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View Full Version : Reef tank Bacterias..


One_Divided
01-08-2002, 03:21 AM
I've been sick a lot more often then I used to before I kept a reef tank. Almost every month I get a bad stomach flu. I'm seeing a doctor shortly this week. I was just thinking that there may be a good chance that it is aquarium related.. I prefer not to rinse my hands with soap after I've had my hands in the tank in case I have to do more after.. Just use water.

I'm just wondering if anyone knows of any bad reef tank type bacterias that could possibly be cuasing this.. I've never been sick with this for more then one day.

Delphinus
01-09-2002, 12:52 PM
There are SO many things we're exposed to, short of living in a bubble there's very little we can do to avoid exposure to something every once in a while. Just think of the sheer number of people who go to the bathroom without washing their hands. Ewww! I'm always amused at the argument "well I didn't pee on my hands." Yes, but, what's the last thing you touched? Now you use the door handle, and -I- have to use that same door handle .... I can't say it enough: Ewww!

As far as your tank though ... I've heard of people getting sick with salmonella like symptoms after accidentally swallowing some tank water trying to get a siphon going ... but it's completely urban myth to me since I probably heard the story "100th hand" not even "second hand." I dunno ... I'm a bit skeptical that it could be your tank. Isn't stomach flu usually a virus anyways? But if you're unsure, get yourself a pair of gloves and use those when you need to get into your tank. Actually the protection is then both ways, you don't risk getting anything foreign that may be on your skin into your water column.

But, BTW, wash your hands with soap afterwards ... just rinse really well..

Troy F
01-09-2002, 01:14 PM
I've read on numerous occasions how there are many nasty bacteria and toxins in our tanks. I'm not reffering to "I heard" type things but from respected sources. It never hurts to be cautious and though I never did it myself, Tony's suggestion of using gloves in your tank is good for the reasons he mentioned.

Delphinus
01-09-2002, 05:09 PM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Troy F:
I've read on numerous occasions how there are many nasty bacteria and toxins in our tanks. I'm not reffering to "I heard" type things but from respected sources.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Oh yes, and don't forget things like mold and mildew. Easy enough to grow in a humid environment and not so good to be breathing in.

But that aside for a moment, would you think exposure to tank water any worse than, say, using a public restroom? Think about those nasties living on surfaces in those. I'll take my tank water over that any day!

Basically, common sense should prevail.

If you put your hands in the tank water and that, in and of itself, is enough to make you sick, then I don't want to be anywhere near that tank, that's not "normal" IMHO. Now, putting your hand in tank water, ANY tank water, but NOT washing your hands properly before going to eat something, or you bite your fingernails, or something like that ... that's a different scenario entirely.

For example ... Even the swampiest water of swamps .... seems to me just getting that water on your skin shouldn't be enough to make you sick. SWALLOWING some of it though, or just getting any of it in or near your mouth, and yeah, you are risking one nice little case of giardia or whatever....

[Edited: I had misspelled "giardia."]

[ 09 January 2002: Message edited by: delphinus ]

Troy F
01-09-2002, 06:12 PM
I agree with all of what you're saying, I'm just talking precautions. I'm not going on a search through three different BBs to back up what I'm saying but some of the corals are highly toxic and infections are possible just from touching them. I worked on my tank for over two years with no gloves and never had a problem but that doesn't mean the problems aren't possible.

One_Divided
01-10-2002, 01:13 AM
thanks for the responce guys..

I don't think salmonella lives in salt water, but it's very easy to get from fresh tanks.. especially with rept/amphibs in them..

I am just concerned that it may be reef tank related becuase when I started getting sick regularly was around the time when I first started adding corals.. Gloves are a good idea.. I have a box of rubber gloves around here somewhere too.

I'm sure there's some one with some very scientific answers..

and no I didn't mean stomach flu.. just the same symptoms.

Delphinus
01-10-2002, 02:29 PM
Troy, are you talking about skin irrations and surface infections, or are you talking about airborne pathogens being introduced simply by keeping corals?

Personally I'm still skeptical that the mere act of keeping corals might be the cause of "stomach flu like symptoms." Unless some of the tank water was somehow accidentally ingested.

Stomach flu like symptoms can be caused by many things. Contact with food that had contact with someone who doesn't wash their hands, or eating food that is slightly beyond its prime can be enough. Drinking water in a foreign country -- we all know about Montezuma's (sp?) Revenge .... it's not that the water is "bad" it is simply that the microflora/microfauna in it is "different" than what we're used to. But the lowest common denominator in all these potential causes, as far as I knew, was that there was something ingested or inhaled that should not have been.

Granted there are situations where sickness can be brought on by skin contact. But I didn't think our typical tank waters contained anything so virulent. I could be wrong though.... Maybe the CDC in Atlanta should be looking at the practise of reefkeeping??????

[Edited again: I need to learn to stop making typos.]

[ 10 January 2002: Message edited by: delphinus ]