Proper procedure for skin to water contact?

[StlSoldier]

Is there a proper procedure before placing a bare hand and or arm into a freshwater aquarium?

Should some sort of glove be worn or soap used to wash with first?

[jpappy789]

You could, but personally I'm not that anal. It's a good idea to check all you electrical equipment or turn everything off so you are not shocked. I am a risk taker though, I guess...;)

[avatar]

Not that I am aware of, I generally wash my hands just to make sure that I don't have anything on them. Just make sure you get ALL the soap off.

[jm1212]

just rinse your hands off and go.

afterwords though, wash with soap and warm water.

[jpappy789]

just rinse your hands off any go.

afterwords though, wash with soap and warm water.

Yep...they probably won't smell very good anyways...;)

[ChrisK]

Nah I usually just wash after

[StlSoldier]

Thanks

[DAVIDFBT]

I don't usually wash my hands after going in the tank, only after water changes when the junk is kicked up.

[dd1965]

I agree with many. Make sure all electrical is off, wash afterwards. I've always been afraid of soap residue containing anti-bacterial stuff harming my beneficial bacteria. Not sure that could happen though? Better to be safe than sorry! :thm:

[sed03f]

dont stick your hand in there if you are using any ich treatment, that stuff causes cancer

[petluvr]

Age old debate:) I personally am ALWAYS haveing to put my hands in one of my 10 tanks and I don't wash before and after ALL my maintenance is done then wash my hands. I wash after because I don't wanna be eating a burger with fish YUCK all over my hands.

[SchizotypalVamp]

I deal with a lot of house-hold chemicals and such which I don't want coming into contact with the fish, so I always wash my hands before. You've got nothing to loose by washing your hands before, whereas you could potentially loose from not.

[Star_Rider]

dont stick your hand in there if you are using any ich treatment, that stuff causes cancer


what if you are using salt??:eek: ;)

[johndoughy]

LOL cancer worries aside...

Soapy hands are MUCH more dangerous than hands with some human spit or outdoor dirt on them. It doesn't have to be Health Department grade, but keep in mind that those fish are living, eating, and breathing in that water, so no motor oil.

If you are worried about it, it probably isn't a problem. :wink:

[foolishfish]

So are there any fish born pathogens that can harm us. I understand the chemical issues but what about maladies like bacterial infections et al?

Now that I'm thinking about it, I was also curious just how long diseases like ick can survive outside of a host or aquarium. I use Jungle net soak for regular duty and bleach / neutralizer on nets and equipment that services hospital tanks, but I always worry about the splashing of microbes onto my brick floor and then picking them up again somehow and reintroducing to another tank. Does this sound nuts or should it be a real concern? Do I have to sanitize my flooring every day?

As for the shutting off of electric. installing a GFI breaker or outlet on the circuit servicing your tanks is a good precaution.

Sorry if this should be a new thread I'll repost

[BadFishPa]

When going past the shoulders with the snorkel mask on ,maby skip the deodorant that day

[Rbishop]

I don't worry about it at all but definitely wash my hands after cleaning the canister filters.

[bushwhacker]

seems like most here i just peel off my shirt and dive in, i'm always having to replant my 75 gallon. between the plecos and pimedulla cats and the HRP nothing stays in place for long

[duke33]

just rinse your hands off and go.

afterwords though, wash with soap and warm water.:thm:

[mel_20_20]

There are some fish to human pathogens, but rarely a problem. If you have cuts or broken skin you should be careful, but the biggest danger is to them. I use cleaners, put on hand lotion, makeup, other things during the day, so I wash before just to be sure.

I have ADFs and they are very sensitive. I rinse really well, rubbing hands and arms to make sure soap residue is washed away.

I splashed some tank water in my eye a couple of times, and having a background as an optician I was a little worried.
I've seen some nasty occular amoeba infections, but they were from swimming in smallish lakes and ponds, not from aquarium enthusiasts, and never the protozoan that causes ich.

[DarrylR]

There are supposed concerns of humans contracting diseases from aquariums.

But I have a bottle of alcohol in my bathroom after doing anything inside of the tank.

[addicted2fish]

wow, I have seen red cherry shrimp at my BF house just frop dead one day after he pulled a few out to give me, he had somthing ' (who knows) on his hand going in, and after a water change, most of them survived, but he did loose quite a few' now with my tanks with fish, I usually just dive right in, I will smell my hand/arm make sure my purfume has worn off or is not on, and ck for lotion, otherwise I just go right in, then I wash my hands after, but I am always in the tank, so I guess i wash my hands alot !! LOL seems like AS soon as you clean up and put everything up, there is that one plant that needs tweaking just a little to the left, or somthing is floating again already that needs to be out back down, its a endless cycle if I just dont walk away ....LOL ~~ I agree with the post if you worry about it , then you are probally fine. its on your mind, so you are rinsing well . thats good .

[Cliff Mayes]

One of my funny memories was of a LFS owner, who was short, complaining about water running down her armpits.

There are few pathogens that come from a tank to a person but why take the chance? Any product on your body that gets into the tank such as soap, detergent, deodorants, perfumes, etc. could be bad for the critters in the tank.

Washing your hands before and after fooling with a tank is very smart. Fewer colds and various infections is a plus that frequent washing will help.

The comments about using a GFI and disconnecting the electricity from your tank before touching is one way of avoiding a tragedy. Aquariums are supposed to be a joy not kill you.