Is It Okay to Put Your Hands in an Aquarium?

Fish keeping is a hands-on hobby. Aquarists are in charge of turning their tanks or ponds into healthy ecosystems for plants, fish, and invertebrates, and this involves plenty of manual work. At some point during your life as a fish keeper, you’ll come across situations that require sticking your hand right into the water. Rearranging decorations or moving plants around are examples of situations when you may need to dip your hand into the water, but if there are reasonable ways for you to accomplish such tasks without getting your hands wet, your ecosystem will be better off. The knowledgeable staff at Aquatic Warehouse would like to share some details on whether it’s okay to put your hands in your aquarium.

Avoiding Contamination Risks

One of the main reasons aquarium tanks are often sold along with lids or covers isn’t because shops want you to buy extra items. You really should keep aquarium water as free from contaminants as possible, and it’s easier to accomplish this with tank covers. There will always be a chance of your hands being contaminated with pathogens you’re not aware of. However, you can also minimize this risk with proper hand washing.

Proper Handwashing for Fish Keepers

Seasoned aquarists are used to washing their hands before doing anything that involves interacting with the ecosystem, and this includes touching chemicals, additives, and even food flakes. You don’t need special creams or disinfectants. Plain soap and tap water will do, but make sure to thoroughly scrub your hands and forearms all the way to the elbows. Think about the way surgeons wash their hands before they enter the operating room. Rinse and completely dry your hands so no droplets mix with the aquarium water and end up altering the pH.

Touching Fish

Very few fish species enjoy human touch. Some koi varieties are gregarious to the point that they’ll feed from the hands of their keepers. Large goldfish are curious and may swim toward hands. Betta fish may nibble because they tend to be aggressive, but their tiny bites can barely be felt. As long as you’ve washed your hands as previously described, touching fish wouldn’t be a problem, but you should refrain from doing so because tropical fish secrete a coat of slime as a means of antibacterial protection. Disturbing this slime off fish scales will leave them unprotected until they’re able to produce more of it.

Self-Cleaning Tanks Minimize Hands in the Aquarium

Many young aquarists start off with self-cleaning tank kits that automate maintenance to a great extent. While these will certainly minimize cleaning tasks, thus making it less likely for you to have to stick your hands in the water, you’ll be better off taking the time to learn about self-sustainable aquarium tanks. These habitats will take a few weeks to establish, but once the ecosystem is fine-tuned for sustainability, you’ll rarely have to put your hand in the tank. The less you fuss around by constantly putting your hands in the tank, the better.

If you have any further questions about caring for your aquarium, reach out to Aquatic Warehouse, a leading provider of high-quality aquarium and pond equipment. We’re located in Kearny Mesa, we offer a wide array of products on our website, or you can give us a call at 858-467-9297.