Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)
Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
Of concern.
- JohnH (John)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Administrator
-
- Posts: 6067
- Thank you received: 857
www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.p..._TB&utm_content=html
John
Location:
N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
ITFS member.
It's a long way to Tipperary.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- igmillichip (ian millichip)
-
- Offline
- Moderator
-
- Posts: 3366
- Thank you received: 536
There's a few other, and potentially more hazardous, bacteria within a fish tank as well.
Even though I still siphon by mouth (not all tanks though), I do sometimes wear surgical gloves (it's just a habit).
ian
Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JohnH (John)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Administrator
-
- Posts: 6067
- Thank you received: 857
...and some people still mouth siphon.
There's a few other, and potentially more hazardous, bacteria within a fish tank as well.
Even though I still siphon by mouth (not all tanks though), I do sometimes wear surgical gloves (it's just a habit).
ian
...for syphoning?...
;o)
John
Location:
N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
ITFS member.
It's a long way to Tipperary.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- igmillichip (ian millichip)
-
- Offline
- Moderator
-
- Posts: 3366
- Thank you received: 536
...and some people still mouth siphon.
There's a few other, and potentially more hazardous, bacteria within a fish tank as well.
Even though I still siphon by mouth (not all tanks though), I do sometimes wear surgical gloves (it's just a habit).
ian
...for syphoning?...
;o)
John
That as well.

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JustinK (Justin Kelly)
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 519
- Thank you received: 70
The water will syphon if you stop just as it comes over the edge of the tank as gravity will pull it down, therefore no water in the mouth.
Being a plumber I tend to have cuts or broken skin on my hands regularly, so I try not to put my hand in then.
Does anyone have gloves that would go nearly up to your armpits for deep tanks ?
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JustinK (Justin Kelly)
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 519
- Thank you received: 70
If it entered tru a cut then would it be in her blood or just spreading tru the tissue ?
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- igmillichip (ian millichip)
-
- Offline
- Moderator
-
- Posts: 3366
- Thank you received: 536
These bugs are pretty tough cookies......so, like leprosy or TB (caused by similar bacteria), you don't really want to be infected as they can be tough to get rid off (as far as I know...but my hands-on knowledge on these is now pretty old).
ian
Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JohnH (John)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Administrator
-
- Posts: 6067
- Thank you received: 857
I find that shaking a syphoning tube in the tank to get it started is distressing for the fish. Its enough for them just having the tube moved around the tank and myself so close.
The water will syphon if you stop just as it comes over the edge of the tank as gravity will pull it down, therefore no water in the mouth.
Being a plumber I tend to have cuts or broken skin on my hands regularly, so I try not to put my hand in then.
Does anyone have gloves that would go nearly up to your armpits for deep tanks ?
Justin,
I cannot remember where I saw them but someone was selling elbow-length (but not shoulder-length) rubber gloves for fishkeeper-use.
If I think of it tomorrow I'll go a'searching.
John
Just thinking on from this, they must be available since vets use them to help with calving.
Location:
N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
ITFS member.
It's a long way to Tipperary.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- igmillichip (ian millichip)
-
- Offline
- Moderator
-
- Posts: 3366
- Thank you received: 536
Here is a useful link on fish zoonoses..... I tried find a good one that was not too scientific....
iacuc.al.umces.edu/resources/fish.pdf
ian
Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JustinK (Justin Kelly)
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 519
- Thank you received: 70

Please Log in to join the conversation.
- stretnik (stretnik)
-
- Visitor
-
Kev.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- igmillichip (ian millichip)
-
- Offline
- Moderator
-
- Posts: 3366
- Thank you received: 536
God help the poor Sod that is allergic to Latex !!
Kev.
important point.
Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Adalantai (Eugene Kent)
-
- Offline
- New Member
-
- Posts: 7
- Thank you received: 0
My other half works in the hygiene industry and says he can source these gloves that go elbow and full arm, they are nitrile so less chance of allergy.I will try out a pair first and see if they good and can pass on details of supplier to anyone who wants them
On the point of siphoning i fill the siphon with water before i put it into tank which means the suction has already in place and once i uncover tube the flow starts. The water in siphon flows out first so dont need to worry about unconditioned tap water entering tank.
Eugene
What if our fears and dreams existed in same place?
What if to get to Heaven you had to brave Hell?
What if everything you ever wanted cost you everything you ever achieved?
Would you still go there?
No Fear
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- funkychic (trish coughlan)
-
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 195
- Thank you received: 5
Please Log in to join the conversation.