Palys

[kbuser92]

I have 3 Cinnamon Palys and they need moved. I noticed a new head today right next to my big one and now neither of them is open all the way cuz theyre too crowded, but theyre trying. Theyre both half open...

And my third is 3/4 open between some zoas and a rock.

All three are atached to a rock, so how can I peel them off without hurting I have 3 Cinnamon Palys and they need moved. I noticed a new head today right next to my big one and now neither of them is open all the way cuz theyre too crowded, but theyre trying. Theyre both half open...

And my third is 3/4 open between some zoas and a rock.

All three are atached to a rock, so how can I peel them off without hurting them? Tomorrow morning is moving time for a few things...

 

[Bifferwine]

If they are spreading on their own, they are not crowding themselves out. But if you want to move them, you should take a razor blade and gently cut them off as close to the rock as you can. Then use super glue gel to attach them to their new location.

 

[kbuser92]

So I can actually cut the coral?

Im just concerned cuz the one was looking greatl until this new one started opening and now theyre only half open.

 

[ReefMedic]

They will make there own room.

Another suggestion on moving them if you still want to. Try to get you finger nail under the edge of the coral mat and see if you can simply peel them off. If you can use some super glue gel to stick them on a small piece of rock rubble and mount the where ever else you want them in your tank.

FYI: Paly's are extremely toxic wearing rubber gloves while handling them is strongly suggested and wash your hands after handling them.

 

[ilyad]

Guys, if you cut or peel the paly it can potentially release the toxin in the tank... it WILL kill everything in there except other palys or zoas. The only safe way to do it is to pull the whole rock off, cut the paly in a small tub of tank water, then let is sit there and slime for a bit, then moved to another bucket with tank water to dissolve any remaining toxins. Keep in mind, the mat might regrow unless you remove all of it.

 

[valasaraptor]

I've fraged alot of zoas and palys in my tank with no effect? 20g at that too and I've seen the brown goo ooze while doing it and I'm pretty sure others frag them in their tank also.

 

[ilyad]

I've fraged alot of zoas and palys in my tank with no effect? 20g at that too and I've seen the brown goo ooze while doing it and I'm pretty sure others frag them in their tank also.

Not all Palys and zoa contain palytoxin, and others have different toxicity levels. And unless you're a marine biologist it's a good idea to assume it's toxic

 

[Chain]

Yea ilyad is absolutely correct. Palytoxin is extremely dangerous and all zoanthids and palythoas should be treated as if they contain sufficient quantities of the organic compound to cause illness or death. Here is the official wiki article copied and pasted. The chemical makeup of palytoxin is actually quite complex and you can find out more about it by reading around.

"
Some zoanthids contain the highly toxic substance palytoxin. Palytoxin is one of the most toxic organic substances in the world, but there is an ongoing debate over the concentration of this toxin in these animals.[citation needed] However, even in small quantities, the toxin can be fatal should it be ingested or enter the blood stream. If delivered immediately, vasodilators injected into the ventricle of the heart can act as an antidote.[1]
In order for this toxin to be dangerous to humans, the average aquarist would need to ingest the zoanthid in sufficient quantities, or brush a recent cut over it. Average handling, propagation and aquarium maintenance is unlikely to pose any danger beyond a localized skin reaction.[citation needed] A 2010 study found toxic zoanthids in three Washington D.C. area aquarium stores.[15]
Contrary to common belief, palytoxin can be absorbed through intact skin.[16] The danger of acute poisoning from venomous zoanthids is quite real. An aquarist was poisoned through skin injuries on fingers by a Parazoanthus species, but recovered after 3 days. His zoanthid was found to contain 2-3 milligram of palytoxin per gram.[17] For comparison, the intravenous LD50 dose of palytoxin for a grown man is less than 8 microgram. Thus each gram of the offending zoanthid contained enough venom to kill at least 125 grown men.
Palytoxin is a tumor promoter, and is being studied in relation to signaling pathways in skin cancer genesis"

 

[NanoReefer]

i think zoas are way overrated too how dangerous they are. i hold mine and frag them in tank all the time. i think people make alot of stuff seem way worse in this hobby than it actually is, such as ro water. i use tap...

 

[Chain]

I would agree with you that most people will never have an issue with them. Never hurts to know the facts about the pretty little corals in your tanks though. The possibility is there, but more then likely it will never become an issue save for a very very small percent of zoanthid/paly keepers and even then I would be surprised to see a death occur as a result.

 

[bjohanson1234]

https://www.livingreefs.com/please-read-re-zoas-t14371.html

I learned about Zoanthid toxin the hard way...... - Reef Central Online Community

Although I think the actual risk of getting the toxin into your blood stream is small, the effects are huge. So why not protect yourself just in case?

Also, some people have luck running tap water, but from my experience, my tank is so much more stable with less algae and problems since I switched to RO water.

 

[Samhain]

OT, but I won't run tap in my tank since finding out the lead and radon levels are actually above even Federal standards in our local water! We also live in a heavy-agriculture area, so you can imagine the amount of fertilizer run-off we have. Even if they filter the water as they should, we are still going to be getting some of that. If you're going to run tap, it pays to know exactly what is in that water, and an RO/DI unit isn't all that expensive. As a matter of fact, we've started using the RO/DI filter for our drinking water as well! Good for us, good for the tank!

So while an RO/DI may be unnecessary for some people, I'm finding it very beneficial for me! And while most people may never have a problem with zoas, does it really pay to risk the consequences when a box of nitrile gloves (latex free for those with latex allergies!) costs a couple bucks and would last you a couple years, even if you frag your zoas weekly?

 

[315hottuna61]

it never hurts to be cautious,getting any kind of toxins in your system could make your day a bad one.

 

[Eissie]

An ounce of prevention if worth a pound of cure nano. ;)

 

[NanoReefer]

oh well, ill just start eating small doses of zoas so i become immune:) jk....

 

[beeguiles]

I also have fragged zoas and palys in my tank bc I was not able to take the rocks out. They oozed but everything was fine. Just make sure to wash your hands and whatever you used very well. Just adding in a also use tap water. I did have cyano but I just added flow and its been gone since. I'm not spending a bunch of money on a rodi unit if I don't have to. And not lugging water from my lfs, that would be a pain.

 

[315hottuna61]

let me know how they taste, nano.

 

[fastrd400]

I am constantly fragging zoas and palys. Yes, they contain toxins, should you use care, absolutely. I wear glasses so I can see them better and protect my eyes, but that is it. If you are nervous about it, wear a pair of ;
latex gloves as well. If this is something you are going to do more and more, I strongly suggest getting a surgical scalpel. It is much easier to manipulate, and wont cut your fingers while you use it.