# Gloves For Cleaning



## countyrd419 (Apr 6, 2013)

Does anyone know which gloves are best for cleaning our tanks so that we don't use our own hands when taking out decorations and unbeknown to us contaminating our fish?

I read that Coralife is good. Comments will be great so that others can be educated too.


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## SunnyCydUp (Aug 31, 2014)

Sorry, have never used gloves. Recently read an article on aquascaping - top 5 tools. there's a reference to gloves in there: Link. Appears the gloves are also Coralife Energy Savers.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

I do not use gloves either. I just wash my hands with hot water (no soap) before hand.


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## mart (Dec 18, 2013)

I always use gloves, you can transfer bacteria and germs into your tank and get your fish sick if you use your bare hands.
I get mine from the drugstore. I get nitrate examination gloves, because I'm allergic to Latex. They are pretty cheap, and you rinse them off with your hands in them when your done, wipe them dry and use them again, or until they get a hole in them.

There is some nasty bacteria under your fingernails too.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

like I said. I thoroughly wash my hand with hot water and avoid getting them in the water a much as possible. All of my fish are healthy and two of them i've had for over a year.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Wearing gloves is a good idea. Even washed hands will carry some bacteria to the water. Humans are literally crawling with bacteria. To fight them off our skin produces a large amount of salt. Most times no harm will come from our skin but it can happen. Also its in the betta keepers interest to wear gloves as such things as mycobacteria marinum can get into a very small wound that is barely noticeable and is very nasty stuff.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Due to the delicate nature of my work, I need to warsh my hands about 50 times a day. It's mid-September and they are already starting to dry out. I'm going to need to wear gloves in a few weeks. I'm not crazy about putting my cracked, sometimes bleeding, heavily lotioned hands in a bacteria incubator with a fish in it. I think it's safer for me and safer for my fish in the cooler weather. I use plastic food preparation gloves with and rubber bands to seal it at the wrist.


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## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

When I first started keeping bettas I tried using gloves. It is true that mycobacterium could be a problem but I never could keep my hands dry water would get in the gloves so I gave up. I use this organic soap that I thin out with water in a foam soap dispenser.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/alaffia-authentic-african-black-soap-unscented

I rinse really well and dry my hands with a paper towel. When I am cleaning tanks I probably wash my hands 45 times in an evening with the goal of avoiding cross contamination. I also spray my faucet with diluted bleach water in a spray bottle and wipe it off. I spray my bucket with diluted bleach between fish and rinse with really hot water. I use separate siphons for each tank and rinse them in hot water before I clean the tank because they never quite dry out and I want to try to kill any bacteria that could have grown.
The soap I am using is not drying and doesn't bother my fish.
One bottle lasts me 3 months including with regular household use when I use foam soap dispensers. One thing you have to remember is to take off your rings if you wear any. That would seem obvious but especially if you happen to wear a wedding ring and rarely take it off it's possible to forget.


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

If you don't want to put your hands in your tank you can get long plant tweezers. They're really good for small adjustments between water changes.

Personally I dunk my hands (and half my arm, I have a 20 high) in my tanks all the time, even after washing with soap, but I don't use lotions or anything.


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## mart (Dec 18, 2013)

For those of you with deep or large tanks, there are these, I also have a pair of them.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=25864


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## mart (Dec 18, 2013)

logisticsguy said:


> Wearing gloves is a good idea. Even washed hands will carry some bacteria to the water. Humans are literally crawling with bacteria. To fight them off our skin produces a large amount of salt. Most times no harm will come from our skin but it can happen. Also its in the betta keepers interest to wear gloves as such things as mycobacteria marinum can get into a very small wound that is barely noticeable and is very nasty stuff.


+1 logisticsguy

It's not just to the best interest of Betta keepers, but all people that keep all kinds of fish.
If you haven't gotten your fish sick, or yourself yet, consider yourself lucky, but you are playing with fire, and eventually you will get burned.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

I have small 2.5 gallon tanks and my hands barely touch the water when I clean my tanks. I use a gravel vac and do 75% water changes. After the water is removed, i just a sponge i set aside for AQ use and scrub the sides once a week. My hands don't get wet. I don't see the need in using gloves and I know tons of experience fish keepers who do not use them either. So to each their own.


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## mart (Dec 18, 2013)

VivianKJean said:


> I have small 2.5 gallon tanks and my hands barely touch the water when I clean my tanks. I use a gravel vac and do 75% water changes. After the water is removed, i just a sponge i set aside for AQ use and scrub the sides once a week. My hands don't get wet. I don't see the need in using gloves and I know tons of experience fish keepers who do not use them either. So to each their own.


There is your way, and the proper way. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this forum to teach people the proper way to take care of their fish, and not the way you perceive to do it?
If not, then this forum is a waste of time for people to come here and learn.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

This forum is for sharing how we take care of our OWN fish and sharing our methods and it is fine that we can disagree but saying that "there is your way and the proper way" is rude and disrespectful. We also have our own ways and in the end every owner can do what they want. I've been keeping fish for 15 years and have never had an issues with not wearing gloves. You can continue your method and I will continue mine. never say there is only ONE proper way because there are a million solutions and ways of doing one thing.


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## mart (Dec 18, 2013)

Wasn't being rude or disrespectful. I find you are a little bit though.
I back up everything I say on this forum.
http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-news/2013/10/aquarium-cleaning-always-wear-waterproof-gloves.aspx


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

I'm not a doctor but I occasionally lie about being one when it's to my advantage.

In Goldstein's "The Betta Handbook" on page 107 it tells of a condition called "fish tank finger". It's a bacterial infection that fish-keepers get when they have open sores or bleeding cuts and from immersion in the aquarium. The symptoms are slow healing sores on the hands, blindness, and eventually a slow and painful death. OK, I made those last two up, but if you do come down with "fish-finger" it is recommended that you seek treatment from a physician. It says in the book that the ailment can take several months to heal.

When my hands start to crack & bleed in the winter months, I'm going to glove up no matter what my so-called "friends" say. I don't care if I'm laughed at or bullied. I owe it to myself and my fishy-friends, Abe & Sparky to fish-keep safely.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I used to use pain old rubber gloves (like the type you wash dishes with) to clean out my tanks. None of my fish keeled over during this time, but I personally found them annoying to have to put on and take off every time I wanted to do something. 

Plus I had to have several pairs so I wasn't cross-contaminating my tanks. 

I think it's a personal choice. I choose not to, but I completely understand the potential risks.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

LittleBettaFish said:


> I used to use pain old rubber gloves (like the type you wash dishes with) to clean out my tanks. None of my fish keeled over during this time, but I personally found them annoying to have to put on and take off every time I wanted to do something.
> 
> Plus I had to have several pairs so I wasn't cross-contaminating my tanks.
> 
> I think it's a personal choice. I choose not to, but I completely understand the potential risks.


thank you. I do know the risks.

but since i've not worn gloves for 15 years without any problems, i don't see a problem with it.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

mart said:


> Wasn't being rude or disrespectful. I find you are a little bit though.
> I back up everything I say on this forum.
> http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-news/2013/10/aquarium-cleaning-always-wear-waterproof-gloves.aspx


You were coming off a bit rude and disrespectful. There is more than one way to do things. Accept that i have a different way of doing things.


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## mart (Dec 18, 2013)

VivianKJean said:


> You were coming off a bit rude and disrespectful. There is more than one way to do things. Accept that i have a different way of doing things.


Once again I wasn't rude or disrespectful.

It's your life, I don't really care what you do, I'm just trying to inform others of the potential dangers. They can take it with a grain of salt, or look into it further.
This conversation is over.


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## kittenfish (Dec 1, 2013)

Do you sterilize your gloves?


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## MiriamandMoonlight (May 31, 2014)

VivianKJean said:


> There is more than one way to do things. Accept that i have a different way of doing things.


Yah, there IS more than one way to do things!! You seem to sometimes think that there is only one way, too. (like that you HAVE to use an electric heater.)


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

MiriamandMoonlight said:


> Yah, there IS more than one way to do things!! You seem to sometimes think that there is only one way, too. (like that you HAVE to use an electric heater.)


Please do not bring topics from other threads. This is not only pointless but also rude. If you have a problem with what I said, the mature thing is to send a private message not call someone out in a different thread.


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## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

Seems to me this thread went off topic when a member started being called rude when trying to bring good advice to the forum about wearing gloves when dealing with tanks. 

As per rules do not try to moderate threads, use the report button to your left.

My best advice is to read the rules ! BettaFish.com Rules

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We're passionate about our bettas and know that others are too. The rules below are in place to help keep BettaFish.com a friendly place that is welcoming and respectful of differing opinions. Please keep them in mind when posting.

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## atb224155 (Mar 10, 2014)

mart said:


> For those of you with deep or large tanks, there are these, I also have a pair of them.
> http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=25864


I found a set of gloves that are similar to dr foster smiths gloves:

http://smile.amazon.com/Atlas-26-in...3493329&sr=8-11&keywords=Atlas+Nitrile+Gloves


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

Another vote for no gloves. I also smoke, eat fatty foods and drive way too fast. I run printing equipment for a living, the only way my hands get really clean is a week's vacation. They've been going into the tanks that way for years.

Water changes, well, imagine taking a 2.5 gallon, and tipping half of it out on the floor. Pretty much the norm here, and if my dogs walk through it without wearing boots I'm sticking hands in tanks commando. Wouldn't be fair to expose my little friends to tank water while protecting myself. 

How about siphoning? Do this long enough & the mouthful of water that happens once in a while is no biggie. As far as I know they don't make a mouth glove.


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## mart (Dec 18, 2013)

atb224155 said:


> I found a set of gloves that are similar to dr foster smiths gloves:
> 
> http://smile.amazon.com/Atlas-26-in...3493329&sr=8-11&keywords=Atlas+Nitrile+Gloves


Hi atb224155,
Yes those are the same gloves. They don't seem to be bulky, I had to use them again yesterday to install the air tubing I forgot to after I had already refilled the tank, and they were wonderful.


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## megz357 (Aug 13, 2014)

I was asking a similar question on a thread I created. I hand feed my two African Dwarf Frogs as I want to make sure that they are getting enough food and it's just what they are used to now. However this means that every other day I am sticking half my arm in the tank to feed them. Even with a new long set of tongs I bought. Is it safe to just use a pair of long gloves like the ones you would use to do the dishes? Is there something i can do to them before sticking them in the tank that would make them safer?


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

No gloves, not ever for fish tanks. There is no proper way to do any one thing, kinda like opening a banana. I go through dozens of gloves a day at work and they can stay there. Been 9 years already and I've never made my fish sick or gotten sick from my fish, the risk/chance of this happening makes playing the lottery look like great odds. It definitely is not playing with fire. My panda garras and other fish I keep love to clean my hands and arms when I am working in the tank. I also fill the tanks with dry leaves and other things from outside occasionally. Fish love that kinda stuff. 

Last time I kept ADF they were on a bare dirt substrate and would sing and mate all the time. That tank was crawling with anything and everything. For feeding IMO pipettes work way better then tweezers. 

If I wanted to worry about potential dangers in my life I wouldn't have the job that I do or drive how I like to drive as both of those do actively lower my life expectancy. Fish tanks not so much. Risks are what make life, life.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

There is absolutely a proper way. My gosh people take this seriously. The Mycobacterium genus is nasty. It can kill fish easily in an aquarium environment and some sub species like Marinum ie fish finger can be downright dangerous to humans. Its not some mild skin infection.

_Mycobacterium marinum (formerly M. balnei) is a free-living bacterium, which causes opportunistic infections in humans. M. marinum sometimes causes a rare disease known as aquarium granuloma, which typically affects individuals who work with fish or keep home aquariums._

Gloves are super cheap. Surgeons wear gloves for a reason, so do food prep workers, many professions so disease is not as easily spread. Why would a fish keeper that takes no risks with any other things like food or water quality risk something like this? If you only keep a few betta in small and/or shallow water and never need to contact water much no gloves may be ok I guess, but if you have multiple tanks with lots of fish, large sorority or growouts its a very good idea to wear gloves.

https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Mycobacteriosis_(Fish_Tuberculosis)

http://www.medicinenet.com/mycobacterium_marinum/page5.htm#how_can_i_prevent_this_infection

_Wear waterproof gloves while cleaning home aquariums or fish tanks. Wash hands and forearms thoroughly with soap and running water after cleaning the tank, even if gloves were worn._


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## atb224155 (Mar 10, 2014)

logisticsguy said:


> There is absolutely a proper way. My gosh people take this seriously. The Mycobacterium genus is nasty. It can kill fish easily in an aquarium environment and some sub species like Marinum ie fish finger can be downright dangerous to humans. Its not some mild skin infection.
> 
> _Mycobacterium marinum (formerly M. balnei) is a free-living bacterium, which causes opportunistic infections in humans. M. marinum sometimes causes a rare disease known as aquarium granuloma, which typically affects individuals who work with fish or keep home aquariums._
> 
> ...


logistics, I like the information that you provided from the second link. Can you remove the first link though? That leads to just the title, but no information at all.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

atb224155 said:


> logistics, I like the information that you provided from the second link. Can you remove the first link though? That leads to just the title, but no information at all.


Darn cant seem to edit that post. Sorry 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycobacterium_marinum

Check out this story

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/sp/feature/index.php

or

http://www.medicaljournals.se/acta/content/?doi=10.2340/00015555-0539&html=1


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Some of you may know betta breeder Lee Bun. His article here.

http://www.leebunbetta.com/2014/04/15/betta-disease-tuberculosis-tb/

_A lot of aquarium problems can be fixed by performing frequent water changes, increasing the water temperature and adding some salt to the water, but fish tuberculosis is not one of them. Raising the water temperature may even worsen the problem since Mycobacterium marinum prefers warm water (their ideal temperature is 30°C).

Prevention
Since curing fish is virtually impossible once the disease begins to manifest, preventative measures are highly important.

Keeping your fish healthy, happy and well-fed will boost their immune system and make it possible for them to handle limited exposure to Mycobacterium marinum.

Wounded or otherwise weakened fish should be moved to quarantine tanks where they can be treated and given time to recuperate, since weak fish that is left in the main aquarium can serve as a breeding ground for all sorts of malicious microorganisms that may eventually grow numerous enough to attack even the healthy fishes.

New fish should ideally be quarantined before you allow it into you main aquarium. Plants, substrate, equipment etcetera should be sterilized to kill of potentially harmful bacteria before being introduced to the aquarium. See the plant section for more info about how to sterilize plants without causing injury to them.

An aquarium that has had an outbreak of fish tuberculosis should be meticulously cleaned out wh bleach and left to dry before you restock it.

Prevention
When aquarists become infected by Mycobacterium marinum, it is usually because the carry out maintenance work when they have cuts or other skin problems on their hands or arms. Our skin is remarkably good at keeping malevolent microorganisms out, but as soon as the skin gets injured, an important part of the body’s defense system has been breached. It doesn’t have to bee a large wound; a simple paper cut or eczema can be enough for Mycobacterium marinum to slip through. When handling an aquarium where you suspect thatMycobacterium marinum may be present, it is consequently important to use protective gloves. You may have a tiny sore that you haven’t even noticed, such as a torn cuticle. Some aquarists prefer to use gloves all the time, or at least when they have damaged skin, since it is impossible to know if Mycobacterium marinum exists in an aquarium before the fish start to show symptoms of fish tuberculosis. You can also catch fish tuberculosis by using your mouth to start a siphon_


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Tolak said:


> Another vote for no gloves. I also smoke, eat fatty foods and drive way too fast. I run printing equipment for a living, the only way my hands get really clean is a week's vacation.
> 
> How about siphoning? Do this long enough & the mouthful of water that happens once in a while is no biggie. As far as I know they don't make a mouth glove.


I really thought you would be one of the people recommending gloves.

You can catch this by siphoning.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Im also curious to understand why anybody would suck on a siphon to get it started when gravity alone is all that's needed. Ive never had to suck on one, why would there be a need to do this?


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

logisticsguy said:


> Im also curious to understand why anybody would suck on a siphon to get it started when gravity alone is all that's needed. Ive never had to suck on one, why would there be a need to do this?


1+logisticsguy

I learned that lesson the hard way stealing gasoline out of my parents car for my mini-bike.


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

logisticsguy said:


> I really thought you would be one of the people recommending gloves.
> 
> You can catch this by siphoning.


Ever swim in a lake, the ocean, or other natural body of water? Micos is found in nature, and you're more likely to drown than catch micos. I'm more likely to slip & fall on the wet fishroom floor than catch micos, hopefully the dogs would pull a Lassie & go get help. You're more likely to get in a traffic accident going to buy gloves than catch micos from not using them.





logisticsguy said:


> Im also curious to understand why anybody would suck on a siphon to get it started when gravity alone is all that's needed. Ive never had to suck on one, why would there be a need to do this?


Tank location, size of siphon, time saver. If a hose is handy & running I'll often grab it & use it to fill & start a siphon, I wasn't kidding about floor water. If not a quick suck & it's done. I've helped buddies with fishroom resets & restocks, 30' of 2" ID tubing makes fast work of draining tanks. Just because you've never done it doesn't mean at times there isn't a need.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

i wear gloves when I work my photographic chemicals because they are very dangerous but I see no need with my aquarium. I just wash my hands with hot water (no soap) and dry them with either a clean towel or paper towel.


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## SabastiansMom (Jul 25, 2014)

VivianKJean said:


> like I said. I thoroughly wash my hand with hot water and avoid getting them in the water a much as possible. All of my fish are healthy and two of them i've had for over a year.


This is something I do as well. My fingernails are always kept short and very clean under them. + to this.


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## TerriGtoo (Jul 2, 2013)

+1 Viv And Tolak. I have never worn gloves except for one instance that I thought there was a high risk of Fish TB. In all my years I have never gotten ill from putting my hands in tank water, nor have I ever had problems with fish disease from one tank to another as I use dedicated equipment for each. I never immediately go from one tank to the next to clean it either. I wash my hands with soap and water after doing maintenance on a tank then I wait a few hours before doing the next. I rinse my hands once more before to make sure any soap residue is gone.

and for those of you who do suck on your siphon ....that is going to be the ideal way to ingest all sorts of parasites and other critters. There is such an easy way to avoid this:
Hold your thumb over the end that goes into the bucket. Now fill the suction tube at the other end with tank water. Holding the tube higher than the end with your thumb, remove your thumb just enough to get the water down to your thumb and close the tube off compltely with your thumb. Fill the suction tube again making sure you get out as much air as possible. Hold the tube above the substrate, take your thumb off the other end, making sure it's in the bucket and doesn't go all over the floor and voila! You have a working siphon!


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

TerriGtoo said:


> and for those of you who do suck on your siphon ....that is going to be the ideal way to ingest all sorts of parasites and other critters. There is such an easy way to avoid this:
> Hold your thumb over the end that goes into the bucket. Now fill the suction tube at the other end with tank water. Holding the tube higher than the end with your thumb, remove your thumb just enough to get the water down to your thumb and close the tube off compltely with your thumb. Fill the suction tube again making sure you get out as much air as possible. Hold the tube above the substrate, take your thumb off the other end, making sure it's in the bucket and doesn't go all over the floor and voila! You have a working siphon!


That method works for buckets, however for some of us we are working with long hoses not near each other. Its not as easy to start a siphon on a 30ft+ hose. The quickest and most effective way to do this is to just suck on the end. Once the hose is full of water its easy to restart it as you move from tank to tank just by lifting part of the hose to push the water through it. For those concerned about all the critters in their aquarium they can buy a siphon pump, I personally don't care.


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## TerriGtoo (Jul 2, 2013)

Mikaila31 said:


> That method works for buckets, however for some of us we are working with long hoses not near each other. Its not as easy to start a siphon on a 30ft+ hose. The quickest and most effective way to do this is to just suck on the end. Once the hose is full of water its easy to restart it as you move from tank to tank just by lifting part of the hose to push the water through it. For those concerned about all the critters in their aquarium they can buy a siphon pump, I personally don't care.


That's understandable in your situation, and for others in the same situation, , but for those who do use buckets I believe my suggestion could be of value.


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## MameJenny (Jun 11, 2012)

I've never, personally, used gloves with my tanks. I'm not really a glove person, and I find them too bulky to work with, especially in tiny betta tanks. I was worried about mycobacteria when I first got into the hobby, but I know that none of my tanks have active fish TB infections, so I figure the risk is pretty low. I do keep my hands out as much as possible - I only stick them in to trim plants or scrape algae. I also rinse my hands with lots of water before I stick them in.

I also wear gloves when I'm working with chemicals, or things that stand a good chance of making me sick. IMO, the fact that I don't wear gloves says quite a bit, since I'm very paranoid about germs in general. I just don't feel a need with my clean, healthy tanks.


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## Bessie (Sep 13, 2014)

I don't wear gloves, but I damn well should do.

I work in an aquatics store, have 6 tanks at home, and have eczema on my hands and arms up to the elbow that is exasperated viciously by exposure to any water: RO, Saltwater, Freshwater, dechlorinated, non dechlorinated - it doesn't matter. Although the worst is absolutely Saltwater. I often have open sores on my hands and wrists because of this. 

I also don't use gloves when performing water tests with liquid tests at work, which I really should do because of the reasons above. 

Obviously, this puts me at much higher risk of contracting minor or major infections than the majority, I am aware of that. Why don't I wear gloves? It's simply impractical for me to go from catching fish, to doing tank maintenance, to do doing sump maintenance, to then serving a customer, feeding, writing out guarantee forms, stock checks, any paperwork, restocking - the list is endless and on a busy day it is impractical for me. I have a colleague who also suffers eczema (a different type - his is actually made better by salt water!) who never wears gloves either. 

As far as pathogens go, yes it can happen but it really is a low risk. It's up to the person if they want to take the risk, it's as simple as that. Your chances of contracting a disease or bacterial infection from a couple of tanks at home because you had a cut cuticle when you did maintenance is nothing (in my opinion) to worry about. You are more likely to catch zoonotic parasites off your pet dog. However if people want to take precautions then there's nothing wrong with that either. 

Pathogens, parasites and bacteria are present in ALL fish stock - every single fish carries something. It becomes a problem when the water quality, living conditions, stress or other environmental factor weakens the fishes immune system which is when the disease then takes hold. There is certainly nothing wrong in the slightest with practising good hygiene and preventing cross-contamination with your tanks at home. The only disease I really ever had a problem with was bacterial infection of guppies which was my own fault; I was not gravel vac'ing the tank nearly as thoroughly or often as I usually did because I had hundreds of bronze cory fry that were constantly getting killed by the process, so I laid off it until they were a decent enough size and so then had problems with my guppies. The situation resolved itself when I started performing the maintenance regularly again.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

There is a terrific article in the current issue of Flare published by the IBC regarding this very issue. Another article in the issue is all about how and why most betta breeders use aquarium salt to help their fish. Good reads.


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

I'll have to see if I can access that IBC article, hopefully it isn't a members only publication.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Like I said before it is more for the safety of the fish than myself. When you take a swab off the fingers of a human and look at it under a microscope there are literally hundreds of organisms. You just said something interesting, that I probably expose myself to a wide range of more dangerous organisms, well yes and I don't want to transfer any of them to my fish. I may have a good immunity to the vast majority of them but I cant be 100% sure the fish do. I also work with my hands and often have small cuts that could be an entry point. I do believe many more people catch marinium than fall on their head and die in a fish room. For people with only a few small tanks no big deal maybe but when you have a large amount of aquariums and fish or work in the industry gloves can be very important. My gloves, nets and tools are kept in a super salty water bucket to help avoid any cross contamination. 

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/sp/feature/

Yes the Flare is a members only IBC publication.


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## JohnWS (Aug 3, 2014)

I use disposable gloves that I get from Amazon when I do my water tests because I do not want the Ammonia solution on my hands. It is the smell factor that bothers me. I also use them when I clean my cat's litter box. I do not use them when I change water or something like that. 
For the life of me I can not understand why anyone would argue so strongly against using gloves. It is one of the most bizarre threads I've ever read. I just can not believe a discussion about using or not using gloves is up to 6 pages.


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## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

I found nitrile gloves in the automotive/cleaning supply section of Walmart that are like the kind you do dishes with. If you are allergic to latex like I am finding gloves can be a challenge. If you have long enough siphon these will do find and cost $3.99. I bought these to clean my Blood Parrot's tank. She gets aggressive when I clean and bites me. It took a very long time for bite I got from her to heal and I think it would have taken longer (or maybe been worse) if I had not gone to the Dr. for antibiotics. So that is why I am wearing gloves for her at least. I still don't wear them for my bettas because I would have to buy lots of gloves to avoid latent cross contamination. I do wash my hands frequently probably about 2-3 times while I am cleaning each tank and between tanks. I have to use a long siphon with the Blood Parrot for the gloves to be effective because they don't go all the way up my shoulders.


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## countyrd419 (Apr 6, 2013)

About wearing gloves when cleaning our fish tanks is this something the IBC (International Betta Congress) has written about? If not then this would be a good article for them to mention in the next issue of the FLARE.


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## tuxthebetta (Apr 14, 2015)

I use my hands only when I HAVE to. I always wash them before and rinse very well with hot water. 

I use a clean chopstick (never been used for food) if I have to adjust things in the tank -- it's long and pointy and really does a good job to make small adjustments.... I really don't like to use my clumsy hands if I don't have to (plus, I displace too much water!)...


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

CLR?? Is that really a cleaning agent for fish tanks? Yikes! I prefer vinegar for a regular clean down (new tank, or for my reptiles), then bleach is my go-to for the rare break outs. I couldn't think of using CLR.


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

Yes, CLR. Good for hard water stains when vinegar won't cut it. You can go harsher than that, Sno-Bowl toilet bowl cleaner. If you want to talk something where gloves are needed that's the thing. As well as long sleeves, protective eye wear, and plenty of ventilation. I've used all of the above, just like bleach it's knowing how to use it properly.


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## SplashyBetta (Jul 28, 2014)

To be honest, I'm slightly afraid to comment on this topic...

I use gloves, but not because I'm worried I'll kill my fish with my germs or visa versa. I just happen to have an allergic reaction to the chemicals I use in my tanks so if I don't cover up and then stick my hands in the water, I'll break out in a rash.

I don't care if you use gloves or not. Whatever floats your boat. Stick your whole face in the tank for all I care. It's not my face.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

+1 ^ :thankyou:


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