# Get Your Hands Out Of My Tank!!!



## Livelifelaughlove (Jan 11, 2009)

A lot of people on here talk about putting their hands in their tanks for various reasons... 
Does anyone else have the same opinion that human hands should be put in the least as possible? who knows how many germs/bacteria/chemicals that we have on our hands, even after soap which shouldn't be used anyways around tanks, and introduce them into the fishes water, where they stay untill the water has been completely changed. I attempt to have as little physical contact with the water as possible, just to keep as much stuff as possible out. 
Is this really enough of a problem to worry about? Is this just another one of my tangents?


----------



## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I try to keep my hands out of the water as much as possible, too. I hear of people picking up their fish! Fish aren't cats and dogs that we can hold and pet and we can do damage to them when we do that.


----------



## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

I think that's a reasonable opinion. Although it's pretty hard _not_ to put your hands in the tank for whatever reason. I always make sure my hands are clean before I have to put them in the tank. I'll always rinse them with hot water before they go in the tank. I try not to use soap but if I do I make sure to rinse really well. I make sure on water change day that I don't put any hand lotion on in the morning and not to do any household chores which involve using cleaners, etc before doing any tank maintenance. It's just a matter of using common sense.


----------



## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

I NEVER attempt to touch or hold my fish. It's just dangerous to them in my opinion. However, there are many reasons (especially on larger, cycled tanks) that you would need to put your hands in the tank. I just make sure that I have scrubbed my hands clean (using soap and rinsing VERY well) and I don't use any products on them beforehand. I have never had any problems using this method.

Oh, and the reason I use soap is that I am usually in contact with other animal feces (horses and cats mainly) as well as going to school, working outside, etc. on a daily basis. You get it, I get pretty grungy by the end of the day. So, I really need to make sure that I have KILLED all the germs on my hands and arms. As long as you rinse really well, I think it's more of a risk to allow germs into my aquarium than to use soap.


----------



## Livelifelaughlove (Jan 11, 2009)

I wasn't meaning against you kim, actually this thought process was started by remembering people who stick their hands in their betta tanks, which this persons was 2 gallons if i recall correctly. I just kinda annoys me i guess. Each to their own
and i don't mean to offend anyone if i did!
i just personally think that if possible you shouldn't. though i do realize there are times when you would have to


----------



## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Sometimes you DO have to put your hands in the tank to do mainenance, like Kim and Jeaninel said but other than that, its not a good idea to put hands in the tank, especially if you have fish that bite. lol


----------



## Twistersmom (Dec 9, 2008)

I have to put my hands in three of my tanks everyday. I have some aggressive eaters in those tanks, some of my slower more finicky fish at the bottom would probably not get any food otherwise. I squirt some food close to their mouths. 
I am always sure to wash my hands first.


----------



## watts300 (Feb 21, 2009)

dramaqueen said:


> Fish aren't cats and dogs that we can hold and pet and we can do damage to them when we do that.


It's funny the way you said that... because your choice of words makes fish sound like a pair of shoes or a new leather jacket that get "damaged" by being out in the rain.

I thought living things get injured or hurt.


----------



## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I guess I picked the wrong word. lol I guess I should have said "hurt" them. A pair of shoes can't feel anything.lol


----------



## Livelifelaughlove (Jan 11, 2009)

Lol, its ok drama, we got the point


----------



## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Thanks! lol


----------



## wendex (May 24, 2008)

It has occurred to me b4 that having to put ur hands in the tank can't be good for the fish, although I do rinse them well and don't use hand cream. But I was wondering aren't there any long disposable plastic gloves you can get for when you have to put ur hands in the tank?


----------



## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

Well, most saltwater hobbyists use some sort of gloves as many of their tank inhabitants are venomous.

Personally, I put my hands in my tanks every single day. I rinse them really well beforehand. I don't use any sort of lotion or anything (hey...I'm a guy, what did you expect?). I think the main thing is to get your hands free of any unwanted chemicals. I don't think germs are really a big concern here, as it's not likely that you've got fish-targeting bacteria all over your hands.

About touching your fish: definitely not a good idea, as it can damage the slime coat, but I have done it before when it was better than other options. For example, I once was rounding up a huge batch of 1-inch kribensis fry that would hide in the corners of the tank. I couldn't use a net, as they'd hide down in the corner on the substrate and would get crushed by the net if I used it, so instead I gently grabbed them with my fingers and put them into a glass.


----------



## catfishtabbi (Nov 10, 2008)

Anyone who took microbiology and cultured thier hands knows that thier crawling with MANY live bacterias and yeast which eat each other and eat germs. Yes its part of your immune system. I wish i could remember how many and which ones.Yes they swab right off. It's almost frightening and paper towel cultures produce a rainbow of bacterial growth. We use them both so i don't think its a big deal its soap and lotion residue that you need to worry about.I do wash .


----------



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

.I do wash .[/quote :lol::lol:


----------



## Tyyrlym (Jun 1, 2008)

I wouldn't be very worried about germs or bacteria. For the most part diseases that affect us will have little effect on your fish and vice versa. Lets also be honest, the natural environment of most of these fish is not an anti-septic environment. Things like cleaners and soaps are another story. If I'm doing any tank maintenance I'll avoid using soaps, cleaners, or lotions for several hours before I work on the tank and before I start I rinse them well.

On the whole it's something I don't think you need to overly worry about, just use some common sense.



watts300 said:


> It's funny the way you said that... because your choice of words makes fish sound like a pair of shoes or a new leather jacket that get "damaged" by being out in the rain.


Actually yes, handling fish can damage their slime coat like iamnbatman said. It's a good idea to not try and grab them for fun. Incidental contact happens and is not a concern and occasionally you've got no choice but to physically grab them but you're better off just not doing it unless its a necessity.


----------



## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Picking up your fish can also result in the fish slipping out of your hand like a wet bar of soap and landing on the floor, which can result in internal damage for the fish.


----------

