The Infection That Nearly Ended My Time In The Aquarium Hobby
2023 ж. 21 Қар.
674 507 Рет қаралды
Many people who keep saltwater aquariums are familiar with the common health risks -- but this is one I bet you haven't heard of. Lots of people told me I should break down my 310 gallon mixed reef but I love it too much to let a little thing like orthopedic surgery get me down!
Mycobacterium marinum: emedicine.medscape.com/articl...
You can probably breathe underwater now…
Omg, you win. 524 comments (so far) and this is by far my favorite!
@@BaconCove Next is having the power to control things, like Mr. Nimbus in Rick and Morty.
Bro turned himself into a waterbender 💀
@@BaconCove this week in parasitism!!!!!! You should 100% contact them and do a channel cross promotion. Vincent and crew are life long dedicated to this topic and they would probably love to showcase your story from the beginning and let their audience diagnosis it. It really drives home the value of getting a person’s background, and not skipping the hobby.
@@_c_y_p_3 That's a great idea -- I'll reach out to them. Thanks for the tip!
That orthopedic surgeon is incredible. They knew their stuff, even on a somewhat rare infection, and were probably patting themselves on the back for the rest of the day for asking that last question.
Seriously. I'm super grateful to him for catching it -- who knows what fun I could have been in for if the infection had gone another few months undetected. Thanks so much for the comment!
gotta also point out the other docters he saw were clueless and he was probably on prednesone for nothing because it didn't even identify or solve the underlying issue. prednesone also carries very significant risks doctors often don't like to tell you about - development of chronic high blood pressure, diabetes, your hip bones can literally disintegrate, you can grow a huge "buffalo hump" on the back of your neck, cushings syndrome the list goes on. you can develop these with a single use but chances increase the longer you take it
@@chrishayes5755 ugh i hate prednisone, i have it on my allergy list. it caused me severe limb pain, so bad i was crying. all four limbs were hurting at once. i couldn't get comfortable, i was sobbing. we immediately stopped prednisone and i never took it again and never will. there's other options than prednisone.
Prednisone can lead to compression fractures of vertebrae when lifting even minor weights. My whole lumbar spine has been fractured.
Doctor House. Did you ever watch the show? In a way very realistic. There’s literally hundreds if not thousands of rare conditions that most doctors never encounter in a lifetime of practicing medicine. They go with the established treatment for the symptoms they see: 90% of the time it works. If it doesn’t they investigate further but there’s no guarantee they’ll get it. It often comes down to luck finding a doctor who is a nerd for rare diseases or has had some previous experience.
As a microbiologist, my first thought was "wow! Mycobacterium is one of my favorites!" It's no wonder that no one ever calls me to tell me what they have gotten sick with. I'm always unreasonably excited. So glad you have recovered from this!
Then you would be thrilled to hear my father got 4 rare bacteria from a surgery, not 1 or 2, 4!! Somehow they stayed in the skin and didn´t reach the bloodstream. The docs. face when she looked at the results was priceless. Now I tell my father to let some bacteria for other people, no need to be greedy.
Zoologist here, with a focus on marine animals. Lol I so feel you. I get way too excited about macabre stuff like a whale washing ashore. "Oooo what a great chance to study their vocal folds!"
Just dont blow it up to get to the bits you want to see....Oregon DOT learned that lesson the hard way...lol
I got so excited watching this video. I’m a microbiologist and an Infection Control Practitioner. Mycobacterium tend to be what we call fastidious; it’s hard to culture and takes a long time to grow and usually cause chronic infections. Other bacteria in this family include Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (Tuberculosis) and Mycobacterium Leprae (Leprosy). Also Mycobacterium Laprae can also be carried by armadillos so be careful. But they usually take months of antibiotics to kill because of how slow growing they are.
Wow, thanks so much for such an interesting comment. If it was interesting to a microbiologist I must have done something right! Are you a researcher? Physician?
@@BaconCove I am/was a clinical microbiologist but now I work as an Infection Control Director for a Hospital System. The part I found interesting was the nodules you reported having. I have never come across anyone with the infection you had but TB and Leprosy also have the potential to create those so I guess that is also standard across the family.
They're super interesting. That unusual infectory dog disease(s?)goin around in some states seem to be related to a mycobacterium too. Which was a thought I had when reports said that they didn't manage to isolate the bacteria and no tests for the most prevalent known viral and bacterial agents for dog respiratory diseases. Like thought it might be either a very slow growing one like mycobacteria, or a mycoplasma species or in general any known obligatory intracellular bacteria. An uni did isolate an, it seems yet unknown one. I find bacteria and immunology in general just tremendously interesting I learned labtech and then studied biology, micro biology (in Germany) and molecular genetics as the most interesting topics. Didn't finish university though, had a nasty bout of trying to leave this earthly realm...(im better now since I'm on hrt lol) so I cant claim expert status but infections are always so interesting. Not for the poor infected person ofc
yo, biochemist here. i do pulmonary research now (fibrosis, not tuberculosis unfortunately). i started my undergrad career with a cool program called SEA-Phages where university students can isolate and characterize a novel mycobacteriophage. i learned through that program that phages are a super viable but very much not FDA-approved treatment for abx-resistant infections, including tuberculosis, due to their ability to mutate. (anyone reading, please note that they're so unlikely to mutate to become infectious to humans that you can confidently bet your bottom dollar it'll never happen.) is there any meaningful conversation going on about the use of phage therapy for mycobacteria or other commonly resistant bugs?
Would this be a risk in aquatic turtle tanks too?
My mother (health lab technician) talked me about Mycobacterium marinum when I started keeping aquarium as a teen. Raising/keeping awareness on it is paramount for safety and health reasons.
Wow, you've got a SMART mother. I've had lots of medical training and this was sitting in a far dusty corner of my mind. Nice tank videos -- I subscribed!
@@BaconCove well.. he had a mother..
@@72marshflower15 Please stop.
@@72marshflower15 That has been established, I believe.
what is your Mom advice to keep us away from this Mycobacterium Marinum or any other disease/infection that we didn't know it exists?
Just wanting to toss this out there: a lot of doctors forget to ask about if you work at a petstore, work around aquariums, or own any of those things. Your doctor may even write it off as not a big deal if you mention it. But there are a lot of infections you can get from EVERY pet you own. Dogs, cats, hamsters, ect. And you can absolutely get the infections just working at a petstore.
Thanks so much for posting that Brigid -- really thoughtful. I assume you work at a pet store?
100% agree! There are risks of cross contamination with many things. As a 25 + year aquarium hobbiest I know I have been very lucky to have only had an allergic reaction to a lionfish sting. I am so very sorry that the OP caught such a nasty thing. I pray you recover & keep your immune system safe! Long term antibiotics..... fingers crossed. I hope you have a Merry Christmas.
I got a nasty infection while working maintenance at a dog friendly apartment in Seattle, had to rinse the dog crap covered “grass” mats daily and they’d only let us use disinfectant/cleaners once complaints of dogs getting bladder infections started rolling on, literally had to have maybe 20 complaints before we shut the roof down and used all kinds of chemicals. Which lasted a couple weeks, then everything would just repeat itself. Was Not there long. All that to say, you can get nasty infections from Any Pet Anywhere Pet Related, careful y’all lol
There's a name for infectious agents that are from animals. Zoonoses pronounced like zo-noses.
@@miguelp4812 I had No idea but I suppose it makes sense it would have its own name, thank you for the knowledge!!
I watched an episode of Monsters Inside Me a couple years ago about a man who had accidentally scratched his hand on a barnacle while cleaning the bottom of his boat and a month or so later he noticed a little red mark, callous looking thing on his palm and he started having terrible pain with swelling and mobility problems in that hand. To make a long story short, he had barnacles living and growing in his hand! He almost lost his hand completely bc the barnacles had grown all around his ligaments and the surgeon didn’t know if he would be able to save it before surgery but thankfully he was able to. I’ve never forgotten that episode bc it surprised me so much that barnacles could even do that. That show is crazy af.
I was a marine biology major and when I learned that barnacles and coral could grown inside our bodies like that, it must’ve stuck because a decade later I had a dream that a barnacle was growing on my thigh and popped out to gather food. I cannot look at a barnacle now without being creeped out and that’s twenty years after the dream. 😬
Omg. First, I apologize for the lengthy reply. Secondly, I am scared out of my mind after reading this. 😭😭😭😭 I keep and breed Diamondback Terrapins, the only brackish water turtle species. A year ago, I noticed my white ornate group had scabs that had appeared on their butts and legs overnight. After examining further, I notice what looked like these white worms embedded in their shells. I then start examining all of them and see that they all had this! In a panic, I pulled them all out of the water and I’ve been living in hell trying to identify this thing ever since! I’ve been to four vets over the past year for “worms embedded in skin and shell”, and each time, I was treated as if I was crazy! I’ve had shell cultures and poop samples sent into labs, and they all came back negative for parasites. I have treated them all for fungus and bacteria, and I am still working around the clock to save their lives! I’ve lost a dozen so far with others in critical condition because this thing is eating through their shells and skin!!The worst part is they are stealthy and below the surface level, which would appear fine, but not so fine when you uncover what’s going on underneath and in between the scutes! 😭😭 I ended up buying a microscope because I KNOW it’s a parasite, despite what the cultures came back with. Apparently, if it’s not in the vet manuals, it’s not possible. Yet, so VERY possible because I am living it and I can see it with my own eyes! It’s not microscopic! In the meantime, I started getting these bumps and nodules all over my skin. And I mean, my hands, arms, neck and the top of my back, my FACE and scalp, ankles and feet!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭 They are GROWING and SO PAINFUL!!!! I am in constant pain, and I’ve always been a very healthy person! I’ve had an ultrasound, X-ray and MRI done in my ankle, which was swollen for a YEAR BEFORE this started and they couldn’t find anything, yet I’m struggling to walk! I have attempted to see infections disease, who made me jump through so many hoops to get an appointment. Labs done multiple times reflect low white blood cell count. Not enough! My doctor sent in a written description of my symptoms and sent the referral TWICE, but they are telling me I need a “diagnosis” to be seen. HOW? Isn’t that what ID does?! She told me to go to the ER, so I waited 6 hours to be seen. They can’t diagnose a parasite! The only ones that can are ID, but they won’t see me! 😭😭😭😭 I’ve been waiting for 2 months for a necropsy report to come back. I was told 4 weeks, so they are obviously struggling with identification. I feel like I’m close to figuring this thing out and I’m 99% sure that it’s a crustacean, and the latest thing I’ve been studying is barnacle larvae! 😭😭. I haven’t been able to pinpoint it yet, but I do know it’s a crustacean, hence the reason it’s not showing up in any tests! And I am PISSED! I am angry with the medical community for not listening to me and treating me like I’m crazy when I’m the furthest thing from! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I’m searching high and low for help, and I don’t know where to turn! I just read this and I’m scared out of my MIND!!!! I have these nodules growing in my arms, and my mobility and capability to bend my wrists and hands is getting more and more difficult and painful, but I have them EVERYWHERE!!! I know you can’t help me, but is there anyone here that can help me with identifying this parasite? I have so many pictures, I could create a book! They are big and visible, but they don’t start that way. And I have NO idea how they got all over my body, but I never wore gloves when handling my terrapins before any of this! Any skin that has been exposed is infected! I suddenly have these verified veins popping out of my legs! I also know they JUMP! I’ve witnessed them jumping on me, and on my wall! I’ve seen them disappear through skin! Like they melt through! How long was thing thing growing in his body before he was able to have it identified?? It’s been a year since this nightmare started, and I have no idea how long I’ve been infected before the trouble started. HOW did he have it identified?! It seems that the word “parasite” is taboo; even if you own something like turtles that carry parasites! While mine are all captive bred, all of these breeding circles started with wild caught terrapins, and I learned the hard way that if the pathogen is in the water, it develops inside of the egg. I have also lost well over a dozen hatchlings. I’m just struggling so hard!! If anyone else reads this and can offer any recommendations, or can possibly help with identifying a marine parasite, please, please, please respond! I promise you that I’m not crazy. I’m a professional, but desperate for help. ANY help!
I'm sorry to hear that. I remember when I was a kid learning about reptiles. My parents bought me a field guide and I was fascinated reading about those turtles. I found one years ago in Florida. God bless@@jessieschnell9919
@@jessieschnell9919 My recommendation is "pics or it didn't happen". In other words, if you are told that nothing exists, but you can see it with your own eyes, then what you see will also be "seen" and recorded by a camera. Then you can simply _show_ a veternarian the problem.
@@jessieschnell9919Have you looked up Barnacle Cypris Larvae? Do they look like that? From your description it sounds similar, and from your health problems it does as well. But I'm far from an expert, just 5 minutes of googling.
My ex husband and I imported tropical fish to sell to stores. Mainly fresh water but got into salt towards to end, some marine fish but mainly living rock for reef tanks. Many times the fresh water fish would come in sick so we held them in tanks at home to treat before delivering them. I had never heard of this bacterium before now. I am a nurse that worked mainly with burns. FYI, all burns tend to get infected due to bacteria commonly found on skin. We were in the hobby and importers for years. I feel we were lucky to escape this infection. Thank you for this video of info. It may help to raise awareness in the hobbly.
Wow, thank you for what YOU do! Burn units are NO JOKE. Regarding your ex I heard about people who try to "rescue" sick fish and rehab them. Some folks in earlier comments on this video have said it's a bad idea because so many of those fish are infected with something that could transmit to humans (like mycobacteria). So I guess if a person was going to do it they would need to be VERY careful about taking safety precautions. Thanks for your comment!
Not a fun infection. I've been battling it for 10 months now. Took my doctors 3 months to send me to an infectious disease specialist who knew right away what it was and gave me the appropriate antibiotics. It's getting better now. Glad you posted this video; so many as you said have never heard of this. My fish know I'm upset with them!
Haha, that's hilarious -- what kind of fish do you keep? So sorry to hear you are fighting this as well. Antibiotics only or did you need a biopsy/debridement? I really appreciate you sharing your story. Thanks!
I have two planted tanks; one with innumerable cory doras, white tip tetra & fancy guppies; the other with 3 dwarf Gouramis (1 male) & a school of Cardinal tetras. Love them both!! I'm on the suggested course of three antibiotics & have had two biopsies and several debridements. I now have a pair of shoulder length gloves for cleaning the tank. Smart huh?! 😉
Oh my gosh, I'm SO sorry to hear it's been such a long painful haul for you. Wishing you the best and that you can stay away from the knife from here on out!!
@@BaconCove Thank you!
@@autumnisnothere - I'm glad you mentioned the shoulder length gloves. I also have an aquarium and I'm not interested in meeting Mycobacterium marinum. So I was going to ask how do we keep from getting this bacteria?
Excellent summary. You told us everything we needed to know, in a short, 4 minute video. More hobbyists do need to be aware of this and I appreciate you telling your story.
Wow, thanks -- I really appreciate the compliment!
I wish there was an intro, some music, and 18 minutes of him talking
While it was indeed a well-prepared and conveyed presentation, it would maybe have been better with mentions of whether there are any predispositions to catching it and any preventive measures? (weak imune, gloves, washing,...)
No music needed. It’s not a music video
@@colinashby3775 "No music needed. It’s not a music video" woosh
I'm immune compromised so I'm going to wear gloves when working in the tank. Thank you for sharing this! I'm glad you're ok!
Hey, thanks! Good luck and be careful!
I’m a microbiologist and I knew immediately what it was from the thumbnail. I’m sorry to hear about what happened to you. It’s a good psa for anyone working with water that the mycobacterium can get into any cuts you have especially on your hands.
Interesting. I was a fish cutter once and my middle knuckle in the hand was jabbed by a rockfish spine. It swelled and looked like a problem but eventually quieted down for awhile. I would get flare ups for the next seven years. It's long gone now. No treatment. I wonder if it's the same thing or some toxin from the spine.
My fish personally have the tuberculosis species so no touching the water!
I've been in the hobby for 31 years and this is the first time hearing about this. Thanks for passing on this valuable information. At least I know what to tell a Dr. if I ever experience anything like this. 👍
You've got a GORGEOUS channel -- subscribed! Thanks for the comment friend.
Thats crazy, I heard about it before I even got into the hobby.
@@Kw1tsel And as a result, you will never get it because that's the irony of useful useless knowledge.
wear gloves.
Leterally when you told "nodules" i tought about mycobacteria. I did my thesis about them, they can be present in all water environments and usually can be deadly dangerous only for immuno-compromised people. During my research i understood that high percentage of ornamental fish are positive if tested, even with no death or big external signals.
Holy cow, that's super cool. You're Italian, right? And yes, the first question the ID specialists I've seen asked me is "are you immunocompromised?"
Probably a good practice to wash hands after handling diseased or dead fish also. Or even wearing rubber gloves properly.
Literally
yeah its present everywhere really
So is it contracted through the respiratory airway or from a cut on one's hand/arm? The video did not mention this; perhaps you can tell us. Thank you!
I caught the SAME INFECTION, not via my aquariums(I've been in the hobby for decades). I caught the SAME rare bacterial infection being poked by a raw frozen shrimp through the plastic bag as I removed it from my freezer to start dinner. Right on the tip of my finger. Luckily, within a few days I noticed it didn't look right and I just happened to have a Dr apt a week later. The Dr was literally excited to see a new infection at his age. He said in all his years he had never seen this kind of infection. He was so overexcited he prescribed me THREE antibiotics(as was recommended in his research). But, even though I had never had a yeast infection in my life, within days I had my first and only.... Of course I called and complained that 3 antibiotics was messing me up, and he recommended reducing down to two of the meds to see how that worked. We caught it so early that two antibiotics worked just fine. If I hadn't caught the cause of this infection the moment it happened I may have lost a finger or parts of my hand. But thankfully, because it hurt when that raw shrimp stabbed me, I was able to watch my skin start reacting pretty quickly. In my case, because of the location it behaved like a flesh eating bacteria and refused to heal, opening a little more each day for less than a week. It just kept growing and certainly looked different than other small injuries. This was just a puncture, so spreading made zero sense. Moral of the story is.... If anything like this happens to you, quickly go to the Dr and get antibiotics before you end up needing surgery and possibly end up losing apart of your body
wow, thanks for sharing.
@@reeferkenneth8657 my pleasure. Not one I usually talk about. Lol
Insane that that surgeon even thought of it. Like a real life House MD. Hope your hand heals perfectly!
Well, you're not the only one, I've had this too😮 Several years ago I was working in a LFS and got this swollen infection in a finger. Tried to wait it out, didn't work and went to the doctor. Gave me some antibiotics but it didn't work so they sent me to a specialist. I told him what I did for a living, he showed me a picture of a similar infection and told me I had fish tuberculosis (common name). Gave me some really heavy antibiotics and I got rid of it after some months (it was so strong I couldn't be in the sun without a heavy coat of sunblock). I live in Norway and aquaculture is big over here and that's where the specialist had seen this stuff before. I'm glad you shared this as this is rare but a serious infection.
Wow, you're only the second person who's mentioned having had this as well. We should form a club. Glad you were able to clear it up without surgery though! Luckily none of the antibiotics I'm on cause photosensitivity BUT -- one of them can't mix with alcohol so no drinking. For a year.
@@BaconCove that would probably be one of the few clubs where you hope the number of members won't rise🤔😅 It seems I was pretty lucky compared to you, and I'm thankful for modern medicine! I'm glad you're getting rid of it, and the fact you have to stay away from alcohol for a year says quite a bit about how serious this really is. Anyway, now you have a battlescar, and it actually makes for a good story in the right circumstances😅
Thank you for your comment.
I can see why Aquariums are popular in Norway! Mine get me through our long cold winters, and in the US they arent half as long or cold as yours! I dream of coming to Norway, to see the "northern lights"
thank you for sharing your story! mycobacteria isn't talked about nearly as much as it should be. i personally got a myco infection from a freshwater tank a few years back, but luckily a trip to a dermatologist (who also asked if i had fish) and some antibiotics caught it before it could do anything scary. experiences like yours are terrible though, but at the very least sharing it will help more people know about the risk. i hope you recover fully!
Thank you so much. I still credit my orthopedic surgeon (who is NOT a skin specialist, obviously) for thinking of it right off the top of his head in our first meeting. Hope you recovered fully!
you should watch the story on youtube from gareth leonard about how he contracted a rare (ish) flesh eating bacteria from the amazon jungle. its interesting. He had to have the cdc tell him what was wrong and then the NIH, yes the national institute of health in washington DC treat him to help him get better. Interesting, scary story about how you have to be your own health advocate and how many doctors just don't know much in the face of true rarity.
What were the signs & symptoms for you?
Doing some serious research myself about a month ago and I discovered this too. I almost wanted to get rid of my aquarium.
my Dermo doc thought it was eczema so if treatment ain't working keep going back to your regular doc and make em listen to ya
I’m in med school and just learned about Mycobacterium marinum - often overshadowed by its more infamous relative, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB). Out of my extensive flashcard rotation, M. marinum is among the less emphasized (contributing only 5/90,000 of my total flash cards), making it understandable that several doctors might overlook it. It's a relatively rare condition, and your encounter sheds light on its complexity, thank you for sharing!
90....THOUSAND flashcards?!?!? I ain't religious, but Lord have mercy on your soul, god damn. Best of luck with studying.
Listen to the patient and he will tell you the disease...Sir William Osler. Never bypass starting with a good history, medical and social.
I'm so glad your surgeon made the connection. Thanks for putting out this video to raise awareness. Hopefully fewer people will need to go through what you went though.
Im not even really in the hobby but got this suggestion and i just wanted to say thank you for bringing awareness to this type of thing and keeping it a short sweet video that will hopefully be effective in informing as many people as possible. We need to encourage this kind of content as a community and a platform ❤
Thank you so much! I really enjoy making videos and it's been so encouraging seeing how people have responded. I truly appreciate the support!
Ahhh this reminds me of the good ole days!! Love the video man reach out if you ever need any help :) 🤙
[jaw hits floor] Wow, you're the first real celebrity to comment. I'm honored! I've been watching your videos for years. Thanks so much for the encouragement!!
@@BaconCove Shoot me an email! I have a cool opportunity for you! support@coralfish12g.com
That is so kind of you ! 😊❤ I subscribed because of it.
My Grandfather got the infection while fishing in the backwoods of Florida. He managed to avoid surgery, but took over a year of treatment to clear the infection. This is a great video to help spread awareness as nobody I have told this story has heard of it. I am just getting into the hobby and would have never thought about it being a factor in a "clean" environment!
Glad that surgeon caught it! And good for you raising awareness on this!
Great video with accurate title and you did it in 4 minutes. No clickbait, no BS. Just straight to the point. Stay safe!
Wow, thanks so much. I really appreciate that compliment! I hope I can keep making videos that people enjoy and learn from.
Glad you figured it out and hopefully resolved the issue, but sorry you had to go thru that. Thanks for sharing your story; it’s good we all are aware so we can address it early on if any of us are unfortunate enough to get infected.
Thank you so much sir! Your channel is beautiful -- subscribed! It's been fun learning about amazing channels like yours through this process!
@@BaconCove - Thanks for the kind words. Subbed to you as well.
Glad someone was able to diagnose you correctly and give proper therapy. Thank you for sharing, will forward this to a friend who keeps a small aquarium
I had the same thing happen to me years ago working in the pet trade. We got a bad batch of neon tetras. I got the infection in my thumb through a small puncture wound cleaning tanks. My thumb swelled up and turned red. Looked hot but it wasn’t. Stumped the doctors. I went to the library and found it in a medical book. I had the problem for 8 months. I was on antibiotics for over 6 months. Mycobacterium marinum, or in laymen’s terms. Fish tuberculosis. 😮
Glad it ended well. Wishing you fast recovery.
Thanks so much. I love my physical therapist but hate the therapy itself -- can't wait until I don't need it any more!
Sorry to hear that infection affected you. This is very informative and extremely important for all of us with aquariums. Thank you very much for sharing, and I wish you a speedy recovery.
Thanks! You a freshwater or saltwater fan?
@@BaconCove im a freshwater fan. Thinking on switching to salt eventually
@@genesis-ii I find with this hobby it's a fine line between "hobby" and "obsession". Once you start you may never stop!
Had no idea such a mysterious condition could develop by working with an aquarium. Glad you recovered!
As a partner of someone deeply involved in marine life for a career, I really appreciate you sharing this information and helping more people know about and be prepared for this possibility! Hope you have a successful recovery!
Thank you for alerting me to the risk honey
Thanks so much -- I really appreciate you saying that. The response to this video has been more than I had ever dreamed of. Thanks so much for leaving a comment!
I really appreciate this video. Being aware of this kind of stuff is super important. "Aquarium Safety" isn't something that you ever hear of, but I do think there needs to be more awareness surrounding it. Most of us do it instinctively, such as not putting your hands in the water if your fish are sick & you have a cut, or even unplugging a light before reaching for it when it falls into the tank. But there are also things we don't think of, like netting fish with spikes, or your story. Hope you're doing better now, and good luck!
I actually just reached out to BRS TV to see if they would be interested in doing a video about aquarium safety -- I think it's a ripe topic for discussion!
Man, that gorgonian is beautiful. Glad you found out what was causing the issue, but hate that it required surgery. Recover well!
Thank you so much. And I completely agree -- that gorgonian is my favorite. I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep it alive but it's been surprisingly resilient. Has encrusted on an enormous amount of the rock it's on. Thanks for the comment!
thank you for the PSA, heres wishing you a speedy recovery and a happy new year
Thank you for sharing your story and helping to prevent suffering in others.
Thank you so much for sharing. Being in the Hobby, it is vital to gain this knowledge.🙏
Absolutely -- glad you found it useful. I've got more tidbits like this in the pipeline!
Oh my.. thank you for sharing your experience! I’m so sorry this happened to you ❤
Thanks -- I appreciate that. Everyone has been so kind!
So glad you are healthy and thank you for sharing this valuable info!
Thank you for taking the time to inform us! Knowledge is power. I'm glad the outcome was good for you in the end!
Thank you so much! I appreciated the kindness and support!
The comment to go to the Doctor vs the first 2 Doctor prescribing Cortison, which not only only mask the symptoms - allowing you to ignore it longer than without -, but actively suppressed the immune system, so the infection could spread easier.
Thanks for sharing it with the community! Happy that you are doing well now :)
Thanks so much -- only six months of antibiotics to go!
Glad you got a proper diagnosis and are being medicated appropriately. And thank you for sharing I had never heard of this.
Your tank is literally my dream tank, exactly as stocked. Never even knew this channel existed before this video. I'm so glad i now know to wear extra long gloves while dealing with these types of tanks of this scale. Much love and appreciation, I'm terribly sorry that happened to you.
crazy! Im glad your ok and thank you for showing people this! Had a tank my whole life and never heard of this!
Right? That's exactly why I wanted to make the video. Thanks for the encouragement!
Super glad you made this video. I have been suffering from a strange ailment that's presenting similarly. I am glad you figured it out and glad to know that if my symptoms persist or grow worse... I have something to tell the doctors to look for!
So in all seriousness if you're worried you might have this you should REALLY try to get seen by an infectious diseases specialist. Most primary care doctors would be very reluctant/unlikely to diagnose mycobacterium marinum on their own (typically requires tissue culture). Happy to discuss further if you have any questions -- and good luck!
I wouldn’t wait and see if I were in your shoes… a quick google search says “Less commonly the bacteria can spread in the body and cause joint and bone infections. “ Nasty stuff, take care
Wow, I'm so sorry to hear this happened to you. The good thing about this, if any, is that you are making others in the aquarium community aware of this potential risk. Also, much respect and kudos to you for not abandoning your hobby and passion after that horrific infection. 😎👍
Thanks for being so informative while sharing your story.
I heard about this in the 1980s when I was active in the hobby a fellow hobbyist got this but without that incident I would never have known, take care of you now and TY for the information this should be a pamfletter in every store and it should come with every new tank that is bought and should be discussed at your local hobbyist club, at seminaries and fairs, coral swapping and other related venues.
I'm tossing around the idea of writing an article in Coral magazine for exactly this reason. Thanks for leaving a comment!
Never heard of this. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, this is my first time hearing this. I have two fish tanks and I go fishing often. Thanks for sharing this and I hope you heal nicely soon 🙏🏿
That was one of the best and most informative KZhead videos I’ve ever seen! Simple, clear and informative without the drama
Wow, that is such a compliment!! I really appreciate the encouragement. Hopefully more interesting content to come!
20 years in the aquarium maintenance biz here and while I’ve had my fair share of bites, stings, pokes, electric shocks, cuts, bruises and a bad bout of palytoxin exposure I’ve never experienced this. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for commenting! I'm really glad people find it interesting and informative. Hopefully will help people know what to look for.
I took care of massive aquariums (1000+ gallon) for 7 years. 95% of the tanks were salt water. All of them had venomous fish. Never got stuck once. Never caught infections. Cuts on my hands would heal in a couple days. My whole arms were in most of my tanks up to my armpits. I even got IN 1 of my aquariums 1-2x a year for big cleanings.
it's like when you get a cut and rub dirt in it, most of the time you won't get an infection lol most men can attest to this
Right? See I think that's why people shouldn't be afraid to have exposure to their tanks -- just know what to look for in the (extremely unlikely event) that they catch M. marinum. I'm jealous of the work you do!
Do you live in warm climate? Are you getting exposed to sunlight? All those things help the immune system. Do you think that traditional fisherman in the indigenous communities suffered those things? They were growing up at a balance with the local bacteria since childhood, nowadays, we urban people could suffer from something like that very easily.
Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery.
So good of you to spread awareness! Thank you for the information and best of luck with everything man! (treating nocardosis in sinus for almost 2 yrs now, still here so thats saying something)
Much appreciated!
Mycobacteriums are becoming more known in recent years. I had Mycobacterium Abscessus in the lungs from a water source (live in the tropics, no tanks at the time). But always so conscious of these things now. Was a long process but eradicated it!
M. abscessus, huh? I actually haven't heard of that one. I wonder how many there are... Thanks for leaving a comment friend!
My thumb got stung by something while moving the rocks around in my reef tank. It lasted several weeks. It felt like an ant or a bee bite. So.. I will never do aquarium maintenance with out wearing gloves. Glad you’ve recovered bud
Oh yes -- we've all been there. Probably a bristle worm. When I broke down my tank to move it into our new house I found one that was literally 18 inches long. Stuff of nightmares.
@@BaconCove👀 do those just show up from the live rock or do you have to buy a bristle worm to end up with them in your tank?
Live rock, all kinds of things come in with it. I even had freshwater ones that came with plants
Thanks for the information, being around aquariums for most of my life, I've never heard of it. I hope you have a great recovery.
Hope you heal well and fast and thank you so much for sharing your experience and this knowledge! ❤
You are so welcome!
Subbed for this story, but staying to learn from your take on the hobby. Your tank looks beautiful, and I love how it’s not rammed full of corals. Looking forward to more content! Glad your doc caught this rare situation, and your recovering. That’s a wild scar! At least you got a good story out of it?
Telling people I caught the infection from my fish tank doesn't quite have the right ring to it -- so I tell people I caught it saving a small child from a burning fish tank.
LOL dude I noticed this halfway through the video too and looked over at my tank rammed full of corals and sighed. I want to start my tank over for a minimalistic sleek look like his.
A doctor so knowledgeable is even more rare than the infection
Thanks for helping spread the word!
So sorry this happened to you. Thank you for raising awareness
Sounds like you may have had an open wound to start with. Thanks for sharing and glad you’re doing a lot better. ❤
I probably did have some small scratch or something -- that's how it gets transmitted. Thanks for the comment!
Maybe try wearing gloves when handling foreign germs
I've been thinking about delving my hands into my tanks whenever i've got a small wound or something like that. Turns out there is a rare consequence if one is unlucky. Thanks for the info.
You're more than welcome. Honestly, when is ALL the skin on both your hands COMPLETELY intact though? I think it's an impossible standard to keep...
Buy aquarium gloves.
Thank you for the concise safety announcement.
Thanks for sharing the signs! Important to be aware of them just in case.
As a nurse practitioner, although it is a rare condition, it is something that I will add to my arsenal of knowledge in case I ever encounter something similar. By the numbers it appears extremely unlikely, it may be something I encounter that I never would have considered before. Thank you for the information and openness regarding this topic. It may save others in the future.
So happy to help, and I really appreciate all the kind comments! Thanks for the encouragement.
I learned about this in med school and since I’m a lifelong aquarium nut (fresh and saltwater) I always remembered this disease and it’s features. Lucky you got the right diagnosis in time and hope your recovery is complete. And I believe there’s also a similar freshwater version of this disease 🤦🏻
The one that always stuck for me was vibrio vulnificus -- "tell your patients not to eat oysters if they have liver disease"
@@BaconCoveYeah the old adage of never eat oysters in the summer is true…. Beautiful reef by the way, and looking forward to more updates! Any more problems with the angels eating coral?
Curious if you wear gloves seen as you knew about it (and other nasty things in a tank)?
@@rOmpismIf you’re asking me this question, yes I actually do wear gloves with rubber bands to try to keep aquarium water from getting in. Doesn’t always keep my hands completely dry, but I almost always immediately wash with pretty hot water and soap if my hands get wet. Some may think it’s a little extreme but I really don’t want to get this infection if just a little prevention effort will probably keep me safe.
What happens if you don't get a timely diagnosis with this?
I'm glad you're recovering and thank you for puitting the information out there!
Thank you for the well wishes, and thanks for leaving a comment!
Thanks for keeping us aware!
I’m so glad you had a dr who figured this out. I hope you feel much better soon . I was curious , is it caught with an open wound or how does it enter the body ?
Yes, it gets in through a break in the skin but it could be something as small as a scratch or a hangnail. I have no recollection of any significant injury earlier this year when I contracted it. Thanks so much for commenting!
So by limb immersion in the tank water then through an open wound?
@@aeromoe Through direct contact with a contaminated surface when I had a break in the skin.
@@kennethedmond Thanks for the additional info...glad you're on the mend.
So terribly sorry you are going through that. However, many thanks for disseminating the information. I truly hope your issues resolve well.
Such kind words -- thanks so much! I appreciate the support.
I’m sorry you went through all this. I’m glad you’re doing better. Thanks for educating us.
Thank you for saying that -- and thanks for watching and commenting. It's so rewarding knowing that people are learning from these videos!
Wow. Good doctor you had! I'm glad you're doing okay.
Thank you sharing this. I never would have known! My husband cut his hand very badly in our aquarium last year & was put on more antibiotics than I've ever seen. Now I know why!
This was one of my first major concerns with getting into the hobby. That and the list of parasites lol but the bacterial stuff was my main concern. NEVER stick your hand in any aquarium, fresh or salt, with an open wound and if you get a laceration while your hands are in the water, immediately stop and clean the wound with iso and a topical antibiotic. If you notice any sort of redness around the wound seek medical attention immediately. The best bet is to just wear gloves. Kitchen gloves work great for smaller tanks but if you have larger systems then get those big arm gloves that people use to deliver/check cattle. Especially in saltwater. Dont take any risks. I see people grabbing live rock with their bare hands and I just cringe lol. Glad you still got your arm man. All the best
Thank you sir. You sound like quite an expert -- you a hobbyist? Medical professional? I'd love to see your tank if you have one!
@@BaconCove No probs 😊My dad is a doctor, my mom is an ER RN and my wife is the head RN at her work. I do have my level 3 & Transport but I am a pet specialist/nutritionist/hobbyist of 25 years. I just keep/breed turtles now for freshwater as I rehomed my monster fish a couple years ago and just cut down to a small reef system with no corals. I used to have some pretty cool stuff but nothing extraordinary now. I am more into breeding expensive reptiles now 🤣
So, is an aquarium effectively a self-contained fetid swamp?
thank you for sharing to us about ur experience and spreading awareness of such diseases.
No offense, but don't you think the first thing you should've told the doctor is that you have a saltwater aquarium?
Only because that's the first thing we tell everyone
why on earth would you think to tell a doctor that when you have a rash? hindsight is 20/20 🙄
If I had swelling like this I'd have no idea it was from my tank...
Hey, sorry to be weighing in on this one late (was putting up Christmas lights with the kids all day). Um, the things that came to mind at those first few visits were the gardening I do, my job (which has me exposed to sick people) and my cats. I definitely kicked myself when I figured out it was M. marinum, but yeah hindsight is 20/20!
How about washing your hands with soap before and after working on your aquarium? 😮😅
Sorry for your injury but I’m glad you’re turning it into something educational. I was on antibiotics for a year because of a rotten tooth that I just had removed. Hope your recovery goes as well as mine has so far
Knowledge is power. Thank you for sharing your story!
Thanks for the video - appreciate the forewarning and cautionary tale. Hope you are on the mend soon!
Thank you so much. It's a long haul but I'm getting there!
I was blown away when I found out you could catch tuberculosis from fish, but I've only been in the hobby a year. Thanks for sharing this information, gonna help alot of folks.
I’m so glad you’re alive to tell this incredible story❤🇦🇺
Wow, I’ve never heard of this- thank you for this post and glad you are getting better
Kudoas to that doc! Hope you are well on your way back to health soon. Thank you for posting this video! 🐠
Thank you for this video. I will continue to live vicariously through aquarium videos like yours.
Hey, thanks so much. I have a lot more videos on the way -- I hope you subscribed!
It is refreshing to hear someone talk about the neg. of keeping a fish tank. And this is the first I'm hearing of something like this, so thank you for the heads up! Years ago, I got my first betta and snail and after a while, my arm got a funny red irritation or rash. Sometimes I would take my gloves off to adjust something in the tank. I never put my arm in the tank without gloves after that.
Thank you for sharing, definitely an important thing for new hobbyists to be aware of!
Thanks for sharing this story. It’s very important info that could save someone the same fate or worse!
I am not part of this aquarium hobby but I was very interested as I saw your video. I really appreciate your taking the time to report on your experience. I am sorry that you are having to go through this experience. Thank you for getting the word out about this bacteria. I am sure that you will be helping others in the future.
Thanks for the comment and the encouragement! It really means a lot that people find these videos interesting, and hopefully helps some people avoid this illness!
I was finally stung by a Bristle worm in 2018! My finger was swollen up like you wouldn’t believe and I learned my lesson about putting my bare hand in my tanks/s. Good luck with your recovery! Godspeed🙏🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸
So sorry for your pain & suffering. God be with you always.
Wow. Your experience will help so many.
Thank you for sharing! Will spread to fellow hobbyists as well. Really good deed on your behalf!
Awesome, thank you!
Thanks! This was brief, engaging, and informative.
😮🐟🐠 This video is very informative. Thank you for sharing your story and I wish you a full and speedy recovery when off the meds. 👍🐠🐟
Thank you so much!
Sorry that happened. Glad you caught it. Thank you for sharing the information.
you definitely earned my subscription! thanks for bringing awareness to a potential danger in the hobby. always you did a great job explaining and giving visuals. i look forward to seeing you pop up in my feed :)
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the encouragement!