identification please, removing these

[saltyfins]

I am going to remove these, before I do my water change, or possibly after I drain out my 40 gallons....are these the toxic veriety? they spread fast, and they're killing my sps. I am rural, and have no desire to rehome them, plus anyone that knows how invasive they are, wouldnt want them. I just need to know if they're toxic to us, before removing. they're on large base rocks, and I am going to snip off, the sps that they're trying to kill. I thought maybe a bag inside the tank, then put said rock in, then into a bucket of bleach water, outside. Very nervous, but I have to do something
Thank You so much, in advance.

also, this is a 300 gallon tank.
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[Fish Fan]

I don't know if anyone could say just by looking if these have the Palytoxin or not. The majority do not have it, but it would be wise to assume that all Zoas and Palys have the toxin, and use proper protective gear when handling these animals. Gloves and eye protection at a minimum. I am in a similar situation with some ugly brown Palys that I'm sure no one will want, and I got a full plastic face shield for when I mess with mine.

Good luck; stay safe!

 

[saltyfins]

I don't know if anyone could say just by looking if these have the Palytoxin or not. The majority do not have it, but it would be wise to assume that all Zoas and Palys have the toxin, and use proper protective gear when handling these animals. Gloves and eye protection at a minimum. I am in a similar situation with some ugly brown Palys that I'm sure no one will want, and I got a full plastic face shield for when I mess with mine.

Good luck; stay safe!

Yeah, I’m gonna do the best I can. I have glasses and surgical gloves, but I don’t have long gloves. They are, basically right there for me to grab out. It’s the whole grabbing it out and getting it into the bucket that scares me.

 

[Baldyreef]

those seem to be captain Jerk palythoa they definitely do contain palytoxin, best of luck with removal, its also worth mentioning that palytoxin can become airborn especially depending on the method of removal used

 

[saltyfins]

those seem to be captain Jerk palythoa they definitely do contain palytoxin, best of luck with removal, its also worth mentioning that palytoxin can become airborn especially depending on the method of removal used

I got a bunch out, by removing the rock, into buckets with water, and then dumped some bleach into the buckets. Some I used a baggie, and then used long tweezer things, to put in the baggie, while still in the water. Idk how I’ll get the rest out. Maybe still just a few at a time. I had doors and windows open also

 

[EnterName]

Yeah, I’m gonna do the best I can. I have glasses and surgical gloves, but I don’t have long gloves. They are, basically right there for me to grab out. It’s the whole grabbing it out and getting it into the bucket that scares me.

Zoanthids have quite small cnidocytes that aren't well suited to penetrate human skin, so a reasonably short direct contact is unlikely to harm you. Palytoxin isn't really absorbed through the skin either, which is why people handling them with bare hands don't show any symptoms. The only contact-related injuries I know of are caused by transferring the toxins into the eyes or into open wounds. The gloves and eye protection will prevent this from happening.

Aerosols are the other thing to watch out for. You don't have to worry that taking the zoanthids out of the tank will suddenly cause them to release a toxic cloud. Low tides can expose them to air in nature, so while it might be stressful for them, their cnidocytes don't really have a reason to fire and don't reach far to inject toxins into you. The bleach bath is the actual "danger" here. I would simply take it outside and let it sit there. You can put a loose lid on the bucket so aerosols stay trapped, and any gases will be released slowly and diluted sufficiently by the surrounding air.

I unfortunately had to do this with multiple zoanthid-covered rocks that were riddled with Aiptasia, and I'm pretty certain some of them were toxic, because an Oceamo Organo-MS analysis found low levels of Palytoxin in my tank.

 

[saltyfins]

Yeah, I’m gonna do the best I can. I have glasses and surgical gloves, but I don’t have long gloves. They are, basically right there for me to grab out. It’s the whole grabbing it out and getting it into the bucket that scares me.

Zoanthids have quite small cnidocytes that aren't well suited to penetrate human skin, so a reasonably short direct contact is unlikely to harm you. Palytoxin isn't really absorbed through the skin either, which is why people handling them with bare hands don't show any symptoms. The only contact-related injuries I know of are caused by transferring the toxins into the eyes or into open wounds. The gloves and eye protection will prevent this from happening.

Aerosols are the other thing to watch out for. You don't have to worry that taking the zoanthids out of the tank will suddenly cause them to release a toxic cloud. Low tides can expose them to air in nature, so while it might be stressful for them, their cnidocytes don't really have a reason to fire and don't reach far to inject toxins into you. The bleach bath is the actual "danger" here. I would simply take it outside and let it sit there. You can put a loose lid on the bucket so aerosols stay trapped, and any gases will be released slowly and diluted sufficiently by the surrounding air.

I unfortunately had to do this with multiple zoanthid-covered rocks that were riddled with Aiptasia, and I'm pretty certain some of them were toxic, because an Oceamo Organo-MS analysis found low levels of Palytoxin in my tank.

I put them in the buckets with tank water, then put them outside and then put the bleach in. I’d like to just get rid of the rocks, but the thought of a child or animal getting too close, scares me. It’s been 4-5 hrs now, and so far I feel fine, and all animals in my house and tank seem fine

 

[EnterName]

Yeah, I’m gonna do the best I can. I have glasses and surgical gloves, but I don’t have long gloves. They are, basically right there for me to grab out. It’s the whole grabbing it out and getting it into the bucket that scares me.

Zoanthids have quite small cnidocytes that aren't well suited to penetrate human skin, so a reasonably short direct contact is unlikely to harm you. Palytoxin isn't really absorbed through the skin either, which is why people handling them with bare hands don't show any symptoms. The only contact-related injuries I know of are caused by transferring the toxins into the eyes or into open wounds. The gloves and eye protection will prevent this from happening.

Aerosols are the other thing to watch out for. You don't have to worry that taking the zoanthids out of the tank will suddenly cause them to release a toxic cloud. Low tides can expose them to air in nature, so while it might be stressful for them, their cnidocytes don't really have a reason to fire and don't reach far to inject toxins into you. The bleach bath is the actual "danger" here. I would simply take it outside and let it sit there. You can put a loose lid on the bucket so aerosols stay trapped, and any gases will be released slowly and diluted sufficiently by the surrounding air.

I unfortunately had to do this with multiple zoanthid-covered rocks that were riddled with Aiptasia, and I'm pretty certain some of them were toxic, because an Oceamo Organo-MS analysis found low levels of Palytoxin in my tank.

I put them in the buckets with tank water, then put them outside and then put the bleach in. I’d like to just get rid of the rocks, but the thought of a child or animal getting too close, scares me. It’s been 4-5 hrs now, and so far I feel fine, and all animals in my house and tank seem fine

The bleach smell will tell everyone to stay away and after a few hours I suppose most toxins have been released or have been broken apart by the bleach in some way. I wouldn't start drinking that soup or smell it but I doubt it can harm anyone just from getting close to it for a few minutes

It's going to be fine, and chances are the species wasn't one of the dangerous ones anyway.

I very much appreciate how serious you take this. Better be safe than sorry

 

[kevgib67]

I think you are taking all the right precautions.

 

[13rodo]

Bleach is the way… it actually neutralizes palytoxin: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6431a4.htm

Palytoxin can be neutralized by soaking the coral for 30 minutes in a ≥0.1% household bleach solution (1 part 5%–6% sodium hypochlorite [household bleach] to 10 parts water, prepared fresh) (8). Contaminated items should be soaked in diluted bleach before disposal (3).