Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 7:47 pm Post subject: FISH TANK GRANULOMA - Hobbyist's health hazard!
This disease is a very real threat among aquarium hobbyists...though it is uncommon. It has happened to me, and I'm recovering now. Ring finger on my right hand developed painful swelling beside the fingernail, for which I was prescribed antibiotics. Antibiotics did not help, and I finally had to go for minor surgery. The fingernail was removed, and an incision was made on the side of the fingertip to drain the pus.
I am sharing this with you fellow hobbyists, as this condition is often misdiagonised, and patients receive wrong treatment. Would like to hear from any fellow hobbyists who underwent treatment for this kind of finger infection.
A link providing medical advice:
http://www.aquatouch.com/Granuloma.htm
Also, just do a google search for "fish tank granuloma". And my advice to you is:
Wear rubber gloves when cleaning your tank
Don't bite your nails
Don't work on your tank if you have any punctures, cuts or other wounds on your hands
Wash your hands thoroughly after working on your tank
Avoid swallowing water from the tank. If you start a siphon with your mouth, spit out any water that might enter your mouth.
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:02 pm Post subject: Re: FISH TANK GRANULOMA - Hobbyist's health hazard!
Hi Talle-Simha,
Does this affect the only the saltwater part of the hobby or both FW & Marine hobbyists are in trouble?
Though it is better to wash the hands before & after cleaning or dipping your hands in aquarium.I also remember Trevor telling that fishes & plants remain healthy if you refrain from immersing your hands in aquariums often!
Joined: Jun 29, 2003 Posts: 7087 Location: Bengaluru, India
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:03 pm Post subject: Re: FISH TANK GRANULOMA - Hobbyist's health hazard!
What did the culture test of the pus removed indicate? Were they able to identify Mycobacterium in the culture test?
Fish Tank Granulaoma requires treatment over a long period with multiple antibiotics.
Are you still taking multiple antibiotics? Which fish did you handle? Do you routinely handle Marine Fish?
I don't think you had a Mycobacterium infection aka Fish tank granulaoma, or aka fish TB, however some other nasty bacteria could get you, though a rare occurance prevention is better than cure.
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:22 pm Post subject: Re: FISH TANK GRANULOMA - Hobbyist's health hazard!
Babu, from what I read, it affects both fresh and marine tanks.
Madan, the doc did not test the pus...it was a thick yellow colour. I have just completed my regimen of antibiotics, and the finger seems to be healing. It may not have been a mycobacterium infection, like you said, some nasty strep or staph bacteria could have gotten in through a small wound. I had a hunch that I picked up this infection from my fish tanks because in the 3 days prior to the infection appearing, I did quite a bit of cleaning and redecorating of my tanks. Also, I do bite my nails!!! I keep only freshwater fish. I have around 5 tanks. Occupants include goldfish, swordtails, mollies, fighters, gouramis, tiger sharks, black ghost, corys and suckermouth loaches.
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: FISH TANK GRANULOMA - Hobbyist's health hazard!
Thanks guys for the valuable information. As some of us clean the aquarium with cut wounds which we will get while using blades. Ofcourse it is is so important to know such things as this may end in quitting the hobby too b'cos of family pressure.
Joined: Jun 29, 2003 Posts: 7087 Location: Bengaluru, India
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:05 pm Post subject: Re: FISH TANK GRANULOMA - Hobbyist's health hazard!
An odd cleaning with a cut will not give you granuloma, it's only with prolonged contact with infected fish that your chances of contracting it marginally increase.
I too bite my nails and an infection like you had could have been contracted from anywhere, including simply scratching yourself.
Take care but there is no need to panic. There are a couple of old threads somewhere in the forums with a discussion on this.
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:17 pm Post subject: Re: FISH TANK GRANULOMA - Hobbyist's health hazard!
I too would second Madan on this. Not like fish TB.
What you had is an infection of the nail bed - the part of the finger just below the nail. Painful for the patient and painful for the pocket!!
Overall fish tb is rarely contracted by humans but of course an aquarist is at a greater risk that the average guy. The actual risk is still low.
Cuts can of course get infected if wet - regardless of whether the source of the water is a fish tank or not.
All said and done if I have a cut on my finger I go ahead with the aquarium maintenance as usual but I keep a close eye on the cut till it forms a firm dry dark scab.
deepesh
PS: I have also noticed that the cuts and wounds that I would watch and clean regularly would usually get infected, those that I forgot would heal without any probs.
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 1:25 am Post subject: Re: FISH TANK GRANULOMA - Hobbyist's health hazard!
Hi Madan and Deepesh, you are quite right in what you say. I've been keeping fish for just about 3 months now (but already addicted ). I also play bass guitar for a heavy metal band, so my fingers do go through a lot of abuse! This is the first time I have experienced this finger infection, and after reading up, I felt it was possibly caused by this new-found aquarium hobby of mine. No need to panic, but I just thought it  might be good if I let other aquarium owners know that they should ideally take some precuations when performing tank maintenance, specially if your hand is wounded. Like Jackson says, you may cut your finger using a blade (I suppose you could cut your finger if you were careless while removing old silicon glue when repairing a tank).
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). I also play bass guitar for a heavy metal band, so my fingers do go through a lot of abuse! This is the first time I have experienced this finger infection, and after reading up, I felt it was possibly caused by this new-found aquarium hobby of mine. No need to panic, but I just thought it  might be good if I let other aquarium owners know that they should ideally take some precuations when performing tank maintenance, specially if your hand is wounded. Like Jackson says, you may cut your finger using a blade (I suppose you could cut your finger if you were careless while removing old silicon glue when repairing a tank).
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