Zoanthid poisoning!

Well yesterday wasn't a fun day for me and today I'm still feeling pretty bad.

I have some pale green zoanthids in my main reef that grow like MAD.  They have become a nuisance as everything they touch they either grow over or kill.  Yesterday I finally started ripping apart my tank to get them off the rocks. I got the rocks out and scraped the zoos off the rocks.

After about an hour of cleaning off the rocks, I start to feel very tight-chested and can hardly breath.  I put the remaining rock back into the tank and go lie down.  My wife came in and I was shaking and sweating.  She took my vitals and temp.

My blood pressure had dropped like a rock.  Mine is usually very high at around 160/100 ish.  Yesterday it was at 105/65.  Pulse was very high at around 100.  Temp measured at 103-104.  My wife pumped me full of drugs and said we're going to the ER.  Of course being a male, I refused.

I made it through the night ok and my bp is still around the same, pulse still high, but my temp has stabilized and I'm feeling much better.  I feel somewhat like I have a very bad hangover.

I directly attribute this to the zoanthids and the polytoxin that some of the species carry.  I will never touch zoos again without rubber gloves and I want to urge you all to do the same.

I usually don't post my dumb@ss experiences, but I feel that I needed to share this one.

Sean - wow that's aweful!  There is quite a bit written about palythoa poisoning on reef central.  I worry about it too.  I could see how you could release a ton of toxins with about 3 square feet covered with those zoos.  Is everything in your tank ok?  I agree with Mark - have a check-up.  Docs may have never even heard of it because it's rare around here.   You may want to take some literature in (although I just did a medical search and couldn't find a thing).

Wow Sean ... that sounds awful!  Keep us up to date on your condition. That stuff is pretty scary!

I always use rubber surgical gloves and protective eyewear when I frag my zoos. Did you take the rocks out of your tank to clean them? Did you have zoo slime all over your hands or any open cuts, etc?

Sean! Your "normal" BP is 160/100?! You are hypertensive and
need drugs!!!

Heart dzz is called "the silent killer" for a reason!

You are too young to high a bp that high. I want you to live to
be a grandpa, so go to your md.

Corey - I did take the rock out of the tank and was scraping off the zoos with a knife.  I did cut myself on the finger while cleaning the rocks off and there was TONS of slime.  I'm sure thats why it was so bad.

I know that my BP is all out of whack.  I've tried everything but beta blockers and I won't take them.  I really need to exercise and lose some weight.  That's going to be my New Year's resolution.

I just woke up from a 2 hour nap, still feeling pretty crappy.