Pulsing Xenia Toxic?? Really?!!

nfrench2100 · Apr 5, 2018

So my wife has been asking to get some Pulsing Xenia for a while now. I always tell her that they are an invasive species of coral, and that I’d rather not deal with it.

We just finished dinner, and she’s reading the news and says, “Oh man, good thing we never got the PX, this guy almost killed his whole family when he pulled his PX out of his tank!”

I’ve never heard of PX being toxic, or containing palytoxin. But apparently, this article states otherwise
https://apple.news/A_k09UuO1TJmHiH-43MVHtg

Has anyone else heard of this?? I mean I’m glad this guy and his family are ok, but is this true?

Kamden Uelton · Apr 5, 2018

Never heard of that... He prob had a zoanthid and that is what poisoned him.

reef lover · Apr 5, 2018

I have never heard of xenia containing palytoxin...

Crashjack · Apr 5, 2018

reef lover said:
I have never heard of xenia containing palytoxin...

I never have either... had a tank full back in the late 90's - early 2000's. I used to remove it by hand to keep it in check. I think if xenia had palytoxins, I wouldn't be writing this ;Walkingdead;Walkingdead.

P-Dub · Apr 5, 2018

That is interesting. I sincerely doubt that Xenia was the actual cause and I can find no reference to palytoxin in Xenia. Likely he had palys that were the actual cause. I paid for the tank I have in fragging Xenia and other corals and I was not in the least bit careful while doing so. I would even purposefully let some Xenia dry and die on the rocks to get them clean when I wanted a xenia free rock. Dried them then brushed them off with no ill effects on me personally. This is anecdotal confirmation but this would be the first time that I have heard of this from Xenia.

redfishbluefish · Apr 5, 2018

This is nonsense! Palytoxin comes from Paly's and Zoa's....not pulsing xenia. I throw pulsing xenia out with frequency using my bare hands, and have never ever had an issue....other than getting slimmed.

I have had palytoxin episodes when hitting my hand into paly's and zoa's, resulting in welts on my hands and spending a day in bed (feeling sick).

Cnidoblast · Apr 5, 2018

https://reefs.com/2015/09/14/the-dangers-and-myths-of-zoa-toxicity-part-1/
I call horse ****

adam finley · Apr 5, 2018

I actually read the same story. Not only did his family all get sick but apparently 4 firefighters called to help out were taken to the hospital as well. However, this was written in the news so who knows if the story is true or not lol.

nfrench2100 · Apr 5, 2018

Yea I thought this reefer seemed a bit misunderstood when I read this. I don’t doubt that him and his family got sick, but it was definitely caused by zoas or palys, not his Xenia.

I’m still not getting any Pulsing Xenia anywhere near my tank lol. I have enough GSP and Clove Coral popping up that I’ve never intentionally introduced to my DT as it is

Risk1994 · Apr 5, 2018

I have to believe if xenia were that deadly we'd have a lot more stories about it. Honestly Ive heard about palys causing issues but Ive never heard of any toxin in in a reef tank becoming airborne.

Are there ANY other examples of this from any species?

Risk1994 · Apr 5, 2018

I have to believe if xenia were that deadly we'd have a lot more stories about it. Honestly Ive heard about palys causing issues but Ive never heard of any toxin in in a reef tank becoming airborne.

Are there ANY other examples of this from any species?

Sjet · Apr 5, 2018

I was just reading this article and asked myself the same question. He also said he power washed his tank? What does that even mean? I'm so confused LoL . . .

norfolkgarden · Apr 6, 2018

Was at LFS a few weeks back getting a wrasse from a heavily scaped tank.
The fish guy just removed a bunch of the encrusted rocks to make it easier to catch the fish.
The 6 inch rock covered in yellowish large paly's on it stunk horribly while sitting in air for 15 minutes.
Caught the fish and he put all the rocks back in the tank.
He had small welts on his hand where he handled that rock.
Washed up with cool water and soap and they went down eventually.
I didn't feel any noticable ill effects, but I got upwind as soon as I first smelt it.
It was pretty nasty, rotten egg, low tide smell.
Don't know if the poison has aerosols, but the paly's definitely stunk.

Crashjack · Apr 6, 2018

Chris said: "I knew about palytoxin, which can kill you if ingested, and that coral can cause things like rashes if you don't handle it carefully but I had no idea taking the pulsing xenia out of the water could make the toxin airborne.

"The information is not readily available online in a way people can easily understand and more needs to be done when people are buying these corals.

"I want to use this experience to educate people about the risks and the measures people need to take."

He added: "I've seen the coral described as 'exotic' but it is actually one of the most common around.

“It's a pest coral called pulsing xenia that you grow in areas where you can't get anything else to thrive.

"It's not expensive and a lot of people have it."

The whole thing is speculation on the guy’s part. The author of the article just assumes the guy is an expert and knows what he is talking about. I say there is an 85% chance that the illnesses had nothing to do with the tank. I’ll also say there is a 14.5% chance the illnesses were from something in the tank other than Xenia, and a .5% chance the illnesses were caused by Xenia. My speculation is every bit as valid as his, but his story is being reported as gospel.

eeyore357 · Apr 6, 2018

Risk1994 said:
I have to believe if xenia were that deadly we'd have a lot more stories about it. Honestly Ive heard about palys causing issues but Ive never heard of any toxin in in a reef tank becoming airborne.

Are there ANY other examples of this from any species?

I have ticked off zoas in the tank a few times and it did become airborne. Burning eyes for everyone in the house for a few hours.

Matthew Frost · Apr 6, 2018

This is an older story, there is another thread on it as well. This is truly misinformation. Xenia contain no toxins whatsoever. This guy was pressure washing/cleaning rock and likely blasted a paly/zoa unknowingly.

The moral of this story is this:

The inhabitants we have in our mini oceans are live creatures with natural defense mechanisms. Sometimes we are aware of them (both the inhabitants and their defenses) sometimes we aren't. Palytoxin and it's origins, as well as it's possible effects are well documented. Treat these creatures with respect and use the proper precautions. To not do so is a dangerous game of Russian Roullete.

Bigtex817 · Apr 6, 2018

What corals produce this palytoxin? I have read this article and it states multiple things to case it even fish. Here is the link. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palytoxin

Matthew Frost · Apr 6, 2018

Bigtex817 said:
What corals produce this palytoxin? I have read this article and it states multiple things to case it even fish. Here is the link. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palytoxin

Zoanthids and Palythoas. Google them and their care.

Rhian · Apr 6, 2018

I read the article too and thought what the heck! So did a light bit of digging.

Soft coral and their toxins by Bowden 1992 show that some xenias sp have toxins. Otherwise I can’t see any other studies confirming this.

norfolkgarden · Apr 6, 2018

You can grow the ones with paly toxin in them and the beautiful creatures like flame angelfish will leave them alone.

The flame angelfish will let you know which ones have Paly toxins in them and which ones don't.