# Is there any type of worm/parasite found in aquariums that is harmful to humans?



## dfbiggs

It seems as soon as I get rid of one type of worm or parasite I have another. Just concerned about having my arms in the water..I think of things like hookworms that can enter through the skin. Should I be concerned?


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## twocents

From advice I've read elsewhere, it is best to take no chances. There are worms that can be gotten from fish (I do not know about aquairum fish)..witness 'Monsters Inside Me' (sushi). I've seen long sleeved gloves for folk to use when they have to put their arms in.


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## redchigh

Wash your hands after you reach in the tank and you will have no problems.

Treat aquarium water for what it is- full of raw fish.


There is a fish TB that humans can get... It's incredibly rare though, and can only enter the skin through a wound.

Similiar to staph.


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## dfbiggs

so much for using my mouth to siphon...I am going to be sick. I would have never had to siphon like this if the end piece of my aquarium hose would fit in the entry of my tank.(I have been "careful" when doing this but I will not do this anymore) I am going to find a hose with a pump...and some long ass gloves...and I think I am going to get tested..

Also would you happen to know if these worms/ parasites effect inverts the same way? I have no fish..


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## redchigh

I think it depends. For example, shrimp can be 'carriers' to ich sometimes.... (Not forever, but like a month or so.)

I use my mouth to siphon too.
Sushi.


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## dfbiggs

After finding this link posted on another question it seems I have annelids, planeria, and possibly nematodes (roundworms) not unless it is a grown version of annelids...all disgusting though and none of which I want in my mouth or in my skin...

SUSHI= RAW FISH= I EAT (so not necessarily like an aquarium..)

Well if the shrimp can carry ick...it is not prob unless I am introducing fish..just wondering if these worms/ parasites will infest the guts of my snails or shrimp...or suck the life out if them.

Aquarium (and Pond) Answers: Aquarium Parasites & Detritus Worms; Trematodes, Nematodes, Annelids in Fish


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## aunt kymmie

I always use my mouth to siphon and haven't given a second thought, nor will I. What the heck, lol. 
I did however, suffer from a case of round worms. I think I narrowed that down to a case of eating (most likely) unproperly cleaned lettuce down in Costa Rica. A nice round of antibiotics spaced out over nine month's time cured it.


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## dfbiggs

oh gees..I don't know what's worse to talk about sucking worms or beetles...

I am afraid to ask but how do you know if you have worms...I have gained weight..maybe I caught a tapeworm... or roundworm from cleaning my tank.

9 MONTHS!! gees thought anything could be cured in a week with antibiotics..


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## aunt kymmie

dfbiggs said:


> oh gees..I don't know what's worse to talk about sucking worms or beetles...
> 
> I am afraid to ask but how do you know if you have worms...I have gained weight..maybe I caught a tapeworm... or roundworm from cleaning my tank.
> 
> 9 MONTHS!! gees thought anything could be cured in a week with antibiotics..


How do you know if you have the type of worms I did? OK, this is REALLY gross and graphic (stop reading right here if you don't want to know), but besides having your breath smell bizarre, your gut ache after eating certain types of foods, you can actually see "segments" of the worms (dead) in what gets left behind in the bathroom.
    

The length of time of the antibiotics is due to the life cycle of the worms and their eggs. If I recall correctly, I took the anitibiotics for a week straight, laid off for 30 days and then took another weeks worth, then in 60 days same, than at 90 days same. So actually, that's only six months, not nine, so I'm guilty of exaggerating, oops. There are alot worse parasites to "catch". I once contracted Giardia and that caused severe abdominal cramping, a major case of the "runs" and caused me to lose nearly 15 pounds (my normal weight is only 120 to begin with) and had me flat on my back for two weeks. That little microscopic organism caused me way more grief than a simple case of roundworms. The Roundworms were due to unwashed produce, Giardia due to drinking stream water while back packing in the Sierras. Both preventable had I been more intelligent in my choices. I'm still not worried about sucking down some tank water, lol.

Danielle- if you're concerned just call your Doc and tell them you want a "stool" test for parasite. Ok, enough grossness for for now.


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## kitten_penang

eeekkkk!!! and you guys call beetles gross


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## Ponyo

I think Fish TB is the main one to worry about when it comes to bare skin, but only if you have an open cut. I never wear gloves and, personally, putting my bare hands in the tank is one of the things I really enjoy about the hobby. Using your mouth on the siphon probably isn't good, but I still do that too.


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## amazon21

I believe one of my tanks has had fish TB before, the one that im bleaching right now. Of course, I suspected it might be fish TB beforehand, so I took caution when handling the tank....


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## dfbiggs

aunt kymmie said:


> How do you know if you have the type of worms I did? OK, this is REALLY gross and graphic (stop reading right here if you don't want to know), but besides having your breath smell bizarre, your gut ache after eating certain types of foods, you can actually see "segments" of the worms (dead) in what gets left behind in the bathroom.
> 
> 
> The length of time of the antibiotics is due to the life cycle of the worms and their eggs. If I recall correctly, I took the anitibiotics for a week straight, laid off for 30 days and then took another weeks worth, then in 60 days same, than at 90 days same. So actually, that's only six months, not nine, so I'm guilty of exaggerating, oops. There are alot worse parasites to "catch". I once contracted Giardia and that caused severe abdominal cramping, a major case of the "runs" and caused me to lose nearly 15 pounds (my normal weight is only 120 to begin with) and had me flat on my back for two weeks. That little microscopic organism caused me way more grief than a simple case of roundworms. The Roundworms were due to unwashed produce, Giardia due to drinking stream water while back packing in the Sierras. Both preventable had I been more intelligent in my choices. I'm still not worried about sucking down some tank water, lol.
> 
> Danielle- if you're concerned just call your Doc and tell them you want a "stool" test for parasite. Ok, enough grossness for for now.


 
eep..:shake:..I will wait to see if my gut goes down after a couple weeks...maybe it's from the ice cream and cakes or laziness..lol...if it doesn't then I will see a doc to see if I ate a worm. But losing 15lbs sounds real good right now..;-)

UNWASHED Produce..causes worms...hmm I am starting my vegetarian today actually (no joke). Well that's good to know..lol I will scrub with soap..my produce is probably imported from some dirty country.

Backpacking huh..well I don't blame you for drinking the stream water...I once went on a hike to White Rock Canyon AZ on a day with record breaking heat and thought that's where I was going to kick the bucket..I would have gladly drank worms...but I had no stream anywhere within miles. Learned my lesson too..glad I didn't pay with my life.

We should hike sometime...tis' the season...can't wait.


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## dfbiggs

Ponyo said:


> I think Fish TB is the main one to worry about when it comes to bare skin, but only if you have an open cut. I never wear gloves and, personally, putting my bare hands in the tank is one of the things I really enjoy about the hobby. Using your mouth on the siphon probably isn't good, but I still do that too.


just so I know exactly what you mean..what is TB? You mean tuberculosis?


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## Inga

I know this is probably stupid but when you say you use your mouth to siphon water, you mean you suck the end of the hose to get it started? If so, yeah, that is gross. lol Maybe if you use a new hose each time but I would freak if the water got in my mouth. Eeesh!


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## amazon21

dfbiggs said:


> just so I know exactly what you mean..what is TB? You mean tuberculosis?


yup, I did a LOT of research on fish diseases, and that was the only disease that matched every symptom I saw on my danio's and neon's.


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## dfbiggs

Inga said:


> I know this is probably stupid but when you say you use your mouth to siphon water, you mean you suck the end of the hose to get it started? If so, yeah, that is gross. lol Maybe if you use a new hose each time but I would freak if the water got in my mouth. Eeesh!


yeah that's how I do....I had a really bad experience once...all I will say is dirty dirty snail tank..I'm sure I am not the only one that has had an accident..


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## tanker

When I first started I used to suck on the end of the siphon, but then I saw a demonstration on youtube how to start the siphon without doing that, and now I don't have to suck it any more.


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## thefishboy

For tanker: What demonstration was that coz i cant get mine started without sucking it a bit and itsrealy gross! ;-)


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## tanker

YouTube - 1-2-3 On how to siphon your aquarium tank

I don't touch the end of the tube (on my small siphon), I just stick the end in the bucket, fill the siphon tube with water, hold it up so that it starts siphoning and then quickly put the siphon tube back underwater before the air gets in. With my big siphon and hose for the big tank, I fill the siphon, leave it in the tank and then if I fiddle with the end out on the back lawn, it starts properly flowing.


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## Romad

*Gah!!!* 
I was bummed out about getting sun poisoning in Costa Rica (due to malaria pills). Methinks I came out of that country in much better shape than you Kymmie. Amazing place btw....

Danielle, I hope you're ok but after reading these posts, I'd get that test too. Crossing fingers for you.


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## aunt kymmie

Romad said:


> *Gah!!!*
> I was bummed out about getting sun poisoning in Costa Rica (due to malaria pills). Methinks I came out of that country in much better shape than you Kymmie. Amazing place btw....


Did you take Malaria pills sepcifically for a visit to Costa Rica?? I took no precautions as after my research I deemed that none were needed. Amazing is right. I met so many Ex-Pats down there and considering I could live like a queen down there as far as how far our dollar goes it's worth considering. I could have an amazing garden and a HUGE pack of dogs. They lack a good LFS and top-notch medical care so maybe not...

I had no idea I had worms! I figured I had food allergies because only a few types of foods were giving me trouble. It was when the B/F said, "Your breath smells bizarre" and then the next day saw "things" in the toilet that shouldn't have been there did I RUN to the doc. Yeeeach.


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## redchigh

I'm pretty sure worms make you lose weight...

Some countries use worms (tapeworms I believe?) harvested from cows as a dieting aid...


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## aunt kymmie

redchigh said:


> I'm pretty sure worms make you lose weight...
> 
> Some countries use worms (tapeworms I believe?) harvested from cows as a dieting aid...


Ok, now THAT is disgusting! Eat less, move more, is a much more effective weight loss method.


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## dfbiggs

redchigh said:


> I'm pretty sure worms make you lose weight...
> 
> Some countries use worms (tapeworms I believe?) harvested from cows as a dieting aid...


Yeah I recently saw on discovery health that a woman had ordered a tapeworm by mail to ingest to lose weight..she almost died..the worm grew many feet long..eep


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## aunt kymmie

dfbiggs said:


> Yeah I recently saw on discovery health that a woman had ordered a tapeworm by mail to ingest to lose weight..she almost died..the worm grew many feet long..eep


:vomit:


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## dfbiggs

well sometimes women need help fitting into their wedding gowns..and will take extreme measures..pretty sad really..

(i just now saw your emoticon barf..eep)


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## aunt kymmie

dfbiggs said:


> well sometimes women need help fitting into their wedding gowns..and will take extreme measures..pretty sad really..
> 
> (i just now saw your emoticon barf..eep)


I love that emoticon, lol. Fitting into a wedding gown? Why not just buy one that fits in the first place! Wow, there's a concept.


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