Keeping Zoans

[mustafakaiser]

Hello All

I am new to reef keeping but have been keeping fish only tanks for more than 10 years.

I would like to know if it is safe to keep Zoan? I have read some crazy stories online. Is it really that bad? I don't plan to eat them nor do I plan to wash any rocks at all.

I am only worried if

1) can i release toxin in the water if the fish trouble them?
2) can the toxin get in to the air?
3) will carbon help remove it?
do you need to wear gloves at all time with the hand in the tank even it is just feeding?

Thanks.

[Mark9]

If you use common sense, you'll be fine.
Some people like to be over dramatic describing them.

[eastlake]

not eating them is definitely a good precaution lol! Realistically its good practice to wear gloves any time you handle corals so wear gloves when handling them, if you plan to cut a rock that has them on there make sure you're not cutting through the mat or any of the polyps. If the fish pester them they'll just close up not cause a three mile island situation so you're good there, some angels will even eat them. Carbon will help remove some so if there is a mass toxin release, which would only likely be caused by scrubbing them to smithereens in the tank, water changes and wet skimming would also help. All that being said, not all of them are these super toxic death plumes waiting to explode. Very few of them are. They are mostly a hardy and beautiful addition to the reef tank that can give you every color combination that you could ever dream of.

[Ron Reefman]

People's reactions to palytoxin (more common in palys and less so in zoas) is just like people's reactions to mosquito bits or bee stings or fire ant bites or even no-see-um bites. Everybody reacts differently, some seem almost immune (me) and some people only need to be in the same room with them (kidding) like my wife. A mosquito bites me and I get a mildly itchy bump for an hour. The same mosquito bites my wife and she developes a welt the size of a 50 cent piece and it stays with her for a day or two!

I handle zoas and palys and never have any issues. But I'm very careful not to touch anything with my hands until I wash them. I also wear safety glasses when I work with them as I have had them occasionally squirt water while working with them. I know they can be dangerous as a friend rubbed his eye while fragging some palys and he had serious eye issues for a year before it cleared up.

That's why there are so many different takes on how dangerous zoas and palys are. They can be dangerous if you are sensitive to them or get their toxin in any susceptible areas like your eyes or lips or nose.

[alcimedes]

I'd also add that for many people, you can start off not having a reaction, and over time as you are exposed to the irritant more often, you body can start to develop a more severe reaction. Another good reason to wear gloves and limit exposure.

[ReefsandGeeks]

The way I see it, is there is potential for harm when handling them, but realistically, the only real danger is when fraging them, which can be negated with simple safety equipment. in the tank, there is no danger of being poisoned. yes, you should avoid rubbing your eyes after having your hands in your tank, but that's not because of the zoas. That's because of all the bacteria in the tank.

When fragging, there's a chance that some toxin could be released, and with fraging you'll often have some water squirt away because of the fragging process. This is the only time there is any legitimate danger IMO. To bring the danger down to a comfortable level, wear thick latex gloves and a minimum of safety goggles when fragging. A face mask to protect your mouth and nose from splaching as well is optimal. Also, if you have cuts on your arms, maybe long gloves would be useful to keep it from spashing on any open wounds.

All in all, I've never been afraid to have zoas, and being that they are hardy, beautiful, and grow at a good speed I'd recommend them to anyone who is willing to put on safety goggles before fragging. I move mine around fairly frequently in the tank and directly tough them with my bare hands with no hint of an issue, so I feel anyone who tells you there is danger in that is either overly cautious, or is afraid of them from a story they heard or personal experience.