Cleaning tanks with a cut hand

[tkos]

So I know we already understand that we shouldn't clean our tanks with any open cuts but just in case you were unaware I was reading my Men's Health Magazine and they report that the new journal Clinical Infectious Diseases reveals that dirty aquarium water can cause you to develop a potentially serious skin infection that can lead to painful open sores.

Make sure to clean up good after you clean your tanks everyone!!

 

[loganj]

There are actually a couple of diseases that can be contracted from fish. I don't remember what they were, but one of them was pretty nasty. There is also, in a reef tank, the danger of palytoxin getting into a cut from zoanthids and palythoa. Coral nemacysts are VERY effective if they touch a cut place. The right one will leave you hopping around saying things you wouldn't want your mother to hear you say. Latex gloves will prevent all of this. The shoulder length gloves probably should be used if you have any open cuts.

 

[tkos]

Not to mention just getting cut on those sharp reef rocks. Those long dishwahing gloves with elastic bands to seal them up work great. And for planted tanks there is always some great long tong things that seem to work, though I haven't found them in the store yet.

 

[Allivymar]

This has been a sticky thread over in FW, but it certainly applies to SW as well: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=10620

Tis a discussion on mycobacterium and diseases communicable between fish and humans. If the infection you're talkin about tkos is different then mycobacterium infections and you can get more info, can you throw a post in that thread?

 

[tkos]

I'll have to wait until that issue of the journal comes out. Still just a blurb in another magazine right now.

 

[shawmutt]

I not only read Men's Health magazine, but I'm also a Men's Health model (you can see me on the "before" picture of the "Belly-off Club" ) Um...yeah...Here's the article from Clinical Infectious Diseases

http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/CID/journal/issues/v37n3/30641/brief/30641.abstract.html

 

[tkos]

Cool, thanks for the link.

 

[tkos]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/sp/feature/index.htm

Here is another great link for all those that are concerned.

 

[Allivymar]

Yep; thats the article linked in the sticky thread. I've spoken to a couple of the folks in that article; mycobacterium infections are NASTY and not something to be ignored.

 

[tkos]

Those picture tell it all. At the very least wash up really good with soap after cleaning your tanks.

 

[William]

My hands have been covered with large cuts and such over the past month, which is the reason, I'm sad to say, that I havn't cleaned my tanks in a while.



Good thing I have a mature bacteria colony :?

 

[tkos]

Looks like you need some gloves for Christmas.

 

[Sati]

I still don't worry about it. On Thursday I sliced my finger with a new knife, ripped a chunk of skin off removing the Python adapter from the sink, and something else I forgot, lol. So my hands have taken a beating. But it is good info so that if you do see something strange happening you know to alert your doctor so that it does not go undiagnosed and can get treated right away.

 

[Sati]

My hands have been covered with large cuts and such over the past month, which is the reason, I'm sad to say, that I havn't cleaned my tanks in a while.



Good thing I have a mature bacteria colony :?

Whoa... William, months? Ack. Check these out:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...allany&Ntx=mode+matchallany&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...allany&Ntx=mode+matchallany&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1

If you have a python you can wear some rubber gloves used for washing dishes and at least do water changes if you can't gravel vac.