I think I poisoned myself, help

[FreshwaterConvert]

Not confined to Grandis only. Palytoxin is a very powerful toxin that can be contained in some Palythoa (Palys) and Zoanthid (Zoa) species. This toxin is used by the coral as a natural defense mechanism. Not all contain it and not everyone is susceptible to the toxin, but it can be very dangerous to your health if you are exposed to it and it could lead to life-threating consequences.
Good news is that it is rare and I cant remember last time we as hobbyists heard of a case of paly toxin poisoning but the risks are out

I think I'm just psyching myself out. Or extremely unlucky. This wouldnt be the first time I've given myself symptoms. I'm gonna rest and drink water and hopefully it goes away. I just got off the phone with poison control they said I can take oral benedryl so I'm gonna do that.

 

[driftin]

...

please....coming a healthcare person as well

And your first reaction when seeing this thread was to post a gif making fun of the OP?

 

[JohnnyBlowfish]

Ya if one has an allergy to it, but again it’s almost always the grandis that cause issues not zoas yet everyone without a clue limos zoas into the categor of OMG IM POISONED HELP!!!

please....coming a healthcare person as well

This simply isn't true. Palythoa, Zoas, Dinoflagellates such as Ostrepsis siamensis, and even seaweed have been found with high levels of palytoxin.

Check out:
Stephen D. Meriney, Erika E. Fanselow, in Synaptic Transmission, 2019
David A Warrell, … Michael Eddleston, in Hunter’s Tropical Medicine and Emerging Infectious Disease (Ninth Edition), 2013
Benjamin Seymour, … Jamie Seymour, in Heart and Toxins, 2015

 

[Mical]

An "ounce of precaution" - go to a walk in medical clinic. And when they ask if you were "out of the country in the last 14 days?" tell them no, but you were elbow deep in a salt water aquarium that had corals. They'll know what to do. Ask me how I know...

 

[tehmadreefer]

And I have a huge colony of grandis without any concerns. It is hit and miss

Not hit or miss when you mess with them. The toxin is a defense mechanism so they only use it when stressed obviously.

Anyway I’m done here and I’ll leave with my awesome gif.

 

[maugustine]

I can panic as well and I am so new to this hobby...
just reading this thread is giving me heart palpitations!! I think one of my corals is the toxic kind and I have def touched it with bear hands ! more I learn more I realize I don’t know!

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

Not confined to Grandis only. Palytoxin is a very powerful toxin that can be contained in some Palythoa (Palys) and Zoanthid (Zoa) species. This toxin is used by the coral as a natural defense mechanism. Not all contain it and not everyone is susceptible to the toxin, but it can be very dangerous to your health if you are exposed to it and it could lead to life-threating consequences.
Good news is that it is rare and I cant remember last time we as hobbyists heard of a case of paly toxin poisoning but the risks are out there.

Not saying it’s contained to grandis just that grandis have way more of it than the average zoa.

 

[maugustine]

An "ounce of precaution" - go to a walk in medical clinic. And when they ask if you were "out of the country in the last 14 days?" tell them no, but you were elbow deep in a salt water aquarium that had corals. They'll know what to do. Ask me how I know...

How do u one

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

Guys totally forgot, some people react to saltwater. Just plain saltwater. I am allergic to bleach for example. Saltwater being high in pH causes skin to break out and gives me a feeling that I’ve shoved my arm into a colony of fire ants. I literally have to soak my arm in chlorinated water after working in my tank. My wife has no such issues.

 

[LegendaryCG]

HI. I am, by every definition of the word, a total noob. I've had my first ever salt tank running for a month now and today I bought my first ever corals, 3 zoa frags from my LFS. I brought em home, did my daily water change, and then prepared to dip them. I put on nitrile gloves, a KN95 mask with another mask over it, and some lab goggles from my chem lab a few years ago, and I opened my window slightly (I did Not turn on the fan, mistake #1 I believe). I bought a single packet of coral RX and poured it into the gallon of water from my tank (as recommended) and then added the frags one by one, pouring them into the mixture. The packet said to swirl them for 5 minutes, so I did. I put the lid on the bucket and swished but I stopped to check on them. It is here when I think things started to take a turn. One of the zoas had come off the frag plug. (I have confirmed it was just the glue and not damage to the tissue). I panicked, but didnt do anything and kept swishing for the rest of the 5 minutes. It is here that I think I made my grave mistake. After the dip, I grabbed each coral one by one and moved them to another container with saltwater from my aquarium. I did not keep them submerged when doing this. I swirled them in the new container and then set them in the tank. The one without a frag plug I just set down gently, I might get glue for it tomorrow and glue it back onto the plug. I carefully removed and threw away my gloves and then washed my hands probably at least 10 times with hand and dish soap, making sure to get my full arm. My arm became slightly itchy but it mightve just been from the cold of the water. I took a shower, scrubbing my arms more with the soap several times before getting out. Since then, I have had chest pains and issues, dizziness, nausea, and just generally feeling ill. the dizziness and ill feeling have gotten worse. I've been drinking lots of water and consulting my friend who is the assistant manager for the saltwater section at my LFS. She says I'm fine and that I just need to wait it out. I'm a generally anxious person and so at first I thought I might just be psyching myself out but now I'm not so sure. It's become harder to concentrate just since I started typing this. If anyone has any advice or tips I would really really appreciate it.

I don’t want this to come off negatively, but I think you might be worrying about something that didn’t actually happen. Palytoxin poisoning will knock you on your butt. You won’t be posting questions about whether you‘ve been poisoned. You’ll be worried about breathing.

 

[saltybees]

Must be covid.

I bare hand my tank and get water in my mouth seriously every time I start the siphon cause I’m too lazy to auto prime and I have 15 different types of zoas/palys and have never gotten sick.

sounds like you have howiemandel Syndrome.

 

[zoaprince]

no way you got poisoned with gloves, mask and goggles. it's probably the anxiety. I suffer from anxiety too (GAD) and when I did something risky post-covid I swear I felt sick right after. I got tested immediately and came out negative. After the results I felt fine.

 

[Mical]

How do u one

A couple of years ago, I moved a colony of green zoas, glued to a new rock and placed in tank. Within a couple of hours I had the chills, a fever and thought it was flu/cold symptoms. Within 24 hours I had swelling in my face & hands and a 102 deg fever. That lasted almost 24 hours before I went to local urgent care. They were baffled until I told them I was elbow deep in a reef aquarium. They prescribed these "horse sized" caplets, 2 a day for 10 days, continue for the full 10 days even after symptoms have disappeared. I use shoulder length gloves these days.

 

[Biff0rz]

Lol I handle zoas by hand and dgaf lol

 

[vetteguy53081]

I don’t want this to come off negatively, but I think you might be worrying about something that didn’t actually happen. Palytoxin poisoning will knock you on your butt. You won’t be posting questions about whether you‘ve been poisoned. You’ll be worried about breathing.

There are some symptoms up front but toxin poisoning symptoms can occur and progress within minutes to hours after exposure. Knowing what to look for is key.

 

[vetteguy53081]

A couple of years ago, I moved a colony of green zoas, glued to a new rock and placed in tank. Within a couple of hours I had the chills, a fever and thought it was flu/cold symptoms. Within 24 hours I had swelling in my face & hands and a 102 deg fever. That lasted almost 24 hours before I went to local urgent care. They were baffled until I told them I was elbow deep in a reef aquarium. They prescribed these "horse sized" caplets, 2 a day for 10 days, continue for the full 10 days even after symptoms have disappeared. I use shoulder length gloves these days.

QUESTION OF THE DAY - Gloves: When to use them and when to skip them? | REEF2REEF Saltwater and Reef Aquarium Forum

 

[Tiki Reef Joshua]

I’m DEAD

 

[LegendaryCG]

There are some symptoms up front but toxin poisoning symptoms can occur and progress within minutes to hours after exposure. Knowing what to look for is key.

I put on nitrile gloves, a KN95 mask with another mask over it, and some lab goggles from my chem lab a few years ago, and I opened my window slightly (I did Not turn on the fan, mistake #1 I believe). I bought a single packet of coral RX and poured it into the gallon of water from my tank (as recommended) and then added the frags one by one, pouring them into the mixture.


I‘m not saying it’s impossible but its really, really Unlikely.

 

[FreshwaterConvert]

Thanks everyone. This has really helped to quell the anxiety. I took some Benadryl and I’m feeling better. I also found some pics of the zoas in their containers before I dipped them. I think it is all or mostly anxiety driven. Hopefully I’m feeling better tomorrow. I think I still have to move them and I for sure have to re glue one that fell off its frag plug.

 

[dimitrinivo]

HI. I am, by every definition of the word, a total noob. I've had my first ever salt tank running for a month now and today I bought my first ever corals, 3 zoa frags from my LFS. I brought em home, did my daily water change, and then prepared to dip them. I put on nitrile gloves, a KN95 mask with another mask over it, and some lab goggles from my chem lab a few years ago, and I opened my window slightly (I did Not turn on the fan, mistake #1 I believe). I bought a single packet of coral RX and poured it into the gallon of water from my tank (as recommended) and then added the frags one by one, pouring them into the mixture. The packet said to swirl them for 5 minutes, so I did. I put the lid on the bucket and swished but I stopped to check on them. It is here when I think things started to take a turn. One of the zoas had come off the frag plug. (I have confirmed it was just the glue and not damage to the tissue). I panicked, but didnt do anything and kept swishing for the rest of the 5 minutes. It is here that I think I made my grave mistake. After the dip, I grabbed each coral one by one and moved them to another container with saltwater from my aquarium. I did not keep them submerged when doing this. I swirled them in the new container and then set them in the tank. The one without a frag plug I just set down gently, I might get glue for it tomorrow and glue it back onto the plug. I carefully removed and threw away my gloves and then washed my hands probably at least 10 times with hand and dish soap, making sure to get my full arm. My arm became slightly itchy but it mightve just been from the cold of the water. I took a shower, scrubbing my arms more with the soap several times before getting out. Since then, I have had chest pains and issues, dizziness, nausea, and just generally feeling ill. the dizziness and ill feeling have gotten worse. I've been drinking lots of water and consulting my friend who is the assistant manager for the saltwater section at my LFS. She says I'm fine and that I just need to wait it out. I'm a generally anxious person and so at first I thought I might just be psyching myself out but now I'm not so sure. It's become harder to concentrate just since I started typing this. If anyone has any advice or tips I would really really appreciate it.

I wouldnt be worried unless you boiled them and breathed the fumes from them, that could kill you. I work at a fish store and i handle zoas and palys with my bare hands constantly, just wash your hands after. If you are truly concerned, go to the hospital immedietly.