LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - If you own a saltwater water aquarium you may own something that could potentially make you very sick or kill you.
After a family in Texas nearly died last week after the mother said she was cleaning the tank, calls have been coming into The Fish Tank store on Bowman Road in Little Rock, asking questions about a potentially toxic coral.
The vivid colored flower-looking coral is popular in saltwater aquarium displays, but under that hypnotizing dance of colors lies a potentially deadly secret. Managers of the store said that owners of saltwater aquariums should handle this coral with special care because it can unleash a powerful neurotoxin when provoked.
“Basically, all corals in the ocean are competing for space so they all want their territory and some of their mechanisms to defend themselves or to get more space in the reef is to exude slime or sweeper tentacles,” manager Vanessa Scroggins said.
The ocean is filled with deadly animals that look attractive in a tank. For example, sea urchins and lionfish also are venomous, Scroggins said.
The particular types of coral with the toxin are zoanthids or palys, but not every coral contains the chemical Scroggins said. The problem is there is no way of telling if the coral has the chemical or not by just looking at it, so hobbyists should assume it does and use extreme caution when around the coral.
“If they're interested in getting zoanthids or palys be cautious when you're working in your tank, older people and or people that have immune issues need to be super cautious wear gloves and googles when you’re handling them,” Scroggins said.
Incidents of injuries with the coral are rare, but enough for the store to highlight the dangers of the creature.
The store posted facts and other information on their Facebook page after a pet owner in England was poisoned earlier in April and they posted again on Monday after the Texas incident.