Eric Boerner
03/18/2003, 03:42 PM
A friend has been PMing me about his Zoanthids, questioning whether some of his are toxic. I won't relay the PM's we've been passing back and forth, but I thought it might interest some folks on what to look out for in regards to which palythoas to avoid.
In general, zoanthids are mildly toxic. Palythoa's are the strain that is deadly. You still have to be careful handling zoanthids regardless. However, be extra careful when handling palythoas. These are what you need to look out for...
This is Palythoa Toxica, The deadly hawaiian strain, which is ultra rare in the hobby. It's illegal to take from the sea, and illegal to own in your tank.
http://www.pixi.com/~mgf/Palyclose.gif
This is Palythoa tuberculosa, this is less deadly, but still pretty lethal. It'll kill you in minutes, instead of seconds. It's a little less rare, but still illegal to take and own. It ranges all over the South Pacific, but mostly in Hawaii and Tahiti. Some collectors mistakenly take live rock with it on it and it gets into our hobby that way.
http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/marlife/corals/i21.jpg
This is the Carribean version. Common in the hobby, but not as leathal. You'd have to get a good amount into your bloodstream to kill you. Small animals and children should be kept clear of this at all costs. Palythoa caribaerum.
http://www.acquaportal.it/Articoli/Marino/Invertebrati/zoantiniari/images/palythoa/Palythoat3.jpg
All three look very simular. Very pronounced mats, with flattened stems, and heads that stay folded in on themselves most of the time. All look fleshy colored and are very rubbery in texture.
In general, Palythoa are a lot more nasty than zoanthids. They can make you sick messing around with them even for a short period of time. Even ones not shown above.
Goniopora (flower pot) is another coral not to mess with. It's right up there with the low end palythoas in toxicity.
In general, zoanthids are mildly toxic. Palythoa's are the strain that is deadly. You still have to be careful handling zoanthids regardless. However, be extra careful when handling palythoas. These are what you need to look out for...
This is Palythoa Toxica, The deadly hawaiian strain, which is ultra rare in the hobby. It's illegal to take from the sea, and illegal to own in your tank.
http://www.pixi.com/~mgf/Palyclose.gif
This is Palythoa tuberculosa, this is less deadly, but still pretty lethal. It'll kill you in minutes, instead of seconds. It's a little less rare, but still illegal to take and own. It ranges all over the South Pacific, but mostly in Hawaii and Tahiti. Some collectors mistakenly take live rock with it on it and it gets into our hobby that way.
http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/marlife/corals/i21.jpg
This is the Carribean version. Common in the hobby, but not as leathal. You'd have to get a good amount into your bloodstream to kill you. Small animals and children should be kept clear of this at all costs. Palythoa caribaerum.
http://www.acquaportal.it/Articoli/Marino/Invertebrati/zoantiniari/images/palythoa/Palythoat3.jpg
All three look very simular. Very pronounced mats, with flattened stems, and heads that stay folded in on themselves most of the time. All look fleshy colored and are very rubbery in texture.
In general, Palythoa are a lot more nasty than zoanthids. They can make you sick messing around with them even for a short period of time. Even ones not shown above.
Goniopora (flower pot) is another coral not to mess with. It's right up there with the low end palythoas in toxicity.