Zooanthids are poisonous??

[dustybuddy]

I've seen a couple of threads on zooanthids and palytoxin. Someone's dog passed away and zoo's have been suspected of killing clams and neighboring corals. I was wondering if anyone had some more information on that.

DO they kill u if u eat them???

DO they release these poisons into the water and could the poisons leak out into the air??

IF they start to battle with other corals for space in my example...some hairy mushrooms, mushrooms, and star polyps, will they start releasing their poison?

Is that the reason that a LOT of my corals started to die recently??

[fishysteve]

Why would you eat them?:rolleyes:

[landlord]

If you haven't tried the mango infused zooanthid terrine with leeks then you do not know what you're missing.

[fishysteve]

landlord - Do you have any other recipes? I like spicy food.

[landlord]

I got Betty Crocker's "Sea"food edition

[landlord]

...or the ever famous zooanthids with fava beans and a nice chianti.

In any case, yes they do contain toxins, whether they are releasing them to combat for space and that being the reason for the die off of other corals in your tank, I do not know. Those folks in the zoo/paly forum will probably have the answer. I personally simply watch my zoos get devoured by amphipods in my tank.

FWIW --landlord

[greenbean36191]

Palytoxin has been found in some zoanthids. No one knows if it's in all of them or if it even persists in captivity since it's believed that it's dinoflagellates rather than the polyps that actually make the toxin.

The toxin is only released when the polyps are damaged and can only be taken in through mucus membranes and open wounds. It's not injected with a sting and it isn't used for competition. It has nothing to do with the demise of your other corals. Most inverts aren't sensitive to it and in fact many others such as worms, clams, sponges, etc. accumulate it themselves. If you were to eat them you would almost definitely get very sick, but whether you would die or not really isn't known. Most of what we know about the toxicity of palytoxin is inferred from animal studies and a few cases where it's suspected (not confirmed) that shellfish and other seafood had been tainted with it.

[kar93]

Ive only heard of the dog deaths when people frag them and let the dogs roam about freely and they find a polyp and eat it, ive also heard of people fraggin then not washing hands and getting ill - carelesness realy

[Frick-n-Frags]

that dog thing was circumstantial. but it is now legend.

[TomZogas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11354109#post11354109 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 07kar93
Ive only heard of the dog deaths when people frag them

.....I tried fragging my dog once. I thought that if i left a little bit of the mouth for each half he would be fine.....

[flyyyguy]

+1 :)

[Frick-n-Frags]

:D heh

[flyyyguy]

I read somewhere.....cant remember where that there have only been two species of palythoa identified that actually carry that deadly palytoxin that can kill you quickly



that being said...i have been sick from fragging polyps on a few occasions.....just headaches and nausea.......certainly didnt almost drop dead by any means

[coral rules]

I herd that your most likely to get sick if it gets in a cut when you are fragging it.

[Frick-n-Frags]

you hear the "metallic taste in your mouth" stories a lot too.

my understanding was that Palythoa grandis (those big sun polyps) are very similar to that hawaiian poison spear paly which for sure has it. anyway, I use uber lab technique when fragging those.

[dustybuddy]

can someone post pics of the poisonous types of zoos?