Truth about Palytoxin in Zoa/Paly.

[Icefire]

Here's a response from Yuzuru Shimizu who made 2 study about Palytoxin:

I asked about toxicity and the relation between Paly and dinoflagelate Ostereopsis that produce palytoxin.

Dear Stephane:
Don't worry. You won't be hurt with the zoanthus in aquarium. Even if
it is toxic, enough toxin will not come into your body. The toxicity
of Palythoa varies. I collected a large amount in Puerto Rico with no
ill effect. However, it is always a good practice to wear rubber
gloves, because many marine organisms are cause of allergic reactions.
As to Ostereopsis, it produces a small amount of palytoxin analogues,
but it is not known if they are the source of palytoxin in Palythoa.
Again, you have to grow thousands of liters to get visible amounts of
them. We grew one time thousand of liters, but found very little
toxins.

Yuzuru Shimizu, Ph.D., D. Pharm. Sci. (Hon.)
Omar-Youngken Distinguished Chair Emeritus of Natural Product Chemistry
Professor Emeritus of Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences,
College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island

[Paintbug]

ask Anthony Calfo on his 3 experiences with Palytoxin ;). while the chances of death from just a small amount may be slim, it could happen. but loss of taste, and feeling in the fingers are high enough to justify warning people about Palytoxin! as well as other threats people may encounter with their tanks. did the Dr. that responded to you check every type of Paly from all over the world or just a few samples? just my 2 ¢

[tkeracer619]

I got squirt in the eye and couldn't see for a week, some guys dog here on RC drank the water out of a container he was fragging in and died.

I will always treat them as dangerous and recomend others do as well.

[Scottkelly911]

I eat Paly's and Zoa's for lunch!
Signed,
Chuck Norris

[Travis L. Stevens]

I will always treat them as dangerous and recomend others do as well.

While I agree, there are others on here that give misleading information on it. It's good to see someone else on here that knows the severity of Palytoxin, yet knows the limited risk factor. For those that blurt out "OMG, all Zoas have Palytoxins and it will kill you" is a little absurd, and just passed through word of mouth without prior knowledge to the next person that says it. May I offer that in the future to anyone that would like to give a warning to a fellow reefer about Zoanthidae and Palytoxin to do so with an educated mind and explain the reality, severity, and probability of envenomation instead of blurting small bits of misinformation.

[Travis L. Stevens]

Also, as a side note, people should also be cautious of the anaphylactic response a body will have and explain the difference between Palytoxin secreeted through the mucous, and stings coming from the animals nematocysts.

[Icefire]

I sent a reply to the Dr.

He has been working with Palytoxin for a good 15 years so I guess he knows a bit of his stuff.

[MrPike]

I was at a reef keeping meeting where Sanjau Joshi presented, and he told us a story about a Palytoxin. Apparently there was a large rock in the Penn State tank covered with these zoanthids. One student got nailed by it and was sent to the hospital. So, fearing what might happen to other students, they removed the rock. It was so large it wouldnt fit in any other aquariums they had so they threw it outside. Several months later after it froze over, a gentleman wanted to put the rock back in his aquarium so he soaked it in hot water. The fumes from these Zoanthids actually knocked him unconcious.

I guess the point im trying to make in re-telling this story less articulately then it was relayed to me is, these toxins are not to be taken lightly, and I have no doubt this Dr. knows about some zoanthids and their toxicity, but I doubt he knows about all of them. Furthermore, I think the response this doctor gave to the original poster was reckless.

My opinion.

[tprize]

Like you said, The rock was so big that it wouldn't fit it any aquariums. He is saying out frags of 10 polyps isn't going to kill you. Did you know that Nutmeg is also deadly in large amounts? Yet we use it in food all the time, caution should be taken, but to think that you have to wear gloves every second of every day is insane. I would be more cautious about poisonous fish that people love like the Fox Face Lo.

[Paintbug]

ok let me get this right, you are saying that having a frag with 10 polyps in the tank will not kill you? thats correct even having 100s of polpys in the tank will not kill you, or even really bother you. the polyps dont release the toxin unless they are stressed. which is easily caused by handling them, fragging them, or even bad water chemistry. if you are touching the polyps directly you should, and need to have gloves on, eye protection as well. moving them around the tank can cause the polyps to release Palytoxin, so again caution should be used.

[DouglasTiede]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9584123#post9584123 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tkeracer619
I got squirt in the eye and couldn't see for a week, some guys dog here on RC drank the water out of a container he was fragging in and died.

I will always treat them as dangerous and recomend others do as well.



For the last time, the saltwater is what killed the dog!!!

[Radiography14]

I put zooanthids on crackers with cheese. They make my lips numb. So cool.