So i poisoned myself and my family with palytoxine last night. How do i get rid of the palys safely?

[Acartia]

I got them as hitchhikers on my live rock several years ago. I just leave them be. I have had hair algae problems and spray the rocks a couple times a year with peroxide. Keeps the algae in check with no effect on the platys. And no personal health effects.

 

[Acartia]

Had platys hitchhike on live rock several years ago. I like the little jerks. I don’t know why anyone would try to kill them. I have pulled the rocks they are on several times to soak them in peroxide (algae problems). Never a problem.

 

[bsr2430]

I would love to see photos, nasty toxins in them!

 

[playapixie]

I feel you. I’ve given myself palytoxin poisoning twice, by starting a siphon by mouth (a really, really terrible idea-I have no excuse for letting it happen twice!) I had those horrible aches and chills plus significant respiratory distress, and it took several weeks for my lungs to recover. This is a seriously horrible toxin, and I cringe every time reefers act like it’s not real.

I don’t keep palys anymore either. Not worth it. I curse forever the person who sold me the first “frag” of them when I was a stupid newbie.

A few hints: fresh carbon neutralizes the toxin (I’ve reasearched the hell out of this. Must be fresh, and it depletes rapidly.) So it’s a good idea to run brand new carbon via a high-flow method for a while before getting into that tank water and the whole time you are working in the tank, and for a few hours/days after. Safer for you and everything else in the tank. I used an external canister filter for this when I was dealing with this problem.

As for getting rid of it: maybe bag it in multiple plastic bags? Including a biohazard bag if you can get one (ask your nurse/medical friends.) That’s a tough one. I got rid of most of mine in a really bad tank crash (which ultimately was a good thing, as they’d invaded the whole tank.) But probably not your preferred route. ;-)

Keep an eye out for baby palys trying to grow. The best method I’ve found for dealing with the strays (or even areas covered with them) is to take a ball of 2-part epoxy (reef glue), dip it in kalk powder, and spread it over the area with the palys. Leave in place a week or so. The combo of no light/flow plus kalk works. It works without kalk too but it seems to work better with.

Sorry you got sick! Lucky you you seem to have recovered so quickly.

 

[playapixie]

Here’s an article with some photos of a few of the nasty varieties. But from what I’ve researched, it’s difficult to impossible to ID by sight all of the varieties that might contain palytoxin. You’ll see that the ones pictured are quite common. The blue ones in the first photo are the ones that severely poisoned me.

https://reefbuilders.com/2015/08/26/palytoxin-dangerous/

 

[Acartia]

I feel you. I’ve given myself palytoxin poisoning twice, by starting a siphon by mouth (a really, really terrible idea-I have no excuse for letting it happen twice!) I had those horrible aches and chills plus significant respiratory distress, and it took several weeks for my lungs to recover. This is a seriously horrible toxin, and I cringe every time reefers act like it’s not real.

I’m not suggesting that it’s not real. Just that most problems I have read about have been related to people trying to get rid of them. I have had them for years. My hands go in the tank frequently (followed by hand washing). I touch them frequently (unintentionally) and I have sprayed them with peroxide. What I don’t do is bleach them, acidity them, bake them, try to remove or shred them. Live and let live.

 

[MnFish1]

So... I was cleaning powerheads last night in bucket, with some water and a bit of vinegar. Powerheads were turned on, which included quite a lot of splashing, then rinsed under running water. That was around 9 p.m.

Went to sleep soon after, only to wake up a few hours later with feeling freezing cold and coughing... The cold got so bad i was shaking so hard that couldnt walk straight or hold up the glass when went to get something to drink, and chills were so bad i thought might break my teeth. Thats how i imagine being out in arctics with wearing only swimsuite would feel, lol. Was ready to call the ambulance, but in hour or two the symptoms got less, and managed to sleep, so didnt. Been weak all day after but by night am finally feeling almost ok again.
Other family members got same symptoms, but less strong, around same time and are better now, too.

Why i think its palys- we all got same symptoms around same time, me about an hour before others (and i was dealing with pumps directly). And for some autumn virus, the timing, everyone getting ill at the same hour, just doesnt make sense.
And- later i remembered seeing a paly polyp attached on one of the powerheads some time ago. Didnt notice it when removing it to clean, but since i removed it with holding frame, no wonder i didnt notice, when not knowingly paying attention.

Why im writing so long, two reasons:
PLEASE be very careful if you have the toxic type in your tank, this is one nasty poison!!!
And,
HOW do i get rid of them??? I mean, i can get them out of the tank fairly easily. But i will not sell them to anyone, too dangerous. Cant flush them coz attached to the rock (and poisonous), cant throw to trash coz not sure if it goes to sorting factory and someone can touch them, cant bury them coz living in city and some dog would probably dig them out. Any way to neutralize the poison before tossing the rock? Its about 50 heads colony...

Unless there is a misunderstanding - How would. cleaning a powerhead lead to palytoxin/ Sympathies none-the-less -b ut it seems doubtful

 

[Susan Bates]

Ok , I have a lot of this in my tank, what should i do? I was is hospital a couple of week age, still not well, (they don't know what is wrong) after do a water change and moving some corals

 

[vetteguy53081]

Sterilization with use of peroxide, or bleach or Epsom salts will be in order. Consult online...WedMD also for recommendations with personal health

 

[Mical]

You were lucky, I spent day in hospital with three Drs scratching their heads until I told them I was elbow deep in my reef tank and the "light" went off in one of them. Had to take prescription meds for 10 days twice a day. The hot cold chills while face felt like I was burning.

 

[WVNed]

Dermal and oral intoxication symptoms both vary significantly depending on the duration and extent of exposure but the principal concerns appear to be cardiac arrest, rhabdomyolysis, renal failure, and neurological alterations. A wide array of cardiac changes have been documented ranging from intermittent sinus bradycardia and sinus tachycardia, left and right bundle branch block, hypertension, T-wave inversions, and cardiac arrest.

This doesn't sound anything like the cases being remarked here. The symptoms don't match.

It doesn't make you feel sick. It makes you dead. There is no antidote.

Palytoxin and its analogs are considered to be among the most potent marine toxins, with the potential to cause rapid cardiac failure and death occurring within minutes of intoxication.

Whatever you experienced I do not think it was palytoxin.

 

[Sabbath22]

Unless there is a misunderstanding - How would. cleaning a powerhead lead to palytoxin/ Sympathies none-the-less -b ut it seems doubtful

And- later i remembered seeing a paly polyp attached on one of the powerheads some time ago. Didnt notice it when removing it to clean, but since i removed it with holding frame, no wonder i didnt notice, when not knowingly paying attention.

 

[Steven w]

Unless there is a misunderstanding - How would. cleaning a powerhead lead to palytoxin/ Sympathies none-the-less -b ut it seems doubtful

She said she rinsed them off, perhaps with hot water that aerosolized the toxin?

 

[Chris Jakubowski]

So... I was cleaning powerheads last night in bucket, with some water and a bit of vinegar. Powerheads were turned on, which included quite a lot of splashing, then rinsed under running water. That was around 9 p.m.

Went to sleep soon after, only to wake up a few hours later with feeling freezing cold and coughing... The cold got so bad i was shaking so hard that couldnt walk straight or hold up the glass when went to get something to drink, and chills were so bad i thought might break my teeth. Thats how i imagine being out in arctics with wearing only swimsuite would feel, lol. Was ready to call the ambulance, but in hour or two the symptoms got less, and managed to sleep, so didnt. Been weak all day after but by night am finally feeling almost ok again.
Other family members got same symptoms, but less strong, around same time and are better now, too.

Why i think its palys- we all got same symptoms around same time, me about an hour before others (and i was dealing with pumps directly). And for some autumn virus, the timing, everyone getting ill at the same hour, just doesnt make sense.
And- later i remembered seeing a paly polyp attached on one of the powerheads some time ago. Didnt notice it when removing it to clean, but since i removed it with holding frame, no wonder i didnt notice, when not knowingly paying attention.

Why im writing so long, two reasons:
PLEASE be very careful if you have the toxic type in your tank, this is one nasty poison!!!
And,
HOW do i get rid of them??? I mean, i can get them out of the tank fairly easily. But i will not sell them to anyone, too dangerous. Cant flush them coz attached to the rock (and poisonous), cant throw to trash coz not sure if it goes to sorting factory and someone can touch them, cant bury them coz living in city and some dog would probably dig them out. Any way to neutralize the poison before tossing the rock? Its about 50 heads colony...

For sure it was the paly's 100% - I had the exact same experience however I also had major issues breathing, so bad that from gaining symptoms at 8pm I finally got the wife to call an ambulance at 2am and we where all taken to hospital

 

[Chris Jakubowski]

Not all palys contain the lethal toxin, its usually only the dull brown,yellow and green ones

 

[CarCrazy]

Pictures or it did not happen.

 

[Captain Quint]

I'm glad you guys are ok.

+1 on Y'all being okay.

Any home pets affected?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Dermal and oral intoxication symptoms both vary significantly depending on the duration and extent of exposure but the principal concerns appear to be cardiac arrest, rhabdomyolysis, renal failure, and neurological alterations. A wide array of cardiac changes have been documented ranging from intermittent sinus bradycardia and sinus tachycardia, left and right bundle branch block, hypertension, T-wave inversions, and cardiac arrest.

This doesn't sound anything like the cases being remarked here. The symptoms don't match.

It doesn't make you feel sick. It makes you dead. There is no antidote.

Palytoxin and its analogs are considered to be among the most potent marine toxins, with the potential to cause rapid cardiac failure and death occurring within minutes of intoxication.

Whatever you experienced I do not think it was palytoxin.

From what I've read about people being exposed to palytoxin, entry routes are:

Through absorption in the epidermis, cut or abrasion.

Mucus membranes, nose, eyes and mouth.

It is quite possible that individuals can have hypersensitivity to it. Thus a very small amount can cause a reaction. In some cases, no reaction happens.

Entry sites typically show swelling and redness, sometimes painfull.

Inhalation causes tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing and swallowing.

Both causes can cause rapid breathing, coughing, elevated blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fainting, headache, rapid heart rate, cardiac arrest.

Depending on exposure, symptoms can last for days.

It is highly advisable to seek medical attention immediately when a potential exposure is suspected and symptoms are experienced.

When working directly with palythoa corals, always wear proper PPE. Eye protection, gloves, if cutting or removing use of face mask as a preventative measure.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Had experienced the Paly toxic symptom several years back. It was a certain Hawaiian Paly colony. At that time I didn't wear any gloves and thinking that after rinsing off with soup, it 'd be all okay. Even worse I used my supposedly "cleaned" fingers to remove my contact lenses .... Bad, bad thing to do.

It got so bad the next morning that I was having a hard time trying to open up my eyes as it was caked in dried mucus. The white area of my eyeballs swelled up and blistery & mucus started oozing out non stop from all corners of my eyes. Fortunately I was able to recover after some antibiotic medications. Thought I was gonna go blind ;Walkingdead . Thank God ;Joyful

If I can remember to dig through my pictoral library which I took a picture of my bad eyes, I'll try to post it here .... ;Mask

 

[Whispers]

what the heck No one can post a pic so others can avoid this