Palythoas experience (almost in hospital)

[asylumdown]

Does anyone know of a testing facility in Canada that will do toxicology reports on these things? I've been trying to find a lab online that privately tests for palytoxin but all I'm coming up with is academic papers. Considering the way frags are traded, spread, and distributed in the reefer community, of an offending species of paly came in on a shipment at some point it would only take a few months for it to start showing up in lots of peoples tanks.

I'm thinking of all sorts of inappropriate STD jokes here, but maybe a more sanitized version would be that our tanks could probably all play the reefer equivalent of 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon, so if there is in fact a highly poisonous strain making it's rounds in the underground frag trade (I make it sound so dangerous), it would be nice to get it confirmed with a chemical test.

Maybe we could all chip in and send a sample of a frag from someone who thinks they've been poisoned and get it confirmed. If the worst were true, it would be a really strong motivator for everyone to start tracing back who they've gotten/given frags to.

[reef-keeper]

Originally Posted by asylumdown

Does anyone know of a testing facility in Canada that will do toxicology reports on these things?

Why not ask someone in the biology dept. at the U of A?

[Flash]

Well... i will voice my opinion and say that I am glad people are becoming aware of instances such as these. I guess ignorance is bliss to some people...
This is very important information for people to know, for the protection of themselves and their families!

There are a lot of new people to this hobby, and they likely have no idea that the pretty things in their tanks can be harmful!

[apex82]

I had similar symptoms however it only lasted in afternoon and night. The kicker is... I had no paly's or zoa's at that point. I was touching and moving rock with bare hands with a small cut on my hand... I always wear gloves regardless if I am touching anything now.