Just a friendly reminder and a warning to those who frag Zoos and Palys

[delsol650]

If you frag zoos and palys, this is a reminder to those vets and to those newbies.

Please remember to wear your protection. IE' Glasses, gloves and mask ( if your that susceptible to the vapors ). I forgot to wear my protective stuff while fragging some Protopalys yesterday noon and got squirted right in the eye. I immediately ran to the bathroom and rinsed my eyes for a while. I thought everything was cool till an hour or so later I started getting more burning itchy feeling in my eye (non stop burning feeling ) . Feels like someone dabbed some bengay/mineral ice on your eyelids or eyes. Went to the hospital today to see my doctor. It seems that when the protopaly squirted me either bacteria from it, the water or the waters chemistry really irritated the hell out of my eyes. Blood shot red. He doubts its palytoxin, ( thank god ) but I was told that if it doesn't subside with in 24hrs that I need to go back right away.


I understand that us vets sometimes take this easy chore for granted sometimes, but please take heed and be careful. Pain is almost gone now with the antibacterial eye drops I was given but the unsettling feeling is still there.

Charles-

[glee]

hey charles, rest up, heal, and keep us posted on your recovery.

best, g

[delsol650]

No prob. thanks. Eyes feeling a little better after the eye drops.. but still feels uneasy or weird feeling that its not right you know.

[FishAreFriends2]

Originally posted by glee
hey charles, rest up, heal, and keep us posted on your recovery.

best, g

Sorry to hear Delsol hope you recover. I read a post somewhere about someone who went through the samething. but they got a sore.

[Sparkss]

glad you're ok Charles, and I know what you mean about sometimes taking our tanks dangers for granted.

[cro55f1r3]

wow now just in case i start fragging im going to wear eye protection.
good to see that your starting to feel better charles. good thing it wasent
anything worse

[APISTOBORELLI]

I got squirted in the eye about a year ago. Took almost a month before my eye felt "normal" again. I don't remember the exact name of the toxin the doctor gave me but he said if I left it unchecked I could have lost the eye.

Glad you'll be ok. Who ever thought this hobby was so dangerous.

[raddogz]

I am so sorry Charles.

If I do any fragging of zoas I make sure it's away from my birds and my dog - I actually put her outside.

There's that story that floats around here on RC about a someone's dog who ingested zoas from a rock that was placed in a bucket during routine tank maintenance. The dog died within 24hrs bled from the inside out - absolutely horrible.

There's also the story that Calfo was fragging zoas wearing gloves and UPS came to the door, so he used his mouth to rip away the glove from his hand. Calfo had a metallic taste in his mouth for the next six months.

[tonggao]

Sorry to hear your experience Charles. For me, I bought a shield that I found great to protect my whole face (you don't want to have any coral parts to go into your mouth either), and it is very comfortable to wear compared to glasses. There are many shields that you can buy, and here is the one I bought.

[Malster1]

Sorry Charles, let me know if you need anything let me know. Happy to hear your feeling a little better now. See I thought it was only nail I have to look out for (got one almost in the eye a few year's ago). Thanks for the tip, glasses next to tank now.

[happyface888]

Sorry to hear Charles, I hope ya recover from that incident. Thats gotta suck. well if I ever frag better put on some safty glasses. Or have multimple sets like you

[DurTBear]

Wow...That's scary stuff! Sorry to hear about this Charles. Hope you continue to get better and thanks for posting this as a reminder to all of us to be careful when working with our zoas.

[Malster1]

Newbie question, do I need to where gloves all the time moving them around, or only when Fragging them? I usually wear them only when gluing. or messing with my carpet anemone

[rhythmicfire]

Get better Charles! Take it easy for a bit

[Kinetic]

Sorry to hear that charles! hope you get better.

Originally posted by raddogz
There's that story that floats around here on RC about a someone's dog who ingested zoas from a rock that was placed in a bucket during routine tank maintenance. The dog died within 24hrs bled from the inside out - absolutely horrible.

I heard that story too eileen, freaking tragic and sooo sad. Ever since I use goggles that hug my eyes, never got squirted by I'm never taking a chance. Dogs and other living things aren't allowed near me while I'm taking care of my zoas/palys. I've read so many stories there have been times I was going to just give all my zoas away.

[delsol650]

Thanks everyone for the responses, everyone that knows me or seen me frag knows that I always wear glasses /gloves.. it was that one time that it skipped my mind.. and got a good squirt from a foot away.

The eye is feeling better, no more burning feeling ( thank god ).. its not a feeling I want anyone here in RC/BAR to encounter. The story regarding the dog is true , i've read it here.. there are actually far worse stuff like another reefer got sent to the emergency and basically died almost 9 times, they had to do full body flush to get all the toxins out... he got sprayed by an RPE. don't know if it hit him in the mouth, eye or what. That's what scared me the most.

Just remember to keep yourself protected all the time when handling your corals. KEEP ON FRAGGING.

Charles-

[raddogz]

Originally posted by Malster1
Newbie question, do I need to where gloves all the time moving them around, or only when Fragging them? I usually wear them only when gluing. or messing with my carpet anemone

The frogspawns will secrete a slime which stings like the dickens into any cut, abrasions on your hand will itch like nobody's tomorrow.

[delsol650]

No PUN intended but " NO GLOVE NO LOVE "

[yongsum]

Charles, glad you're ok. Thanks for reiterating this crucial point, so easily taken for granted by most of us. Palytoxin truly is a threat worth considering :
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~bemorton/Neu...Palytoxin.html
While we can get infections anytime we're handling marine livestock, even from the water, I hardly feel the need for protection even when handling carpet anemones. But everyone please make the whole zoanthidae family and exception.

[FunGuy]

Wow, glad you're slowly feeling better Charles. I better be careful when fragging

[delsol650]

Hey Herman, what's up bro. Yeah, don't want to end up like me man.. pains gone but discomforts and anxiety still there.