Re: Serious question about E. coli

["Bolton Museum, Art Gallery & Aquarium" <bolnathist@gn.apc.org>]

As far as the health of your fish is concerned there are nastier 
things in most tapwater than coliform bacteria. Fish in farm ponds 
must encounter heavy concentrations of such bacteria.
As far as your own health is concerned obviously you would need 
to take precautions.
It is easy enough to syphon water from a tank without ever having 
to put your mouth to the tube. Simply fill the tubing from the tap 
and keep your thumbs over each end until one end is in the water 
and the other is lowered to the receptacle.
Follow sensible hygiene routines after working on your aquaria.
I have heard of cases of Salmonella associated with shipments of  
fish from the tropics where the aquarium water was suspected to 
be the source of infection.
Don't allow anything like this to compromise the well-being of your 
fish though.
Under normal conditions I believe a mouthful of tank water a day is 
one of the great elixirs of life and should be relished (don't take me 
seriously on this I can't afford to be sued!).

Pete Liptrot
Bolton Museum Aquarium
Le Mans Crescent, Bolton BL1 1SE
01204 332200


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