Toxicity of corals others than zoanthus and palythoas

[Cuzuco]

So,

Soon I will introduce my first corals. After reading about it and as I have a little girl at home who may not listen to what we tell her, I put aside the idea of having zoanthus or palythoas. Can you confirm that for the other corals and anemones the worst thing that can happen is to get stung and burned?
I know that many people will say "but zoanthus are safe, I take them with my hand and then eat my dinner without washing them, they are not all dangerous etc etc" but an accident can always happen and if it happens to rectifalists it can happen even more easily with a child.
So my question here, I emphasize on this, is not about the toxicity of zoanthus and palythoas, but only on the possible effects of other species. I do not want to enter into a debate about the possibility of exposure to palotoxins.

Thank you

 

[Jettareefer223]

So,

Soon I will introduce my first corals. After reading about it and as I have a little girl at home who may not listen to what we tell her, I put aside the idea of having zoanthus or palythoas. Can you confirm that for the other corals and anemones the worst thing that can happen is to get stung and burned?
I know that many people will say "but zoanthus are safe, I take them with my hand and then eat my dinner without washing them, they are not all dangerous etc etc" but an accident can always happen and if it happens to rectifalists it can happen even more easily with a child.
So my question here, I emphasize on this, is not about the toxicity of zoanthus and palythoas, but only on the possible effects of other species. I do not want to enter into a debate about the possibility of exposure to palotoxins.

Thank you

From my experience as a professional the only other things that stings me bad or I would qualify as toxic to a degree are certain euphyllia (in particular frog spawns/hammers). I’ll clarify it’s only if I have cuts or exposed wounds and the fleshy part touches them. Depending on contact it can sting or send shocks thru my arm and upper body for 30 minutes. Several occasions I’ve had it make my skin swell and get infected, and each persons reaction will vary. When I get bad it puts me out for a good day or so I just feeling like trash. If you handle them properly and pay attention you’ll be fine I just get to comfortable. Same goes for Nems and open cuts other then a slight sting nothing more happens. I’ve also cut my finger open cutting palys on tiles that was awful, and never had a problem with them unless it gets into my bloodstream.

This is a picture of my finger the last time I got hit bad by a frogspawn (it was a little paper cut beforehand). 7-10 days after it happened so it had already healed a bit.

 

[dbl]

I don't know of any other corals to be concerned about. That is not to say there aren't any, I'm just not aware of them. Even with zoas/palys, unless your daughter decides to remove them from the tank, she really isn't in any danger.

In all honesty, I concern myself more with putting my hands in the tank when I have a small cut or scrape - an open wound if you will. There are a plethora of bacteria in your tank and you are more likely to do yourself harm in that manner than you are dealing with corals.

Just my $.02.

 

[Gareth elliott]

About your own health i would be more worried about the bacteria and viruses present in the water and any open sores you have. There are a few that can infect humans.

From a coral stand point most lps have the ability to sting neighboring corals. Most gregorians produce toxins that can kill fish or corals, how likely is debatable.

 

[Saltyreef]

I think everyone has different levels of immunity. Ive never encountered a sting or shock touching anything in my tank or the ocean when it comes to coral or nems.
Then you hear those rare stories of some lady cleaning her palys with a toothbrush and then needing to rush everyone in the home to the hospital after they all became ill shortly after. Coencidence?

 

[Cuzuco]

From experience as a professional the only other things that stings me bad or I would qualify as toxic to a degree are certain euphyllia (in particular frog spawns/hammers). I’ll clarify it’s only it I have cuts or exposed wounds the fleshy part touches them. Depending on contact it can stings or sends shocks thru my arm and upper body for 30 minutes. I had it make my skin swell and get infected, and each persons reaction will vary. When I get bad it puts me out for a good day or so I just feeling like trash. If you handle them properly and pay attention you’ll be fine I just get to comfortable. Same goes for Nems and open cuts other then a slight sting nothing more happens. I’ve also cut my open cutting palys on tiles that was awful, and never had a problem with them unless it gets into my blood stream.

This is a picture of my finger the last time I got hit bad by a frogspawn (it was a little paper cut beforehand). 7-10 days after it happened so it had already healed a bit.

Thanks so much for sharing this with us! I hope your finger is better now.

 

[Cuzuco]

I don't know of any other corals to be concerned about. That is not to say there aren't any, I'm just not aware of them. Even with zoas/palys, unless your daughter decides to remove them from the tank, she really isn't in any danger.

In all honesty, I concern myself more with putting my hands in the tank when I have a small cut or scrape - an open wound if you will. There are a plethora of bacteria in your tank and you are more likely to do yourself harm in that manner than you are dealing with corals.

Just my $.02.

Yes I’ve also read about it and I’ve ordered globes to be on the safe side. That is also something that we’ve told to our child

 

[Cuzuco]

About your own health i would be more worried about the bacteria and viruses present in the water and any open sores you have. There are a few that can infect humans.

From a coral stand point most lps have the ability to sting neighboring corals. Most gregorians produce toxins that can kill fish or corals, how likely is debatable.

Thanks for sharing, a pair of globes will be helpful here

 

[Cuzuco]

I think everyone has different levels of immunity. Ive never encountered a sting or shock touching anything in my tank or the ocean when it comes to coral or nems.
Then you hear those rare stories of some lady cleaning her palys with a toothbrush and then needing to rush everyone in the home to the hospital after they all became ill shortly after. Coencidence?

I don’t believe much in coincidences and that is why I am asking this here. Thanks so much for sharing!

 

[Lasse]

IMO - you should treat all corals as toxic and use gloves if you are a beginner. I have never done that and every time I put my hands in my tank nowadays it hurts and I have problems with the skin in my hands. However - I have been working with water for nearly 50 years now - the last 20 mainly with saltwater and corals. If I know the thing I have learned when I started - I would use gloves.

Vibrio vulnificus and Mycobacterium marinum are two bacteria known to cause zoonoses, that is - diseases that can go from animals to humans


Not to debate - but the cost for me - not believing in "rare" stories about palytoxin - was an eye inflammation, wounds on my hands that did not stop growing, 2 day in hospital and treatment with a antibiotic that could kill horses back in 2001

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Cuzuco]

IMO - you should treat all corals as toxic and use gloves if you are a beginner. I have never done that and every time I put my hands in my tank nowadays it hurts and I have problems with the skin in my hands. However - I have been working with water for nearly 50 years now - the last 20 mainly with saltwater and corals. If I know the thing I have learned when I started - I would use gloves.

Vibrio vulnificus and Mycobacterium marinum are two bacteria known to cause zoonoses, that is - diseases that can go from animals to humans


Not to debate - but the cost for me - not believing in "rare" stories about palytoxin - was an eye inflammation, wounds on my hands that did not stop growing, 2 day in hospital and treatment with a antibiotic that could kill horses back in 2001

Sincerely Lasse

Thanks for sharing Lasse, I’m sorry to hear that you have all those problems now. I will be using gloves and instruct everyone about the danger of bacterias in the aquarium. Thanks again for your comment.

 

[Sallstrom]

Messing around cleaning a tank full of Cyanobacteria might also make you feel sick for a while.

I agree with the others here, open cuts and you should aviod sticking your hands in the tank. Also touching corals a lot without gloves should be avioded. My fingers sometimes gets numb when dealing with Sinularia for example. And I feel a bit sick by the smell of Acropora, at least after a few hours But I work with large tanks and large quantities of corals.

Running an ordinary reef tank at home, I don't think you need to worry that much as long as you use common sense and read up on the corals or fish before you buy them.

 

[BeejReef]

Very responsible of you to be concerned. Corals are very far down the list of dangers IMHO. I think you'd do better to remove all of the butter knives from your home before worrying about corals. That's not to say that it's not important not to boil or scrape live rocks in the kitchen with no ventilation.

 

[Jettareefer223]

Thanks so much for sharing this with us! I hope your finger is better now.

No problem always glad to share experiences and help. Good luck with your tank it’s going to be fun! Finger’s doing great, and still attached to hand for now lol

 

[Ross Petersen]

Gloves - yes. And consider a shorter tank as water can often trickle over gloves - just makes for easier aqua-scaping and tank management.

An open window near a tank and/or airflow away from the tank is prudent as well - if only to promote gas exchange and lower CO2.

 

[Lasse]

But do not panic. Use gloves and eye protection if you are working with corals and just clean your hands firmly after being in the water. Soap and water is enough cleaning for your hands.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Cuzuco]

Messing around cleaning a tank full of Cyanobacteria might also make you feel sick for a while.

I agree with the others here, open cuts and you should aviod sticking your hands in the tank. Also touching corals a lot without gloves should be avioded. My fingers sometimes gets numb when dealing with Sinularia for example. And I feel a bit sick by the smell of Acropora, at least after a few hours But I work with large tanks and large quantities of corals.

Running an ordinary reef tank at home, I don't think you need to worry that much as long as you use common sense and read up on the corals or fish before you buy them.

Thanks so much for your advise Sallstrom

 

[Cuzuco]

Very responsible of you to be concerned. Corals are very far down the list of dangers IMHO. I think you'd do better to remove all of the butter knives from your home before worrying about corals. That's not to say that it's not important not to boil or scrape live rocks in the kitchen with no ventilation.

Well I use to take all kind of precautions when it comes to my daughter, we use to protect electric outlets and sharp edges and that kind of things. So better to be precautious than sorry. And yes the drawers with sharp or dangerous objects are also child protected too (until she'll be able to really understand what can be dangerous and what can't). You see for a kid those little corals look like little plastic toys, so I wouldn't bet her taking one of those out of the water or even trying to check what taste and smell it has. Just saying.

Gloves - yes. And consider a shorter tank as water can often trickle over gloves - just makes for easier aqua-scaping and tank management.

An open window near a tank and/or airflow away from the tank is prudent as well - if only to promote gas exchange and lower CO2.

Thanks so much for those advices Ross

 

[Cuzuco]

But do not panic. Use gloves and eye protection if you are working with corals and just clean your hands firmly after being in the water. Soap and water is enough cleaning for your hands.

Sincerely Lasse

I'll do so, thanks for all the advices Lasse

 

[ruegaroo]

I just stumbled upon this thread as I have been wondering the same thing. I read that leather corals can be pretty toxic if disturbed and can leach toxins throughout the tank so that kind of worries me. I'm not sure how true this is because I have seen many videos of people touching and messing with leathers. I have also seen videos of people being severely stung by some long tentacle anemones but I am not sure of what species. Makes me definitely want to invest in a long pair of gloves.