Water Quality after getting Zoas

[drillbitfocker]

Now that I'm keeping zoas,

Does this mean that the water in my tank is toxic?

Even an accidental splash onto your mouth or face would be bad?

Palytoxins on my filter sock?

And inhaling beside my tank is dangerous because it's leveled almost the same of my height?

And every evaporation, does this mean that there's a possibility of Palytoxin aerosolized?

I'm overthinking coz I'm new lol. Thanks!

 

[ryanjohn1]

Now that I'm keeping zoas,

Does this mean that the water in my tank is toxic?

Even an accidental splash onto your mouth or face would be bad?

Palytoxins on my filter sock?

And inhaling beside my tank is dangerous because it's leveled almost the same of my height?

And every evaporation, does this mean that there's a possibility of Palytoxin aerosolized?

I'm overthinking coz I'm new lol. Thanks!

Way over thinking.

 

[AtlantiCat]

If that was the case, nobody would keep zoas.

Just wear a mask, goggles, and gloves when fragging, be careful not to damage them otherwise, and don't put an open wound into the tank (something you shouldn't do anyway). Your odds of getting palytoxin poisoning are very low if you're careful. The vast majority of people keep them successfully without ever getting poisoned.

 

[drillbitfocker]

Way over thinking.

Just think of it as "So many questions." Haha

If that was the case, nobody would keep zoas.

Just wear a mask, goggles, and gloves when fragging, be careful not to damage them otherwise, and don't put an open wound into the tank (something you shouldn't do anyway). Your odds of getting palytoxin poisoning are very low if you're careful. The vast majority of people keep them successfully without ever getting poisoned.

About the filter sock thing, toxins secreted underwater will go straight to it right? Or is it safe to handle?

 

[Reefer Matt]

Just don’t eat, boil, or tear them open. They won’t secrete toxins in the water if left alone. Other than that, enjoy them. Here’s a few of mine…

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

And every evaporation, does this mean that there's a possibility of Palytoxin aerosolized?

It won't evaporate, but it can be aerosolized (such as by the boiling mentioned above); if they get stressed, they may release the toxin into the water, but carbon can most likely remove it.

Edit: Just to add, people have gotten sick from palytoxin, but it usually takes doing something really unwise (like boiling a rock with palys on it) to have issues.

"Activated carbon adsorbed 99.7% of PLTXs contained in the seawater and this represents a good strategy for preventing aquarium hobbyist poisonings."
From An aquarium hobbyist poisoning: Identification of new palytoxins in Palythoa cf. toxica and complete detoxification of the aquarium water by activated carbon

So we assume GAC helps mitigate the toxin in the water, but of course that doesn't help you if you scrub the rocks or directly contact the coral tissue etc.

We also presume GAC would remove toxins from dinoflagellates, (ovatoxin, saxitoxin, others) because ovatoxin is called a "palytoxin analogue". But I don't know enough to be confident on that.

For some heavy reading on it:

Palys, zoas, and other things (surprisingly, it can be a bit complicated what does and doesn't fit this category) may all contain palytoxin, but as long as your not ingesting it/something that contains it, getting it in cuts (or your eyes), or (most commonly) aerosolizing it, it shouldn't hurt you at all.

If you want some in depth reading (that I think covers most of the topic) on palytoxin, see my posts in the threads below (some of threads have multiple posts from me):

Can the toxins from zoas actually kill you?

My family is worried about me getting zoas because there toxic, can the toxins actually kill you?

www.reef2reef.com

Newbie Palytoxin Concerns

So a little background info to start…we set up a 55 gallon tank with the intent of having a fish only tank. At the end of November we purchased 2 small ($10.00) coral frags. Unfortunately we did not do research and blindly purchased what turned out to be a Zoa and a Paly I believe. Fast...

www.reef2reef.com

EMERGENCY - Anyone ever haddermal palytoxin poisoning on here.

To some ot up had a patch of gha on a huge zoa rock in tank was using forceps to pull it off while in the tank. Think i may have disturbed them a bit but not much and yes these are the big uglys ones that everyone says have it. Well wasnt wearing gloves and did it at probably 1 am monday...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[drillbitfocker]

Just don’t eat, boil, or tear them open. They won’t secrete toxins in the water if left alone. Other than that, enjoy them. Here’s a few of mine…

So I should let them be and as much as possible, don't disturb water around them?

Here's mine. Didn't know their id also haha.

 

[Reefer Matt]

So I should let them be and as much as possible, don't disturb water around them?

Here's mine. Didn't know their id also haha.

Yes. The water around them will be fine as well. But not all zoas have palytoxin. Here’s a link for more info…

Palytoxin Poisoning: Marine Aquarium Safety | SA Health

Palytoxin poisoning: Zoanthid coral species can contain Palytoxin and cause dangerous symptoms if not handled carefully. Protect your family with these aquarium tips.

www.sahealth.sa.gov.au

 

[Tired]

Most species of zoa aren't toxic anyway, or aren't seriously toxic. The usual bright-colored ones are fine.

If they were that bad as to make your entire tank hazardous at all times, nobody would keep them, since they'd kill everything else in the tank and make you sick constantly.

Don't rub open wounds on any surface in your tank (mostly due to infection risk), don't point a large zoa/paly at your eyes out of water, don't violently scrub them with steel wool or boil them, don't eat 'em, don't cut 'em and rub the cut surface on your skin, and you'll be fine. That'll work against any of the toxic ones, and those don't look to be the serious ones anyway.

I gotta ask; if you thought they were that dangerous, why'd you buy them?

 

[AtlantiCat]

Just think of it as "So many questions." Haha


About the filter sock thing, toxins secreted underwater will go straight to it right? Or is it safe to handle?

Perfectly safe to handle, just be cautious and wash hands afterward. They don't secrete toxins randomly, only when injured or damaged, so you don't have anything to worry about 99.99% of the time.

You can brush against them, touch them, and blow water at them from a turkey baster with no issues. The water in your tank is not toxic.

 

[drillbitfocker]

I gotta ask; if you thought they were that dangerous, why'd you buy them?

I made up my mind to keep them, but earlier, a splash of water from my tank close to my mouth made me rethink my life choices haha.
Thanks for the tips!

Yes. The water around them will be fine as well. But not all zoas have palytoxin. Here’s a link for more info…

Palytoxin Poisoning: Marine Aquarium Safety | SA Health

Palytoxin poisoning: Zoanthid coral species can contain Palytoxin and cause dangerous symptoms if not handled carefully. Protect your family with these aquarium tips.

www.sahealth.sa.gov.au

Gonna read that. Thanks!

Perfectly safe to handle, just be cautious and wash hands afterward. They don't secrete toxins randomly, only when injured or damaged, so you don't have anything to worry about 99.99% of the time.

You can brush against them, touch them, and blow water at them from a turkey baster with no issues. The water in your tank is not toxic.

Thanks! Gonna put carbon on filter for my relief haha

 

[Reefer Matt]

You’ll be okay