palytoxin

Dowtish · Jul 15, 2011

Anybody have any real life experience with this? I have read multiple stories, but just wanted to know if anyone here has ever felt the effects.

Manhattan Reefs - Palytoxin: Don't Frag Under the Influence

Zef004 · Jul 15, 2011

I have it freaked me out.
This one reason I use cloves. And take some Benadryl when I start feeling effects.

NeedBiggerTank · Jul 15, 2011

Is it just palys or also zoas? I knew you weren't supposed to handle them directly and come in contact with the poyps - but it never occured to me abouyt breathing in stuff when cutting frags.

Dowtish · Jul 15, 2011

It's both, but it's real hard to tell which ones have it and which ones don't. And yes, it can effect you by getting into a cut on you, or by getting it in your eyes, or just breathing the vapors.

vegastyle · Jul 15, 2011

A member of our local reef club end up in the ER from palytoxin poisoning. If I remember correctly, the Docs couldn't or wouldn't do much, just monitored him while ii wore off.

islander84 · Jul 16, 2011

not paly but have been sick before after breaking down a tank and getting couple cuts on hands and coral slime got to it. I felt like i had a horrible case of flu for about a day and half!! it SUCKED!! so i try to be cautious when messing with corals...if i dont have gloves i just try to gently grab acros and such or if possible go for the plug.....ive almost been squirted in the eye by zoa before so if i mess with them i will put on safety glasses!

nolen502 · Jul 16, 2011

i fragged some zoas day before yesterday with cuts on my hand, when i got home from work yesterday i was running a 102 fever and still am this morning. could this be why?? should i get myself checked out?

Zef004 · Jul 16, 2011

Maybe but it most likely will start to pass tonight. All I've read on this it will only last a day or 1.5days.

Just take some Benadryl. And call me in the morning. Lol
It has helped me.

nolen502 · Jul 16, 2011

i will pick up some benadryl on my way to work and hope this fever doesnt haunt me all day at work :/

Zef004 · Jul 16, 2011

Good luck. I cook for a living and I worked in a hot kitchen like that. Thought I was going to die and the benadryl helped.
But if feel the need to go to the doc. Print all the info you can find before you go. Becuase most doc will have no id on what your talking about. Even poison control didnt even know what I was talking about. But you should be fine.

Jennifier615 · Jul 16, 2011

Unfortunately doctors are just people like us.....I am not trying to badmouth the industry, but a lot are taught to deal with everyday run of the mill stuff. It is sometimes lab/nursing professionals that help them in making diagnoses or leading them down other avenues of illnesses (who would think to ask, do you possess or keep exotic animals?) When being admitted to an ER or doctors office. Even with summer snake bites most people don't receive anti-venom unless they have EXTREME reactions or poisonous snake bite is verified as the culprit they get observation and heavy doses of histamine blockers possibly anti-imflammatories. I am NOT a Dr. But be cautious.....if anything seems off seek medical care cause kidney, liver, and some other organ damage are silent killers!

For those of you reefers about to "rock"- we salute you

mapn4reef · Jul 16, 2011

islander84 said:
not paly but have been sick before after breaking down a tank and getting couple cuts on hands and coral slime got to it. I felt like i had a horrible case of flu for about a day and half!! it SUCKED!! so i try to be cautious when messing with corals...if i dont have gloves i just try to gently grab acros and such or if possible go for the plug.....ive almost been squirted in the eye by zoa before so if i mess with them i will put on safety glasses!

Well, just this a.m. I did the second stage of cleaning on my tank breakdown, still had water in it from Tues evening scraping that released amonia/toxin, got too much exporsure to it that evening, and like you say, like having the flu, took 2 days to get over it...I even missed work. THEN this A.M., commercial respirator fitted and on, windows open, fans on, sump pump to get water out fast, clean hose water available to flush...IT RELEASED THE SAME TOXIC AMONIA FUMES, had to evacuate the house (wife, kids, dog, bird, guinea...)...with mask on I went in and opened every window, turned on every fan, shut down AC...it took over an hour to dissipate...it was about 10 times worse than Tues ordeal. Luckily I took my mask off on the front porch, and I smelled it, otherwise I might not have known it was present, and everybody was still in the bedrooms...

I think it mainly came from something stewing in the overflow area, all I used on the tank was vinegar, about 2 gallons nearly 90 gallons of water...

Moral of the story, toxins not only related to corals directly... I've probably broke down 10-20 tanks in my time, and have NEVER experienced something like this.

poolkeeper1 · Jul 17, 2011

Mel and I went to P/U all the Contents of Travis's tank and While i was taking Coral out his Foxface tagged me and I thought I was lucky that he jus grazed me. Well about 11:00PM my Fingers started to burn and swell up a little and has since spread to several of my Fingers. They are swelling and have a stinging feeling kinda like a slight burn but not too bad so far. We'll see what they feel like in the AM And I did take some Benadryl and washed my hands in warm soapy water.
Firt time in 30 years a fish got me, That Foxface was real fast and i never seen it coming.
Bill

Reef UP · Jul 17, 2011

poolkeeper1 said:
Mel and I went to P/U all the Contents of Travis's tank and While i was taking Coral out his Foxface tagged me and I thought I was lucky that he jus grazed me. Well about 11:00PM my Fingers started to burn and swell up a little and has since spread to several of my Fingers. They are swelling and have a stinging feeling kinda like a slight burn but not too bad so far. We'll see what they feel like in the AM And I did take some Benadryl and washed my hands in warm soapy water.
Firt time in 30 years a fish got me, That Foxface was real fast and i never seen it coming.
Bill

Soak your hand in as hot of water as you can stand it helps break down the toxins faster/alleviate the pain and swelling ;-)

islander84 · Jul 17, 2011

Wow Bill that didnt take long to spread from that little patch..Never woulda thought the foxface was that bad... how long is that about 3 hours from when i saw you guys....thats why i refuse to put any posinous fish in my tanks at all!!
I could only imagine how bad it would be if he really nailed you with those spines! probably look a little something like this!!:tongue:...lol

Reef Keeper 18 · Jul 17, 2011

A guy from my lfs told me he had it once and its just like a really bad fever chills and a bit of puking for a day or two

TinaFoster · Jul 17, 2011

My friend Joe had 1000G of water with all softies and said this to me:

One word of advise be careful with handling zoa's they can be toxic if taken internally. I have done it when I was farming them. I was fragging them with a knife and after doing about a doz or so I put the knife in my mouth to hold it and my lips and tongue went numb for about a two hours. I never did that again. could also get in your blood if you have a cut on your hands. Nice stuff just be careful.
He never mentioned what happens if it gets in your blood, but I would imagine that's where the fever etc comes in? Anyway, there's a bit of caution about the knife too, so be careful.

angrycubano · Jul 17, 2011

toxic shmoxtic, i spread zoa juice on my toast for breakfast every morning.

poolkeeper1 · Jul 17, 2011

Reef Keeper 18 said:
A guy from my lfs told me he had it once and its just like a really bad fever chills and a bit of puking for a day or two

I believe that as I am sick to my stomach this morning but the Swelling did not get any worse. I can just feel Pressure and a burning feeling in all my fingers