Do you put your hand in the tank with a cut or scratch?

Betty

Betty

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Staff member
I worry about catching some horrific disease and avoid putting my hands in the tank with any open scratches or cuts. I'm overdue on water changes because I was waiting for a cut to heal and now I have another. Always on my right hand! I guess I'll have to find my fish tank glove.

Do you put your hands in the tank with open wounds or am I overreacting? I've read stories about infections caused by aquarium water. :eek:
 
Mike16T

Mike16T

Well-Known Member
Betty said:
I worry about catching some horrific disease and avoid putting my hands in the tank with any open scratches or cuts. I'm overdue on water changes because I was waiting for a cut to heal and now I have another. Always on my right hand! I guess I'll have to find my fish tank glove.

Do you put your hands in the tank with open wounds or am I overreacting? I've read stories about infections caused by aquarium water. :eek:
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I've done it before buy very minor cut. No effect on me. Not sure about major cuts though and yes, It can infect the wound since aquarium water is not entirely clean..
 
Betty

Betty

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I've done it before as well, but after reading a few stories, try to avoid it as much as possible now. I thought I had tried liquid bandage a long time ago and it didn't work, but I'll give it another try! Thanks for the replies. :)
 
Betty

Betty

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Fishtank granuloma, mycobacterium marinum... did you ever hear that story several years ago of a girl who nearly lost her hand to an infection that was fish tank related? It's rare, but still, I think about it when I have an open cut on my hand.
 
Loren

Loren

Well-Known Member
Betty said:
Fishtank granuloma, mycobacterium marinum... did you ever hear that story several years ago of a girl who nearly lost her hand to an infection that was fish tank related? It's rare, but still, I think about it when I have an open cut on my hand.
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Yes, I remember that story. I have only been back in the hobby for a little over the year but twice in that time I have had to have surgery to remove chalazions from my eyes. I have often wondered if they weren't brought about by my hands being in the tank and not get washed well before I touched my eye.
 
17mars

17mars

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About 20 years ago I got a nasty infection after cleaning out my tanks with a cut on my hand. Took forever to heal and looked and felt awful. That being said, yes I do clean the aquariums with a cut on my hands. But I try to keep the cut out of the water as much as possible and clean it out afterwards.
 
VickiK

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
Betty said:
Fishtank granuloma, mycobacterium marinum... did you ever hear that story several years ago of a girl who nearly lost her hand to an infection that was fish tank related? It's rare, but still, I think about it when I have an open cut on my hand.
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Food for thought! Since I'm often wrestling with rose bushes, I'm often walking around looking like I've been lassoing feral cats. I have used liquid bandage and it seems to work really great - although it's probably ridden with chemicals that could hurt the fish? I dunno.

As many water changes as I do around here, I think I could DRINK the water in these tanks. lol
 
17mars

17mars

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I used to rub neosporin on my cuts before dipping in - then stopped because I was worried the neosprin might affect the fish or the biological filter. Apparently my fish ARE more important - lol!
 
Betty

Betty

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Staff member
Well, thank goodness it's rare to contract any fish tank related conditions or I'm sure I'd have had something by now. I do a lot of water changes and try to keep my tanks clean, but you never know what might be lurking in there.

It's stories like 17mars that I hear once in awhile that make me worry about it. I've read that those infections can be hard to clear up.

I never forget to rinse my hands and arm off before putting them in the tank, but I'm not sure I always remember to do it after. :roll
 
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