Toxins in tank?

[Bugeater281]

Not really a tank emergency, but a question about possible toxin in our aquariums. I picked up a 170 gallon aquarium last night. The tank was filthy, my plan is to tear it down and start from scratch. After removing a bunch of livestock, liverocks, and coral. We drained the water and moved the tank to the truck. At which point the guy I was getting the tank from ended up throwing up for over 5 min. Now this house didn’t really have air conditioning. So we were sweating out but off. And I kept wiping sweat off my face. We got the tank to my place, unloaded it.(it’s been sprayed out). And put it in my basement. Had 2 beers with my buddy who helped me move it. After he left I took a shower, and then my right eyelid got super heavy and sticky. Woke up, it’s a ton better but it had crustys all around it. Called my buddy and I guess he woke up feeling hungover. He thinks it was something in the tank.

Now I’ve heard all about palytoxin. But I didn’t see any palys in this tank, granted there could have been some hidden we didn’t see. There were tons of majong nems, aptasia, what looks to be hitchhiker zoas(Not very pretty but small), Xenia, lots of leathers, a birdsnest, and tons of sponges(black,yellow).

Now my eye feels way better, but I was curious if anyone might know what could have potentially caused the issue. That way I can make sure there non in my future tank.
I don’t think I’ll need to see a doctor, but the next few days will determine that.

 

[EmdeReef]

there are countless viruses and bacteria living in our tanks, if any water splashed and got in your eye it wouldn’t be uncommon to have a reaction.

but throwing up, hangover like feeling, and eye swelling, coupled with the fact that you took out rocks and corals sounds like palytoxin.
You mentioned there were zoas in the tank, are you sure those were not palys?

fwiw with some more obvious examples I always struggle to tell them apart..

 

[Bugeater281]

there are countless viruses and bacteria living in our tanks, if any water splashed and got in your eye it wouldn’t be uncommon to have a reaction.

but throwing up, hangover like feeling, and eye swelling, coupled with the fact that you took out rocks and corals sounds like palytoxin.
You mentioned there were zoas in the tank, are you sure those were not palys?

fwiw with some more obvious examples I always struggle to tell them apart..

There were what seemed to be no name zoas. They couldn’t be more than 1/4 across though. It was a colony, and I always thought toxic palys got larger.

 

[MnFish1]

There were what seemed to be no name zoas. They couldn’t be more than 1/4 across though. It was a colony, and I always thought toxic palys got larger.

It doesnt take (nearly any) exposure - one zoa with palytoxin could kill several people (of course in the proper conditions lol). Curious - did you take the rock with you - or did you try to clean the rock off (which would release toxin). Just taking Zoa s out of a tank seemingly would not cause a problem depending on how you did it. If you messed with rock - with them out of water - you could have gotten exposed. Your symptoms could also be an allergy to something else in the tank (more likely)

 

[Bugeater281]

It doesnt take (nearly any) exposure - one zoa with palytoxin could kill several people (of course in the proper conditions lol). Curious - did you take the rock with you - or did you try to clean the rock off (which would release toxin). Just taking Zoa s out of a tank seemingly would not cause a problem depending on how you did it. If you messed with rock - with them out of water - you could have gotten exposed. Your symptoms could also be an allergy to something else in the tank (more likely)

We torn down the tank, transferred rocks to buckets, added water to the buckets. Then after we got everything to my place I went through the rocks and grabbed a few to keep alive(some had some coral, and one appears to have a red bubbletip nem, surrounded by mojano). I then transferred those rock to a quarantine 20 gallon with sump. It was close to 90 degrees and 70% hum. So we were sweating a lot. The guy who puked thought it was from heat exhaustion(he worked outdoors all day). I wiped my face with my arm a lot, and my arm was in the tank a lot. My guess at this point is my eye is either irritated or maybe bacterial. It doesn’t hurt at all, just feels a bit puffy and sticky. The other guys are all fine now. The only thing I could think of that could have been a paly are these, but they are tiny. They were all over though.

 

[brandon429]

I would identify those above as palytoxin risk. I do not think those are zoanthus sociatus/safer varieties those are palythoids.

I'm not one to get on the palytoxin causative as easily, but both of you getting something same day is very rare for bacterial infections, very fast acting, and paly will cause those issues... and you did handle the rock in such was as to mash, depress or offend those possibly. this is one time I'd believe it. if I'm wrong and those are regular zo's then stumped.

 

[Bugeater281]

I would identify those above as palytoxin risk. I do not think those are zoanthus sociatus/safer varieties those are palythoids.

I'm not one to get on the palytoxin causative as easily, but both of you getting something same day is very rare for bacterial infections, very fast acting, and paly will cause those issues... and you did handle the rock in such was as to mash, depress or offend those possibly. this is one time I'd believe it. if I'm wrong and those are regular zo's then stumped.

We lifted the rocks multiple time, it very possible we smashed some on accident. I guess il pull those out and let the rock dry out then soak in bleach.

 

[Bugeater281]

will carbon do anything to get potential palytoxin out of the water? (Toddler in the house). Don’t want to risk anything

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Carbon would work. It's good for coral chemical warfare

 

[Keops_77]

Hello, I have been reading this forum for a while and until now I had not decided to write, but I think this message may be important, I also got rid of my zoos because I have small children at home and I was afraid of palitoxin. , I did not dry the rock, the toxin could still be there, it is best to get rid of it in pure chlorine, destroy the toxin and extract a large amount of carbon in the tank to remove it from the water, wear gloves and mask, it is important that the Toxin is in the secreted slime when removing the water, do not risk, drain that rock directly in the bleach and clean all the tools also with chlorine, the toxin can also be transmitted through the air if an aerosol is converted, for example, When layers are introduced in hot water, these layers have already proven to be toxic.
Forgive my English, I write and read through a translator.
Good luck with your new tank.

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

We torn down the tank, transferred rocks to buckets, added water to the buckets. Then after we got everything to my place I went through the rocks and grabbed a few to keep alive(some had some coral, and one appears to have a red bubbletip nem, surrounded by mojano). I then transferred those rock to a quarantine 20 gallon with sump. It was close to 90 degrees and 70% hum. So we were sweating a lot. The guy who puked thought it was from heat exhaustion(he worked outdoors all day). I wiped my face with my arm a lot, and my arm was in the tank a lot. My guess at this point is my eye is either irritated or maybe bacterial. It doesn’t hurt at all, just feels a bit puffy and sticky. The other guys are all fine now. The only thing I could think of that could have been a paly are these, but they are tiny. They were all over though.

Those look like texas trash polys, extremely toxic and invasive.

 

[playapixie]

Those blueish palys look exactly like the ones that gave me terrible palytoxin poisioning. My symptoms were way worse than you describe, though, including a weird metallic taste in my mouth followed by severe flu-like symptoms (fever/chills/aches/shakes and respiratory distress.) I did get it by the supreme stupidity of starting a syphon with my mouth, though. I ultimately started over to get rid of them. :-(

Those look like texas trash polys, extremely toxic and invasive.

We torn down the tank, transferred rocks to buckets, added water to the buckets. Then after we got everything to my place I went through the rocks and grabbed a few to keep alive(some had some coral, and one appears to have a red bubbletip nem, surrounded by mojano). I then transferred those rock to a quarantine 20 gallon with sump. It was close to 90 degrees and 70% hum. So we were sweating a lot. The guy who puked thought it was from heat exhaustion(he worked outdoors all day). I wiped my face with my arm a lot, and my arm was in the tank a lot. My guess at this point is my eye is either irritated or maybe bacterial. It doesn’t hurt at all, just feels a bit puffy and sticky. The other guys are all fine now. The only thing I could think of that could have been a paly are these, but they are tiny. They were all over though.

 

[Mario0240]

Could just be good ole dehydration on the part of the other guys... you mentioned no a/c and I know moving a tank isn’t easy work... just a thought.

 

[Trueblue17]

We torn down the tank, transferred rocks to buckets, added water to the buckets. Then after we got everything to my place I went through the rocks and grabbed a few to keep alive(some had some coral, and one appears to have a red bubbletip nem, surrounded by mojano). I then transferred those rock to a quarantine 20 gallon with sump. It was close to 90 degrees and 70% hum. So we were sweating a lot. The guy who puked thought it was from heat exhaustion(he worked outdoors all day). I wiped my face with my arm a lot, and my arm was in the tank a lot. My guess at this point is my eye is either irritated or maybe bacterial. It doesn’t hurt at all, just feels a bit puffy and sticky. The other guys are all fine now. The only thing I could think of that could have been a paly are these, but they are tiny. They were all over though.

ya those in bottom pic are palys and the same ones that I got poisoned from and had same symptoms , first cold as ive ever been ,took a hot shower and was freezing in it still then all my muscles hurt like hell and seized right up could barely move , then a massive headache and sick for about 12hrs , it when in stages and very quickly

 

[Borgie234]

We lifted the rocks multiple time, it very possible we smashed some on accident. I guess il pull those out and let the rock dry out then soak in bleach.

I would not use bleach, use muriatic acid, clean the rock far better than bleach, plus it will not leave the pure white residue on the live rock like bleach does