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Question: Axolotl to Human Diseases

Jeremy

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Hello, this is an incredibly embarrassing question, but is it possible for my axolotl to give me a disease? I was cleaning my tank with my gavel vacuum and was sucking air in to get it started (I don't have one of those newfangled ones where you don't have to risk your health) and I accidentally got some in my mouth. I spat it out as quickly as I could and finished cleaning my tank, then rinsed my mouth out with mouthwash.

There was no poo in the tank, and I cleaned it pretty recently before this (Like 2-4 days, I can't remember). My axie is in a little quarantine tank (5 gallons, his usual tank is 20 gallons), which has a bare bottom, because he has a little spot of fungus on his gill (I think it's getting better, and regardless he is still eating and active).

Am I going to get stomach fungus or salmonella or something?

I'm new to this, I'm sorry to have to ask. Thanks for your time!
 

xxianxx

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Lol, many people on here get mouthfulls of tank water at some point, not many seem to die so I wouldn't be too worried. How ever this does not remove the slight possibility of exposure to salmonella and a few other bugs. Tb is also a risk from aquariums with fish in, not sure about axolotls. Either way chill out, doubt it will be the last time.
 

LSuzuki

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There is a trick to starting an "old fashioned" gravel cleaner without sucking on it. All it requires is enough room above the aquarium (and it is rare to not have enough room.)

Submerge the gravel cleaner. Tip it so the open end is pointing up. Lift it straight up above the edge of the tank so that the siphon starts. As soon as the siphon starts flowing, quickly submerge it straight down again. then, vacuum gravel as usual.

The only "gotcha" is you also need to hold onto the end of the tubing so it doesn't pop out of the bucket and spew water all over the floor. :happy:
 

manderkeeper

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I suppose anything is possible but zoonotic illness from Axolotl probably isn't a very big risk compared to say driving, eating fast food, smoking, forgetting to change batteries in smoke detectors, etc.
 

michael

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Unless you have a condition that suppresses your immune system I wouldn't worry. I would avoid doing it again. I once had an atypical pneumonia that made me question my syphoning techniques a little.
 

LoriML

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Another trick (if I can explain it right) is submerge the gravel cleaner, make sure the end is in the bucket or whatever, lift the tip of the cleaner up a little to release the air bubbles, point it back down again and quickly raise it and lower it, maybe 15 times or so, and that will start the siphon going.
 

AxolotlChris

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I use this siphon: EDGE Gravel Cleaner | 11057 | Maintenance | Fluval

'Fluval EDGE Gravel Cleaner is a convenient and effective tool for cleaning and maintaining a spotless aquarium. It features an easy-start valve that automatically begins siphoning with a simple up and down motion in the water. As you clean the aquarium, the gravel cleaner generates a continuous flow of water that effectively sucks up dirt and debris and returns clean gravel back to the bottom of the aquarium.

Dirty water is expelled into a bucket. The gravel cleaner comes with two cleaning attachments that allow precision cleaning: a gravel head for deep cleaning and a slim nozzle head for hard to reach areas. The precision heads are especially effective in planted and decorated aquariums. The gravel cleaner features an exclusive gravel guard that prevents gravel from clogging the tube.
'

Works great
 

NaterPotater

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I don't know if I have a totally different type of siphon or not, but it does NOT require human-powered sucking to get it started. haha. It's basically just a tube with a much wider portion on one side. I put the whole thing under water to get all the air out, plug the small side with my finger and then put it in a bucket, then when I release my finger the water starts flowing and it sucks the water out of the tank from the wide side still submerged in the tank. lol.
 
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