How Do You Clean Your Hands Before Working In The Tank?

[-cAtFiSh-]

I usually just use a little bit of soap on my hands and rinse it off thoroughly. I usually also wet my arms. Nothing too drastic

 

[nino]

I'm glad you posted this question, for some reason I've been thinking about the same thing lately. I try to remember to give my hands a rinse before sticking them in the tank but mostly I forget. So far it has worked out just fine but I'm glad to hear (ahem.. read ) that a lot of people don't do anything before sticking their hands in the tank. I'm always real careful after I've recently put lotion on my hands or anything like that.

 

[Synirr]

It is my opinion, and there is a fair amount of scientific evidence that supports this, that exposure to germs is key to the development of a healthy immune system. Your body has to become conditioned to coming into contact with bacteria and viruses to be able to defend itself against them properly, so if you're constantly trying to avoid germs you're actually more likely to become ill when you do come into contact with them. I almost never wash my hands after handling animals and such unless it is a species that can potentially carry really nasty bacteria (like aquatic turtles and hermit crabs), and I have been healthy all my life. I rarely even catch a cold. I figure my fish can handle a few germs from my hands, just so long as there aren't any harmful chemicals on them and I haven't recently had them in the tank of an ill fish

 

[trace1]

i'm with you on that one synirr i know people that are fanatic about cleaning & washing & staying clean yet they are always ill, now its very rare i get anything or even the kids get anything & when you think that there is 7 of us i our house, 5 kids all in primary & high school plus hubby is car mechanic plus the dog & 4 fish tanks we are a very heathly household. my hands are always in my tanks testing water & stuff as well

 

[Mr Miagi]

When ive been working in dirty, greasy envinronments like the shed, and on cars, i tend to use degreaser, and not enter the tank for atleast an hour, or until any odour from the de-greaser/soup is gone.

Otherwise, i tend to just rub down like you do, with some warm water.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I'm not a fanatic about washing myself (oh dear, that sounds most unattractive) but I am worried about residues of soap going into the fish tank, so I do rinse my hands off beforehand.

 

[Bloo]

Either with water or if I think they are dirty, then with a little soap - rinsed very well but not fanatically - no more than 10 seconds anyway

 

[Mr Miagi]

It is my opinion, and there is a fair amount of scientific evidence that supports this, that exposure to germs is key to the development of a healthy immune system. Your body has to become conditioned to coming into contact with bacteria and viruses to be able to defend itself against them properly, so if you're constantly trying to avoid germs you're actually more likely to become ill when you do come into contact with them. I almost never wash my hands after handling animals and such unless it is a species that can potentially carry really nasty bacteria (like aquatic turtles and hermit crabs), and I have been healthy all my life. I rarely even catch a cold. I figure my fish can handle a few germs from my hands, just so long as there aren't any harmful chemicals on them and I haven't recently had them in the tank of an ill fish

Whilst this is true, i know of a blokes tank, Marine, that crashed after his childs freind placed his arm in the tank with sun screen on. Whilst the 'germ' factor my be fine, id recomend washing your hands even under warm water alone, to help remove any specific harmful deoderants, aerosols, chemicals etc. Id rather be safe than sorry!

 

[Jules H-T]

I don't bother at all, unless I know I've been doing something that might introduce chemicals into the tank. But then I would wash my hands straight afterwards as a matter of course, rather than as a consequence of needing to go in a tank.

In fact, I wash my hands afterwards, not before.

Sometimes I think people can be a bit oversensitive about how they treat their fish, they are generally quite solid. But who am I to judge.

Ps. Ethos, that use is fine. The word comes from nuclear weaponry. You get nuked, you get a nuclear weapon dropped on you. Total devastation. So yes, you would nuke your tank if you sprayed fly killer into it.

 

[Somethings Fishy Here]

I never wash mine unless Ive been dealing with some kind of chemicals or dirt... and I wouldn't want to risk using soap thats the main reason I don't wash them.

With all the germs we come in contact with daily, you are much more likely to introduce something bad into your tank from unwashed hands than you are with hands washed with soap and rinsed thouroughly.

Ive had an aquarium since I was 7 and never experienced a problem with it.