fish illness

[yoyohughes]

so recently my brothers girlfriend has been telling me to stop sticking my hands in my fish tank cus "fish are very susceptible to bacterial infections" she has no fish keeping experience but is at Uni for Biology and a lecturer told her so. however inhave never heard of fish getting ill due to human activity in the water, and considering i watch a fair few fish YouTubers, tiktokers and ither stuff i was suprised at hearing so. so question is, is it true?

 

[Uberhoust]

When I was at university they had a strict policy of no hands in the tanks specifically for the reasons given. The main issue was cross contamination, and it is easier to say no contact than to give and police the conditions went it is important not to place your hand in the tank.

With my aquariums at home I wash and thoroughly rinse my hands before working in the tanks, but mostly to ensure I don't introduce some chemical or grease that was on my hands into the tank. I keep a strict quarantine tank which I don't handle at the same time as my other tanks but otherwise you may find my arm up to my shoulder reaching down into the tank at any time.

Bacteria are part of the environment, you will never get rid of all them, nor do you want to. My fish have never gotten sick from my hands in the tank. Just my opinion.

 

[yoyohughes]

When I was at university they had a strict policy of no hands in the tanks specifically for the reasons given. The main issue was cross contamination, and it is easier to say no contact than to give and police the conditions went it is important not to place your hand in the tank.

With my aquariums at home I wash and thoroughly rinse my hands before working in the tanks, but mostly to ensure I don't introduce some chemical or grease that was on my hands into the tank. I keep a strict quarantine tank which I don't handle at the same time as my other tanks but otherwise you may find my arm up to my shoulder reaching down into the tank at any time.

Bacteria are part of the environment, you will never get rid of all them, nor do you want to. My fish have never gotten sick from my hands in the tank. Just my opinion.

fair enough, yeh i do wash my hands nefore and after a thorough rummage but never when just dipping fingers in or adjusting something quickly, interesting to hear another point of view

 

[Colin_T]

Fish won't get sick from bacteria living on people's skin.

We had fish (tiger barbs and female Bettas) in the shop tanks that would come and pick at your hands and arms while you were cleaning the tanks. There are also fish from Africa that chew the dead skin off animals in the water. These have been domesticated and there are places where you go and put your feet in a bucket of water with these fish, and they eat the dead skin off your feet.

I put my hands in my fish tanks every day for 40 years and none of my fish have died from that.

They might get sick if you have chemicals, grease, moisturising cream, oil, perfume or any other contaminant on your skin. This includes hand sanitisers and disinfectant soaps that leave a residue behind, which kills aquatic organisms.

There is more chance of fish dying from unwanted chemicals coming off our skin, than from bacteria on our skin.