My deadly pet fish: How cleaning the aquarium left this retired bus driver with a killer infection
- Thread starter Reed
- Start date
I stopped doing that once I got my python.
I try never to start a siphon with my mouth. It just seems there are enough different bacteria and viruses and funguses in the tanks that it just seems a bad idea to get them in my mouth even if the potential is really low. And it is fairly well know that there is mycobacterium even in the local waters and in a lot of fish tanks. This is one bacterium that is know to infect humans although apparently not easily. There are even fish websites that suggest you should wear rubber gloves when you are changing water or working in a tank. If I have cuts or such on my hands or arms I think of using gloves, but usually I just make sure to wash my hands and arms with soap and water after any contact with tank water.
You can start a siphon by using a faucet or water hose to fill the siphon hose with water or by immersing the siphon hose in the tank to fill it with water. If you have one of those large tubes that come with a Python siphon, it is called a gravel cleaner, you can start a siphon very easily. With the gravel cleaner attached to the siphon hose, simply dip the gravel cleaner into the tank, fill it with tank water, hold the water-filled gravel cleaner above the tank, when the water in the gravel cleaner has almost all drained out into the siphon hose quickly submerge the gravel cleaner in the tank in a manner that air in the gravel cleaner is easily displaced by water. When submerging the gravel cleaner hold it horizontally and push it underwater. The siphon should be going at this point. Practice makes this procedure very easy.
You can start a siphon by using a faucet or water hose to fill the siphon hose with water or by immersing the siphon hose in the tank to fill it with water. If you have one of those large tubes that come with a Python siphon, it is called a gravel cleaner, you can start a siphon very easily. With the gravel cleaner attached to the siphon hose, simply dip the gravel cleaner into the tank, fill it with tank water, hold the water-filled gravel cleaner above the tank, when the water in the gravel cleaner has almost all drained out into the siphon hose quickly submerge the gravel cleaner in the tank in a manner that air in the gravel cleaner is easily displaced by water. When submerging the gravel cleaner hold it horizontally and push it underwater. The siphon should be going at this point. Practice makes this procedure very easy.
