Drinking Aquarium Water... Ooops

[coolie]

Has anyone inadvertently drank aquarium water while syphoning and were there any ill effects?

I wont say whats happedned to me , I'm trying to see if it's coincidence or not.

 

[9murphy9]

it's fine i did once when a platy got stuck up my siphon i must of drank around 2 gallons trying to get it out,it never made it but it was not from lack of me trying to save it .

Alex

 

[techen]

I always get a mouthful of water when doing my water changes via hose rofl. You'd be fine

 

[Shelster]

We were taught about catching fish TB in my vet nursing course briefly.
Think from drinking siphoned water too, not only from cuts on hands.

Sorry, this is extreme, but I never knew possible before, just something for folks to be careful about.

http/www.aquaticcommunity.com/disease/tbc.php.

Sorry my link isn't working

Fish tuberculosis and the aquarist

Prevention
When aquarists become infected by Mycobacterium marinum, it is usually because the carry out maintenance work when they have cuts or other skin problems on their hands or arms. Our skin is remarkably good at keeping malevolent microorganisms out, but as soon as the skin gets injured, an important part of the body’s defense system has been breached. It doesn’t have to bee a large wound; a simple paper cut or eczema can be enough for Mycobacterium marinum to slip through. When handling an aquarium where you suspect that Mycobacterium marinum may be present, it is consequently important to use protective gloves. You may have a tiny sore that you haven’t even noticed, such as a torn cuticle. Some aquarists prefer to use gloves all the time, or at least when they have damaged skin, since it is impossible to know if Mycobacterium marinum exists in an aquarium before the fish start to show symptoms of fish tuberculosis. You can also catch fish tuberculosis by using your mouth to start a siphon. Washing your hands and lower arms with soap after handling fish and aquariums is naturally always recommended.

Symptoms and treatment
When aquarists become infected with fish tuberculosis, it normally starts as a skin problem. Mycobacterium marinum is a slow growing mycobacterium and it can therefore take several weeks before you notice any symptoms. The first sign is normally small purple lesions or “bumps”. The lesions will grow and spread and Mycobacterium marinum can proceed to destroy the soft tissue under the skin, including tendons and joints. In severe cases, fish tuberculosis can spread to the bones and cause symptoms similar to arthritis.

Most doctors never come in contact with fish tuberculosis and if you show up with some strange lesions on your hands, they might not realize what is causing it and put you on a general oral antibiotic that will not kill Mycobacterium marinum. It is therefore very important to inform your doctor that you are an aquarist and that you may have caught fish tuberculosis or some other disease from your aquarium. Mycobacterium marinum can be successfully treated but only if the right combination of drugs are used. Just as with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the treatment will normally need to be carried out over the course of several months. In serious cases, intravenous administration of antibiotics may be required.

 

[coolie]

I see. I didn't know that about fish TB. Anyhow, it's just that 36 -48 hours after said incident, I have a bad cold and migraine and the cruds. Could be coincidence.

Strange, it won't allow the word crud without changing it to crud.

 

[Shelster]

I would imagine coincidence, this time of year, all the socialising etc. Do you frequently get migraines? A lot of bugs about ATM, hope you feel better soon, get it out of the way before Christmas.
Maybe from now use a gravel siphon thing where you don't need to suck the aquarium water, just pump cleaner up and down (err if that makes sense?!?!)

 

[coolie]

Yeah, made the mistake of buying a gravel cleaner from China or India on eBay to save a few pence. Buy British (or American). It was rubbish and I ditched it for the suck the end of the tube method.

 

[ColR1948]

I used to do it a lot, got sick to the gills with it so got one of those gravel vac things, plunge it in the water a few times and the siphon starts.

 

[snazy]

Why are you guys using your mouth to start the siphon? They surely should be putting instructions on these thing as no one, even me in the beginning had any idea how to do it and I used my mouth too. The trick is to make sure the siphon is full of water first. I normally just scoop as much water as I can with the wide part of the siphon, then turn it vertically so it starts flowing towards the bottom. You have to use your finger at the bottom to stop all the water from flowing out of it because the purpose is to fill it up with water to the top as much as possible. Then once full(as long as the airline is full), put the wide siphon part back in the tank and reIease your finger from the bottom to let it flow. In the beginning it may take you a couple of water scooping, releasing your finger at the bottom to clear all air bubbles along the way but once you grasp it it takes a second from the first time.

 

[coolie]

That is a very good idea. I think with such a large gravel cleaning end, that should be easy. But I've also had mouth full of petrol before and squirted WD40 in my eye. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!

 

[daizeUK]

Good tip Snazy, I practised using a siphon for the first time today in an unstocked tank using the plunging method, I can imagine it scaring the living daylights out of the fish, I will try your method next time!

 

[Jay-93]

Try doing that with a marine tank like me, then complain! Haha

 

[DreamertK]

I've been plunging the head of my siphon in the tank very rapidly and with great force to push the water through the tube this whole time, once you hear the water splash into the bucket you can stop. Simple as that and no kissing the tank water!

 

[creeker]

Yep. Just fill the hose with water and let gravity do it's part. I had TB of the Lymph system that entered from a cut on my hand when I was doing tank maintenance at my work in a fish shop years ago. The treatment made me feel lousy and lasted for more than 6 months as I recall. The doctors were baffled at first, until I told them about my work.

 

[cms091]

I use a jug of water! I just fill the tube I've got to within about 3inches of the top, holding the ends in one hand. Finger on either end. Put one end under water in tank, release that finger. lower other endinto bucket, release other finger. I've got a piece of non-bendy tube about 2 foot long on the tank end of the flexible tube to help direct where I syphon from. As I have sand, the wide gravel cleaner doesn't suit the way I work.
Cathy