Can fish tank water make humans sick

hI there

just a question someone may be able to answer for me

I have been told not to let any water from my fish tank get near my mouth (accidently of course) as it can make humans sick.

is this correct

Goshtdart

 

Fish can transmit TB to humans.
This is so rare that I have yet to see a case in 27 years of keeping fish.

However, it is best not to swallow any aquarium water, if you can help it.

 

Would it give humans TB, or would it give some other disease. I heard that it gave you that disease that made you lethargic.

 

Forget the diseases, you do understand where the ammonia is coming from in the tank right? Yeah you can get sick if you drank some of the tank water... about as sick as you would get if you drank from the bowl of your toilet. And let me just say.... Ewwwwwwww!

 

Seriously though. Sometimes you have to syphon the vacuum pipe with your mouth, and sometimes you can't help but some water touches your mouth. What was that human disease that could be caught from fish TB that way again? I forget now.

 

Seriously though. Sometimes you have to syphon the vacuum pipe with your mouth...

;D

 

ok so I gotta side w/ armadilo... haha I gotta admit I've done that...very gross and I'll never do it again! (I went and bought a different vacuum that actually would start without sucking on the other end of the hose.)

 

Just to clear things up... yes you could probably get sick from drinking tank water (or maybe not, but I'm not planning on trying it ), but you can't get TB that way. Pescine TB spreads to humans as a skin infection. It is caused by putting your hand in an infected tank with an open wound (and you'd probably also need an immune deficiency to catch it), not by drinking tank water.

 

Seriously though. Sometimes you have to syphon the vacuum pipe with your mouth, and sometimes you can't help but some water touches your mouth. What was that human disease that could be caught from fish TB that way again? I forget now.

Not if you'ce careful. I think I've done that twice, maybe.

 

If anyone caught TB, they would never have been vaccinated against it....In the US all infants/children have to have TB vaccines......Chances of catching TB are very rare....

 

I'm not sure if human TB vaccines would prevent against pescine TB. The TB that fish get is a whole different disease. Generally it doesn't like humans...the bacteria find us too warm...but it can occasionally infect humans as a skin infection.

But yeah it's extremely rare for someone to get pescine TB...like I said before you have to have a large open wound on your hand, and probably also an immune deficiency (and then if you dunk your hand into a severely infected tank you might get it....)

 

you may be right.

 

Seriously though. Sometimes you have to syphon the vacuum pipe with your mouth, and sometimes you can't help but some water touches your mouth. What was that human disease that could be caught from fish TB that way again? I forget now.

Good moring, reading about your reply here and thought Id give you alittle tip that was given to me. When I siphon the water from the tank this is what I do.
1)lay the vacumn across the top of the water and let it fill up totally.
2) raise the tip of the vacumn ( the plastic part) veritcally so that the water slowly starts to go down the tube while closing off the tube opening with your finger.
3) once the water has engulfed the whole tube,( you can watch the water as it fills the tube) slowly lower the plastic vacumn horizontally back to the tank trying not to loose any water if you can. You will loose alittle.
4) At this point, let the water fill the plastic vacumn end again, still holding onto the end of the plastic tube, that should be right over your bucket.
5)now slowly put the vacumn totally under water and let go of the tube hose end where you had your finger blocking.
The water should now rush down the tube and into your bucket. No need to do that up and down swishing to try and siphon the water up the hose. All it ever did for me was cause waves in the tank and disturb everything. It works every time for me... ;D
Hope this was some help! ~ kate

 

Thanks, Kate! I am soooo not a practical person. It took me 5 reads of your explanation to understand it and am still not sure I get it. Tell me to touch my nose and wriggle my toes and am lost already! It's not you, it's just that I cannot process spatial/positioning information for some unknown reason. You can imagine the atmosphere when I'm in charge of putting together our Ikea cupboards!

I think what you're describing is what my man does, and reading you has propped it back up in my mind again. I'll ask him to show me in person so I stop doing it the neanderthal way. Thanks for saving me from pescian TB, which always ruins a week-end!

 

Thanks, Kate! I am soooo not a practical person. It took me 5 reads of your explanation to understand it and am still not sure I get it. Tell me to touch my nose and wriggle my toes and am lost already! It's not you, it's just that I cannot process spatial/positioning information for some unknown reason. You can imagine the atmosphere when I'm in charge of putting together our Ikea cupboards!

I think what you're describing is what my man does, and reading you has propped it back up in my mind again. I'll ask him to show me in person so I stop doing it the neanderthal way. Thanks for saving me from pescian TB, which always ruins a week-end!

LOL... good luck an I'm glad that I saved you from a bout of TB. I guess the thought of someone siphoning the mouth method really gave me the willies!!!

 

I don't understand how starting a siphon by sucking results in a mouthful of fishy water. There is no need to suck the water all the way to the end of the tube!

Just start the siphon by carefully and slowly sucking until the advancing water level in the tube is lower than the top of the water level in the tank, then let physics run its course. Make sure that when you stop the suction the outlet end is always held lower than the top of the tank water. Make sure no air (or danios) enters the inlet end.

I'm not an expert by any means, but fish water can indeed transfer TB, and yes an open sore increases the probability of cross-species transfer See also .

If TB can be transfered then I wouldn't put bets that other problems couldn't be transfered as well -- ie worms, louse, fungi. I would definitely reserve the fish water for the garden rather than drink mix.

 

Well I have this really awkward aquarium vaccuum: it's basically a flexible rubber tube ending with a wider, hard plastic part. Getting a vacuum going in that is practicaly impossible for some reason and you always get loads of air in between, which means that you need to suck the water in the tank, then again and again until you are rid of all air areas. Difficult to explain but I assure you it's not possible otherwise.

 

Well I have this really awkward aquarium vaccuum: it's basically a flexible rubber tube ending with a wider, hard plastic part. Getting a vacuum going in that is practicaly impossible for some reason and you always get loads of air in between, which means that you need to suck the water in the tank, then again and again until you are rid of all air areas. Difficult to explain but I assure you it's not possible otherwise.

HI Armadillo
That's the same type of vacuum that I have. Its really not that hard to try a different method. You say that your vacuum gets too much air in it.Well, if you lay it down horizontally across the top of the water, let the water flow into that hard plastic part while your other hand is holding the flexible tubing end closed with your finger. Slowly raise the plastic vacuum end up to let the water run all the way down to the end of the flexible tubing to your finger. Make sure that the whole tube is full of water and there is no air in it. Keeping your finger over the end of the tubing, slowly lay the hard plastic part back horizontally into the water and let it fill up what you spilled out while doing this. Once that plastic part is full of water you can then take your finger off the end of the tubing that you now have over your bucket. Your water should then flow just fine. You don't need to be sucking the water up the tube... really!!! You have to try this.... and let me know how it went! OK?

 

Thanks for the tips, guys, but the problem is with my tall hex. You can't fit the vacuum horizontally so it gets loads of air in, no matter what, and you have to do it in 2 goes: 1st make sure all the initial water flows in, then suck so that you pull the water from the tank to fill in where the huuuuuge air bubble is. I promise you, am not being a monkey on this one (am being supervised by my engineer husband for it, as he knows I have no practical sense!).

 

Thanks for the tips, guys, but the problem is with my tall hex. You can't fit the vacuum horizontally so it gets loads of air in, no matter what, and you have to do it in 2 goes: 1st make sure all the initial water flows in, then suck so that you pull the water from the tank to fill in where the huuuuuge air bubble is. I promise you, am not being a monkey on this one (am being supervised by my engineer husband for it, as he knows I have no practical sense!).

LOL.... OKKKKKkkk... Well, I can understand the tall hex giving you problems with room. I still think that there is a solution to this lol.. wish I was near you to give you a hand.
and don't get sick on that wateeeeeeeeeer!!!

 

he he he! I'll get my man to show me whether he can think of any tricks. He's really practically minded. His fish (and me) are lucky to have him!!!

 

he he he! I'll get my man to show me whether he can think of any tricks. He's really practically minded. His fish (and me) are lucky to have him!!!

awww that's sweet, and I'm sure your fish and your man are lucky to have you too!

 

Everybody's lucky!!!

 

you always get loads of air in between

Sounds like you might have a faulty vacuum. Check for pinholes, cracks, etc along the entire length, but more so as you get to the inlet end. Also check the connection between the hard plastic bit and the hose as this can be loose. As with any soft plastics the hose can get brittle with age and can stretch and disform around connections. A little aquarium silicon might seal up any flaws.

While sucking to start the siphon I use a bull clip to keep the inlet end well underwater, including the connection part, "pinning" the hose at that end to the edge of the tank. Again, it is only necessary to get the leading edge of the water lower than the top level of the tank water. Then let 'er rip.

Not to say that armadillo's method wouldn't work, but why not just bury the whole apparatus in the water and let it fill up. Then pull out the outlet end, using a finger to keep it well plugged until the outlet end is lowered to the bucket. That's how I used to empty our above ground pool when I was a kid -- (hours of amusement that little task!). It just seems to me that it is harder to get all the air out that way.

Once the siphon is started, never let the inlet end out of the water. I usually transfer the bull clip to the bucket end to keep that in place while vacuuming.

Or get your man involved, but doesn't that usually confuse and confound things?

 

he he he. Yep, he can be confusing but I"ll just let him do the work rather than explain!

I can't put the whole thing under water as it's a tall hex and the hard part won't fit laterally.

 

I can't put the whole thing under water as it's a tall hex and the hard part won't fit laterally.

I hear you. That's why my technique. Check that the siphon is air tight.

Cheers.

 

Ooooh, I'll give it a close read next time I have to do it. Thanks, Gavin.

 

hI there

just a question someone may be able to answer for me

I have been told not to let any water from my fish tank get near my mouth (accidently of course) as it can make humans sick.

is this correct

Goshtdart

I wouldn't drink my tank water, lol I think it could make you sick, especially if you had any sick fish in it. PLUS ... you know that tank water contains fish wastes ... so it makes drinking tank water that much more disgusting, lol.

Besides, I don't even drink my tap water. Tap water in the entire United States IS POISONOUS - believe it or not. Chlorine and fluoride are extremely toxic substances and they cause many cancers in humans, but of course the government won't tell you about it. Tank water is basically your tap water, that has been conditioned with your dechlorinator. A dechlorinator is a chemical in a way too. So this is another reason why I wouldn't drink my tank water.

 

Guys, you seem to think that I ENJOY drinking my tank water! It's just that my extremely limited brain power for practical stuff simply doesn't allow me to understand any of the methods suggested to me. I was trying at home and I just don't really get it for the tall hex. I'll have to ask Thijs to show me in person again.

 

They don't sell the one I posted above at your pet stores? Wonder if PetCo online will deliver to your area? No thinking needed, just squeeze the "auto siphon" pump ball and the water just starts flowing.

 

lol armadillo!!! I'm with ya, babe!

I could NEVER get the syphon to work right, ever! So, I stick it in, take a little suck just to get the water going, and I've NEVER got water in my mouth. Also.... every time I take the yucky water to the sink, I take the syphon and run hot water all the way through it to make sure it is cleaned for my next sucking!!! hahaha

 

I think that's a really good idea. I'll find out. I knew of them but it escaped my mind.

They don't sell the one I posted above at your pet stores? Wonder if PetCo online will deliver to your area? No thinking needed, just squeeze the "auto siphon" pump ball and the water just starts flowing.

Finally someone with the same problems!!!

lol armadillo!!! I'm with ya, babe!

I could NEVER get the syphon to work right, ever! So, I stick it in, take a little suck just to get the water going, and I've NEVER got water in my mouth. Also.... every time I take the yucky water to the sink, I take the syphon and run hot water all the way through it to make sure it is cleaned for my next sucking!!! hahaha

 

lol we're like distant sisters, dillo. (do you mind that I call you dillo?)

 

Not at all. However Laurie, Laura, Laurie-Anne, ... OK, OK, I'll stop being neurotic about that one! :;qu

 

lol good then! I have a name for you!

I have to get going... I'm going canoeing on the Charles.. adios!

 

Enjoy!

 

my finger has a sore spot under and i heard fish tanks have mycobacterium and i dont want leprosy or tuberculosis

 

I hope not! I’ve gotten covered in tank water because the siphon slipped too many times to count!

 

I would be careful if it's an open wound or cut.

 

Yours is a very common concern and is often discussed. The general consensus has always been; The chances of a human contracting an infectious disease from conducting aquarium maintenance is extremely remote.