should I wear a hazmat suit to handle them. If I blow up my house will they die and I be ok...I’m not making fun of the fact that dude died that is very sad but this stuff sends some people to go crazy is all I’m saying

Do not be afraid, be careful. Make sure not to startle them too much if handling. It’s a very slim chance of getting palytoxin. Just make sure to wear gloves and eye wear, maybe even a mask now that they’re very popular lol.

 

[brandon p]

These stories are typically very vague... FILLED with holes

What exactly was he doing? Last time I read an article like this the genius boiled his LIVE ROCK ON THE STOVE..............

I can see a person trying to...well, trip off the psychedelic colors. I’m sorry I have no faith in humans but just walk into a DMV anywhere, anytime... you think a simple majority in that lobby are... never mind. I’m the worst

 

[DucatiGtr]

Articles like this generate clicks. Because theres no back story.

He wasn't simply cleaning his tank he was doing something else. All seasoned hobbyists know this.

I can happen, I assume he was cleaning it after the power went out and the tank was “dead”
I’ve seen more and more lfs put info and warnings on coral.. on a fb page i had a few laugh at that. We only know what we know and I have been doing this over 20 years w coral.. it took over 10 to even know this was a thing...
I’ve had numerous people over for coral and when I told them the story not one even heard of this until forums and internet.

 

[codycolina707]

I can see a person trying to...well, trip off the psychedelic colors. I’m sorry I have no faith in humans but just walk into a DMV anywhere, anytime... you think a simple majority in that lobby are... never mind. I’m the worst

I was thinking the 40 year old gorilla glue lady that's also a teacher with zero common sense

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I was thinking the 40 year old gorilla glue lady that's also a teacher with zero common sense

People ARE dumb I guess they don’t read enough. That’s what happens when you’re sat in front of a TV your whole life

 

[JayinToronto]

These are my zoas
Does anyone think they are the more dangerous paly species?
I put my hands/arms in the aquarium regularly for one reason or another. I don’t wear gloves or goggles. I just wash my hands and arms well after. Am I just playing with fire?

 

[ThePurple12]

These are my zoas
Does anyone think they are the more dangerous paly species?
I put my hands/arms in the aquarium regularly for one reason or another. I don’t wear gloves or goggles. I just wash my hands and arms well after. Am I just playing with fire?

I believe the main thing is to not touch them. I heard of a guy that was hurt by it when he accidentally crushed some zoas. You should be fine just putting your hands in the tank. Fun fact: the Palytoxin is assumed to be produced by Ostreopsis dinoflagellates residing in the polyps!

How to Avoid a Deadly Zoanthid Toxin | Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine

If you've never heard of palytoxin, you need to know it's a dangerous zoanthid toxin found in some ornamental reef polyps. Learn how this toxin kills, and why it's better to be safe than sorry.

www.tfhmagazine.com

 

[Steph72]

Such a terrible tragedy. I feel for his family.

Me too. My heart goes out to them

 

[arking_mark]

Truly a tragedy. If I recall correctly, few Palys and Zoas carry the toxin. However, I think it would be very beneficial to the hobby to identify the ones that do. I've worked with dozens of varieties over the last 20 years and love these guys...I've never been careful except when I torched them off a rock I was cleaning. Having this info would make me feel better and maybe save some unfortunate incidents.

 

[Steph72]

These are my zoas
Does anyone think they are the more dangerous paly species?
I put my hands/arms in the aquarium regularly for one reason or another. I don’t wear gloves or goggles. I just wash my hands and arms well after. Am I just playing with fire?

Very pretty! I wouldn’t say you’re playing with fire, but it’s always a good practice to wear gloves when handling coral - better safe than sorry and it’s more hygienic.

I have the gigantic palys that have more of the toxin. I just avoid touching them and wear gloves if I have to handle them.

 

[RobertT]

Remember, there were power outages all over texas from the freeze that week and a lot of people's tanks crashed. His could have been a syrupy tank of death juices

 

[KrisReef]

Articles like this generate clicks. Because theres no back story.

He wasn't simply cleaning his tank he was doing something else. All seasoned hobbyists know this.

"Seasoned" Hobbyists.

Next up; "Friends of the Reef" file legal action to curb imports and trade in all dangerous corals. "To protect innocent children who might get involved with a killer reef."

 

[Steph72]

Remember, there were power outages all over texas from the freeze that week and a lot of people's tanks crashed. His could have been a syrupy tank of death juices

That’s what I’m inclined to think. It’s been awful here in Texas...people are still without running water. He may have been trying to deal with a crashed tank with no access to electricity, water or even proper supplies like gloves. A lot of the stores are just now opening back up. He could have also been running on no sleep in a house with busted plumbing and no heat. People need to be more empathetic.

 

[ThePurple12]

Everybody just stop this. This is just ridiculous. Because the liberal left media is constantly bombarding us with fake news we need to ask ourselves as to the accuracy of this news story. The news of today is so riddled with lies and half-truths that make it hard to believe anything we hear from them. This article is so brief so it is hard to gather the facts about the how the story informs us of the big picture. Will there there be more articles from a different source or follow up articles? Any news group can publish anything they want these days whether it’s true or not.

honestly can't tell if you're serious or not...I'm assuming not

 

[bitwise]

I got rid of all my palys and zoas a few years ago and have been much more carefree when working on my tank. I don’t have to worry about touching my face or something and having something terrible happen.

I suggest others who are on the fence to do the same. It’s not worth it

 

[powers2001]

honestly can't tell if you're serious or not...I'm assuming not

Dude I’m dead serious. I declare Habeus Corpus: “Produce the Body.” Because we can no longer trust our news sources in this country it’s a crying shame.