# Is it possible for your aquarium to make you sick?



## Danielle (Jan 26, 2008)

I've been sick to my stomach for I think about a week now... since I did a major water change, substrate addition, filter cleaning and replant/scape. I've been in direct contact of some sorts with the tank almost every other day since then (removing melted crypt leaves, did some trimming, water testing, etc).

I'm very careful to scrub my hands and arms several times with hot water and anti-bacterial soap afterwards. Is it possible that something in the tank water is making me sick? Just coincidence?


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## FreakIndeed (Jun 17, 2007)

Yes, various strains of salmonella can be found in aquarium water. Did you start a siphon with your mouth?


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## Danielle (Jan 26, 2008)

no.... and I'm pretty sure I kept my hands away from my mouth... but anything is possible. I have a Drs apt monday, I'll get checked out.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I think it is unlikely that you picked up anything from the tank. But, I'm not a botanist or doctor.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Well, I'm no infectious disease specialist, but I am an MD. It certainly is possible to catch something from an aquarium, but it's hundreds of times more likely that you caught it from somewhere else. Plenty of people that don't have aquariums get sick to their stomach all the time.

It is a good idea to wash your hands after working on the tank, but honestly I never do. A healthy, well-balanced planted tank is probably no more dangerous than river or lake water. People swim in that all the time and don't think much of it.

Getting an infection in an open wound is another possibilty. Wearing gloves or waiting until a wound heals before going 'scaping is probably good advice.

I've accidentally siphoned substrate gunk into my mouth a few times - something that absolutely should make you sick - but so far it hasn't done any permanent damage...... apart from the constant craving for more and more aquariums....... hmmmm

I have to go think that one over......


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## Danielle (Jan 26, 2008)

guaiac_boy said:


> Well, I'm no infectious disease specialist, but I am an MD. It certainly is possible to catch something from an aquarium, but it's hundreds of times more likely that you caught it from somewhere else. Plenty of people that don't have aquariums get sick to their stomach all the time.
> 
> It is a good idea to wash your hands after working on the tank, but honestly I never do. A healthy, well-balanced planted tank is probably no more dangerous than river or lake water. People swim in that all the time and don't think much of it.
> 
> ...


Thank you!

I picked up some hand sanitizer and put it by the tank so I can use that between having my hands in the tank and scrubbing down with soap.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Sounds good, but make sure you don't get any of that stuff into the fish tank. The biological balance is hard enough to maintain.


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## cholly (Jun 12, 2007)

guaiac_boy said:


> It certainly is possible to catch something from an aquarium, but it's hundreds of times more likely that you caught it from somewhere else.


That's absolutely true, and I wanted it as a preface to the following:

There are a few things you can catch from your tank. Salmonella has been mentioned, and vibrio is the other big possibility (that one may be saltwater specific; I don't recall offhand). Most of the nastier stuff you're only going to have to worry about from a saltwater aquarium, though. A lot of inverts commonly kept in reef aquaria can cause serious issues as well; sponges, zooanthids, leather corals, just to name a few, and that's not even getting into potential allergic reactions.

Guiac_boy already gave the best advice when he said wearing gloves or waiting til a wound heals before working in a tank is a good idea.


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## lauraleellbp (Jan 31, 2008)

guaiac_boy said:


> I've accidentally siphoned substrate gunk into my mouth a few times - something that absolutely should make you sick - but so far it hasn't done any permanent damage...... apart from the constant craving for more and more aquariums....... hmmmm
> 
> I have to go think that one over......


ROFLMBO is that what happened to me?


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## HTN86 (Nov 2, 2007)

That kind of scary....but I'm pretty sure it's something else. The weather has been weird lately so that could be a cause.


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## FreakIndeed (Jun 17, 2007)

guaiac_boy said:


> I've accidentally siphoned substrate gunk into my mouth a few times - something that absolutely should make you sick - but so far it hasn't done any permanent damage...... apart from the constant craving for more and more aquariums....... hmmmm
> 
> I have to go think that one over......


I really think you might be on to something here. I don't anymore, but when I got my first tank I always started siphons with my mouth. I'm up to eight tanks now.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)




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