How dangerous are Zoanthids really?

[APISTOBORELLI]

I was just spit on slightly. Not paniking yet..... . Should I be? I wore rubber gloves, and I wear glasses all the time anyway. As I was removing a red shroom, I must have bothered it and it shot out twice. Got my chin, neck, and shirt. I washed my hands, and face. I just changed also.

 

[NateHanson]

No worries. If your throat hasn't closed up by now then you're probably not reactive to them.

(I'm not actually sure mushrooms even have palyotoxin though? I dunno.)

 

[~Flighty~]

I think the effects are pretty immediate with palyotoxin. Was it a mushroom or a zoanthid?

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

It was a Zoo. I was removing a shroom from the same rock and bumped it or something.

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

This is the "culprit". There's shrooms, zoos, anthelia, and yellow polyps on the same rock.

 

[Moe_K]

I had a shroom squirt me in the eye when I was trying to remove it from the glass of an empty tank. Burned like a son of a gun for an hour or two. My eye got all red.
Never had a polyp squirt though.

 

[MAReefer1]

woa...what do they squirt... toxins or sumthin?

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

I've "heard" they spit a neurotoxin here somewhere.

http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=24525&highlight=neurotoxin

 

[Moe_K]

Well, zoanthids do have toxins. I just don't know if they squirt them.
There are well known stories, from people like Calfo, of people being effected by the toxins after fragging zoanthids. Anthony's lips/tongue/mouth went numb for a while after wiping his hands on a towel, then using the towel minutes later to wipe his face. He describes the event in his coral propagation book.
In addition, it's worth noting that Polynesians used to poison their spears with the toxins from zoandthids - specifically palythoa, I think. Do a search on RC for palytoxin and see what you get.

 

[ReeferMedic]

I've gotten a bit light headed fragging certain zoas I have. It's actually kind of cool at times.

 

[smcnally]

I think it has to get in a cut or somewhere where it can be absorbed into your bloodstream to really mess you up.

 

[ReeferMedic]

It will absorb into your blood stream through you skin any where you have pores in your skin and is not calloused over. The only places it won't are the palms of your hands and the bottom of you feet. So, if you want to get the full effect, rub them on the back of your hand.

 

[Michael Mota]

I was once fragging Zoos ( when I first started in reefing) when I scratched the side of my face and about 10 minutes later my mouth and side was giving me a numbing feeling. Told the wife if I start to act weird or something to call 911 and bring the animals to the hospital for the doctor to know what he was dealing with. Man that was a scary time not knowing what the you know what was happening. Now I always wear gloves and eye protection plus I am much more conscience of my hands and were I place them.

 

[pantinor]

great, how am i gonna explain this one, I ODed feeling the zoos in my tank

 

[S Hunter]

I've gotten a bit light headed fragging certain zoas I have. It's actually kind of cool at times.

NICE

 

[fanaglethebagle]

It will absorb into your blood stream through you skin any where you have pores in your skin and is not calloused over. The only places it won't are the palms of your hands and the bottom of you feet. So, if you want to get the full effect, rub them on the back of your hand.

Haha, zoo-junkie

 

[vinny]

How dangerous are they (sounds like a cheap high ) I just handled them last week no gloves and nothing happened.

 

[Scuba_Dave]

They killed a dog....need any more info?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=158730

 

[vinny]

Dave thanks for the info thats some scary stuff, now i'm going to start wearing gloves and keep my kids clear.

 

[naturebatslast]

I've heard they are prone to carjacking