spoondigity Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 Does anyone have indepth, good information on the palytoxins found in most zoanthids? I have found some general texts describing it as a potentially deadly toxin but I haven't been able to track down any thorough, written information about it. Basically I am hoping to find information on what has to be done to the specimen for secretion to occur (i.e. what is the minimal damage needed before the toxin is released). What initial signs of exposure are in a human and what is the progression of effects. Numbers of lethalities due specifically to aquarium exposure and exact causes of death (biologically speaking what causes an individual to die). I know vascular constriction is involved but any in depth information would be really appreciated. I have done searches for it but most sites that mention it are so abstract in some study with no background information that I haven't found them useful to reference. Link to comment
tinyreef Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 this is a nice little story on it. http://www.chem.orst.edu/ch331-7t/ch334/MOTD116.htm it's definitely bad@ss! Link to comment
glazer Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 Gawd I love Google! Check this out.. http://www.cbwinfo.com/Biological/Toxins/P.../Palytoxin.html Then relax, you got nothing to worry about.... Aquariums don't kill people, they just make you poor.... wait, poor is a good start to poor health... wow, poor health...no money for the doctor, pneumonia sets in, no wife or friends around cuz they know you only are interested in your "precious corals". You lay there in bed freezing cuz the gas got cut off cause you needed the money for the RO machine.. you sold your electric space heater to pay the electric bill... your too weak to reach the shrimp pellets on the tank stand let alone stumble out to the kitchen for another bowl of Ramen noodles and there you have it, they find you dead and freeze dried in your bed a week later only alerted to the prob because that cheesey top off system you made failed and overfilled the tank and shorted out the circular overhead flourescent light fixture in the kitchen of the old crazy lady that lives downstairs. Link to comment
lizbeth Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 Glazer you have toooo much time on your hands! Good story. I love this part of the info on that site; Terrorist Acquisition and Attempted Use. None confirmed. spoondigity, on the yahoo search there are 670 entries and on the google search there are 572 there should be some good information if you can just sift through it. If you can't find the answer maybe it's because no one know them. Link to comment
spoondigity Posted January 10, 2003 Author Share Posted January 10, 2003 Hehe, oh believe me I have seen the same results and I have spent a lot of time sifting. I was just hoping to get lucky and hear from someone who already had some ideas of good sources. Thanks for the link Glazer and tinyreef, this looks like it will definitely fill in some information for us and I am also lmao. I am trying to help my cousin do some leg work on his research for a bio paper. Thanks for the replies! Link to comment
Korbin Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Wow, its the longest natural carbon chain. That's really something. I was worried about this after I chopped my zoanthids off the rock with a steak knife and I did some reasearching. Basically, I believe that if you get poisoned by it, you'll be out of your misery before you have time to worry about it. I have also read threads on RC about people's encounters with their corals' toxins. More than a few people said they experienced rashes on their arms from brushing against corals, and a few said thier finger tips were numb after handling ricordeas. A couple of people even said they started hallucinating after handling certain corals. Maybe its BS, but its sure is freaky. Link to comment
logicalreef Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 I have worked with all species of zoos for a good many years. Probably getting exposed to more "juice" than I should (may be part of my problem:) I think I have a nice immunity to it as I have never encountered any rashing, burning or otherwise ill effects. Anthony Calfo is very approchable and if you are really wanting real life horror stories and papers to read, drop him a line. Peace, Bryan Link to comment
FlyGTI Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 When I used to maintain tanks, one of the guys who I worked with was cleaning a tank and got a little too close to a huge Filipino carpet anemone and his arm swelled up big enough to warrant a trip to the hospital. Come to think of it, he was kind of unlucky when it came to tanks. He'd been to the hospital several times for injections to calm a reaction to a couple of stings by a rather ill tempered Volitan lionfish. Same fish both times, no less! Strange to think that something as small and innocent looking as a polyp could get so ####ed off that it could kill you.??? Link to comment
Krista Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 My husband got stung once by a palythoa. He said it felt like an electric shock and then his whole hand was numb for about a month. I guess he was one of the lucky ones. Link to comment
Satchmo Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 Originally posted by Korbin A couple of people even said they started hallucinating Please edit this out of your post. I have friends who will eat my zoos when I'm not looking if they see this. Link to comment
TiGs Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 Originally posted by Krista My husband got stung once by a palythoa. He said it felt like an electric shock and then his whole hand was numb for about a month. I guess he was one of the lucky ones. Or lick them.:x Link to comment
Kalanianaole Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Spoons.... Not to sound evil, but your line of questioning made me wonder if you're planning on doing anyone in with palytoxins. Would make a nice bit on CSI or something. Blowdarts made from lionfish spines and dipped in palytoxins. Don't watch American Psycho. it'll ruin you. Link to comment
spoondigity Posted January 24, 2003 Author Share Posted January 24, 2003 Heh, I believe with the amount of time I have spent researching this stuff for him I probably could pull a good csi cover up. A little paly on the old toothbrush. I would probably make it on to the world's dumbest criminals if I was to try that one after making a post about this stuff hehe. Link to comment
Korbin Posted January 26, 2003 Share Posted January 26, 2003 Originally posted by Krista My husband got stung once by a palythoa. He said it felt like an electric shock and then his whole hand was numb for about a month. I guess he was one of the lucky ones. Thats funny you said that. I was reaching in my tank the other day and I bumped my calaustria and I swear it felt like an electric shock in my thumb, and that was it. No swelling or rash or pain. I don't know, maybe I just wasnt expecting to touch it and it freaked me out, but its feeder tenticles WERE out. SCEERY Link to comment
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