Is tank water dangerous?

[Elisabeth83]

I'm just wondering if tank water is dangerous? I have 4 tanks now and while I am rearraninging things, cleaning, changing water etc I find I get water all over no matter how careful I try to be

I wipe it up with a towel but while reading a post in the Betta section about fish diseases how they dont die even when you wash and dry they still live as spores then that means basically your whole house is filled with spores and what not where you spill the tank water?? I mean even if the disease isn't active ick is always present in all tanks right?

Please someone clear this up for me so I can relax!!

 

[Cat]

If mum reads that my tanks are history

 

[clutterydrawer]

I don't know

But I know there was a thread on here once made by a guy who'd got a throat infection supposedly from swallowing tank water

I doubt you and your family are all gonan contract ich though.

No seriously, if it was that dangerous, fishkeepers everywhere would be dropping like flies.

 

[The-Wolf]

for the odd spill I use paper towels (Bounty or thirst pockets) these really do suck up every bit of water then can.

For major spills, like forgetting to swap buckets and it overflows
I have a wet 'n' dry vacuum cleaner.

 

[black angel]

personally, i think water from tanks must be teaming with bacteria. all you have to do is look at how dirty it is when you gravel vac, all that fish poo and stuff, it must have something unpleasant. but unless someone can analyse it properly we wont know? it doesnt stop me from sooking away at the gravel vac though
and ive never had a problem, cough, cough.

 

[smithrc]

had my arms in fish tanks for about 13 years now... and i've not caught anything... from the tanks anyway

 

[CathyG]

There are millions of bacteria over every surface in the house!

In my limited knowledge, the only fish disease I have heard of (so far) that may affect humans is fish TB. It does not manifest itself in the same way as human TB (don't panic!) but if you have open sores on your arms or hands you should take care when putting your hands into a tank known to have TB, since it could possibly cause (fish) TB related skin problems.

I would add that research appears to point to TB in a marine tank (Myobacterium marinum) and not freshwater, and I am quite sure that if there was a severe risk to humans, there would have been more research and more reports.

I have actually read of more incidents of people having allergic reactions after handling fish food, than anyone contracting fish diseases

I have just found this though Zoonosis just to panic people further I would strongly advise you research the information on this site yourself, if you are at all concerned. Personally, I am not concerned I bet there are a thousand other sites out there giving similar information about other diseases that can be passed on to humans by our dogs, cats and birds! Rabies, for instance, is way more common, and a 100% killer. We can take precautions to innoculate, but do we stop keeping pets because of the risk?

I think we need to keep things in perspective

 

[Elisabeth83]

Cat you better make sure your mum doesn't read this then

Haha I sure hope I don't catch ich Yeah I mean I guess it can't be that dangerous or no one would keep fish.

Yeah I usually use paper towels to wipe everything up. I haven't had any major spills yet like you wolf

Should I just not think about the water I spill then??

What about transferring plants/wood/decorations from one tank to another? Is it like once that plant, piece of wood or decoration is in one tank..it's gotta remain there? I'm afraid of transferring a disease or something. I mean I never move a plant or something if that tank is infected with something but I'm talking about when all tanks are healthy is it then ok for me to move things from tank to tank once I rinse them off?

 

[MAM]

gee, you'd better see this then: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=12212&hl=




i wouldn't worry too much. as long as you wash up good when youre done, you shouldn't get sick. and if you have open wounds are your hands, either cover them up somehow, or wash real good. if you really want to freak yourself out, just think of all the other bacteria causing stuff in your house, what you bring in on the bottom of your shoes, what your other pets contribute, etc. you'll sleep well tonight now i'm sure.

as for moving stuff from one tank to another, i've done it with healthy tanks without issue. if the stuff was in a tank that at one point wasn't healthy, i've jsut tried to clean it best i could and hope for the best................................... if it makes you that nervous though, then just get new stuff and dispose of the older stuff..................

 

[Elisabeth83]

I do get rashes on my hands sometimes..I have since I was young. I use cream for it and it goes away but does that mean it isn't a good idea for me to put my hands in the tanks when I have the rash? I mean I gotta do it cause no one else is going to clean my tanks. I haven't had any problems yet but if it isn't a good idea I dont know what I'll do.

I haven't seen any elbow long gloves in the stores lately

smithrc - if you've been having your arms in tanks for 13 years and haven't caught anything (from the tanks ) then I think I can stop worrying

CathyG - Not sure if I want to read that article haha will probably make me worry more I'm not really concerned as I haven't heard on the news lately about people dieing from putting their hands in their tanks

 

[Elisabeth83]

Haha Mam that's a great link

I always wash my hands after messing with my tanks...looks like I am going into surgery or something...washing with soap up to my elbow

Haha oh I know of all the other bacteria on things...I try not to think about it though cause there isn't anything that can be done unless we all want to live in bubbles or something and I don't think that would be too enjoyable And yes thanks I'll sleep great tonight thinking about what my shoes track in lol

Thanks for the info about moving stuff from one tank to the other...I just wasn't sure how to go about that What about using nets and siphons...should you have one for each of your tanks?

 

[CathyG]

LOL! Like I said, we need to keep things in perspective It is always advisable to wash your hands when maintaining your tank (before for your fish' health, and after for your own) I always use an antibacterial soap and make sure to rinse well.

When my son was first born (he has gone nine now) I became obsessive about washing my hands, to the point that they bled Not fun. Now I am a little more relaxed, especially since my daughter (nearly 7) has always been neck deep in grubs and worms ("very nice dear, but they belong in the garden!" *eek* ) That said, the cats are still not allowed near the bedrooms At least fish stay where you put them (most of the time)

Thankfully my delightful daughter is starting to leave the grubs alone and taking great interest in the tank! I know where I would rather she had her hands! God, I hate snail races on the patio!

 

[MAM]

well, when my one tank broke out with fungus, i DID buy a new syphon, used the old one on the fungus tank and the new on the other tanks......... i just didn't want to take a chance of tranferring anything. but otherwise, i use the same one.

 

[Elisabeth83]

CathyG - I can relate with you about your need to wash your hands I used to be the same when I was younger. Thankfully I've relaxed about it too and don't worry as much. Don't you just hate those shows they have on TV sometimes with all the information about germs? It's like um yeah Thanks I really needed to know how many people don't want their hands at movie theater bathrooms It's not worth worrying about

Mam - Yeah because I just went through the whole ich thing I boiled water and soaked my siphons, nets, plastic plants and buckets in the bathtub today but last week before I read the post in the Betta section I thought just rinsing the siphons, buckets and nets in hot water and letting them dry killed everything so I used the same siphon in my healthy tank I wont be doing that again!! Luckily my healthy tank didnt get the ich

 

[JDH]

This post reminds me of a conversation that i had with my girlfriend while my tank was cycling a while ago.


Me: "Do you think i should wear gloves when i put my hands in the tank?"

Her: "Yeah that might not be a bad idea, i don't want our fish getting sick."

Me: "Ummm... dear, i was actually more worried about myself getting sick, but thanks for caring."


That was an actual conversation. It cracked me up how she was more concerned about the fish. lol

But on a side note, i don't wear gloves, and i wash my hands throughly. I watch the people at the LFS and they don't wear gloves and i never see them washing their hands when i'm there. So if they can do it, why can't i.