The Infection That Nearly Ended My Time In The Aquarium Hobby

[@User_yhvz]

You can probably breathe underwater now…

[@BaconCove]

Omg, you win. 524 comments (so far) and this is by far my favorite!

[@Dirkmez]

@@BaconCove Next is having the power to control things, like Mr. Nimbus in Rick and Morty.

[@DoctorDerpman]

Bro turned himself into a waterbender 💀

[@_c_y_p_3]

@@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.

[@BaconCove]

@@_c_y_p_3 That's a great idea -- I'll reach out to them. Thanks for the tip!

[@ianbaker4295]

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.

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@chrishayes5755]

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

[@tabicatt]

@@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.

[@deedorothypapineau6920]

Prednisone can lead to compression fractures of vertebrae when lifting even minor weights. My whole lumbar spine has been fractured.

[@pansepot1490]

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.

[@autumnisnothere]

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!

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@autumnisnothere]

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?! 😉

[@BaconCove]

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!!

[@autumnisnothere]

@@BaconCove Thank you!

[@Temulon]

@@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?

[@TenorCantusFirmus]

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.

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@72marshflower15]

@@BaconCove well.. he had a mother..

[@CircussCake]

@@72marshflower15 Please stop.

[@bricaaron3978]

@@72marshflower15 That has been established, I believe.

[@matts-7566]

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?

[@ExTRAErrestrial_Travels]

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.

[@BaconCove]

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?

[@ExTRAErrestrial_Travels]

@@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.

[@a_lethe_ion]

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

[@sir9integra9jr]

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?

[@rp3741]

Would this be a risk in aquatic turtle tanks too?

[@videolover2003]

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!

[@0shaade0]

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.

[@WobblesandBean]

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!"

[@RICDirector]

Just dont blow it up to get to the bits you want to see....Oregon DOT learned that lesson the hard way...lol

[@brigidlambie6147]

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.

[@BaconCove]

Thanks so much for posting that Brigid -- really thoughtful. I assume you work at a pet store?

[@BeagleRescuer13]

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.

[@ModernInka]

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

[@Soandsoguy]

There's a name for infectious agents that are from animals. Zoonoses pronounced like zo-noses.

[@ModernInka]

@@Soandsoguy I had No idea but I suppose it makes sense it would have its own name, thank you for the knowledge!!

[@delsere7095]

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.

[@BaconCove]

Wow, thanks -- I really appreciate the compliment!

[@colbyprince9409]

I wish there was an intro, some music, and 18 minutes of him talking

[@nicknelson9450]

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,...)

[@colinashby3775]

No music needed. It’s not a music video

[@nicknelson9450]

@@colinashby3775 "No music needed. It’s not a music video" woosh

[@kathleenkaufmann1265]

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.

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@allyt6967]

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.

[@dammitanothername]

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.

[@tungsten2009]

My fish personally have the tuberculosis species so no touching the water!

[@Reefkpr1]

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. 👍

[@BaconCove]

You've got a GORGEOUS channel -- subscribed! Thanks for the comment friend.

[@Kw1tsel]

Thats crazy, I heard about it before I even got into the hobby.

[@DKNguyen3.1415]

@@Kw1tsel And as a result, you will never get it because that's the irony of useful useless knowledge.

[@dw3403]

wear gloves.

[@victoriocodotto7257]

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.

[@BaconCove]

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?"

[@garywheeler7039]

Probably a good practice to wash hands after handling diseased or dead fish also. Or even wearing rubber gloves properly.

[@MatthewTaylor-yz4dn]

Literally

[@mapiasal]

yeah its present everywhere really

[@Strongerthandirt8695]

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!

[@christerpedersen8920]

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.

[@BaconCove]

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.

[@christerpedersen8920]

@@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😅

[@cherylm2C6671]

Thank you for your comment.

[@primesspct2]

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"

[@chrissy24-7]

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!

[@BaconCove]

Hey, thanks! Good luck and be careful!

[@firstnamekaty8830]

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.

[@amandabyrd9349]

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. 😬

[@jessieschnell9919]

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!

[@theophany1770]

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

[@bricaaron3978]

@@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.

[@DaTimmeh]

​@@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.

[@oxapollyon9914]

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!

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@wbass243]

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.

[@SummerEaze]

What were the signs & symptoms for you?

[@precise3291]

Doing some serious research myself about a month ago and I discovered this too. I almost wanted to get rid of my aquarium.

[@Salty_JollyRoger]

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

[@RMacca]

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 ❤

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@hatindrama]

Great video with accurate title and you did it in 4 minutes. No clickbait, no BS. Just straight to the point. Stay safe!

[@BaconCove]

Wow, thanks so much. I really appreciate that compliment! I hope I can keep making videos that people enjoy and learn from.

[@amarug]

Insane that that surgeon even thought of it. Like a real life House MD. Hope your hand heals perfectly!

[@anga9495]

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

[@reeferkenneth8657]

wow, thanks for sharing.

[@anga9495]

@@reeferkenneth8657 my pleasure. Not one I usually talk about. Lol

[@ph4tboy]

Hey, a month ago the exact same thing happened to me. Poked myself in the finger when squashing a bag of shrimp in the freezer to close the door. Frozen shrimp tails are as sharp as needles! Went straight into my finger. Had a couple weeks antibiotics. Can I ask how did they know it was this bacteria for you? Did they take a sample and grew it? Or did you have nodules? I haven't had any yet.

[@jlato12]

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!

[@jordanlee2837]

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!

[@DaTimmeh]

90....THOUSAND flashcards?!?!? I ain't religious, but Lord have mercy on your soul, god damn. Best of luck with studying.

[@Rudy32225]

Listen to the patient and he will tell you the disease...Sir William Osler. Never bypass starting with a good history, medical and social.

[@NBurgReef]

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.

[@BaconCove]

Thank you so much sir! Your channel is beautiful -- subscribed! It's been fun learning about amazing channels like yours through this process!

[@NBurgReef]

@@BaconCove - Thanks for the kind words. Subbed to you as well.

[@morganbenthem9600]

Glad that surgeon caught it! And good for you raising awareness on this!

[@GregoryRichardstheman]

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!

[@AK-jt9gx]

Thank you for alerting me to the risk honey

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@lemonlizard1]

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!

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@alik82am]

Glad it ended well. Wishing you fast recovery.

[@BaconCove]

Thanks so much. I love my physical therapist but hate the therapy itself -- can't wait until I don't need it any more!

[@noodles_GA]

Man, that gorgonian is beautiful. Glad you found out what was causing the issue, but hate that it required surgery. Recover well!

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@ChristopherT1]

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.

[@BaconCove]

Thanks for commenting! I'm really glad people find it interesting and informative. Hopefully will help people know what to look for.

[@Hyperfocusedhobbyist]

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.

[@coralfish12g]

Ahhh this reminds me of the good ole days!! Love the video man reach out if you ever need any help :) 🤙

[@BaconCove]

[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!!

[@coralfish12g]

@@BaconCove Shoot me an email! I have a cool opportunity for you! [e-mail]

[@RepentfollowJesus]

That is so kind of you ! 😊❤ I subscribed because of it.

[@genesis-ii]

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.

[@BaconCove]

Thanks! You a freshwater or saltwater fan?

[@genesis-ii]

@@BaconCove im a freshwater fan. Thinking on switching to salt eventually

[@BaconCove]

@@genesis-ii I find with this hobby it's a fine line between "hobby" and "obsession". Once you start you may never stop!

[@AyStar]

Had no idea such a mysterious condition could develop by working with an aquarium. Glad you recovered!

[@FrederickDunn]

This is an interesting topic and video. I'm glad you finally got it under control. One thing I wish you'd mentioned is how to avoid infection in the first place. For example, would a thorough washing of your hands/arms after working in your tank have prevented infection? Should you wear long rubber gloves when putting your hands into tanks that are failing? Prevention would be something that will be valuable to most viewers like myself. Thanks and I gave it a thumbs up for sure! When you see how many micro organisms are in an aquarium, it's worth washing immediately after having your arms in the water.

[@BaconCove]

Very good points. And you're completely correct -- long sturdy gloves and thorough handwashing are the best methods for protection. Thanks for the comment!

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you so much for responding :) @@BaconCove

[@gnomoblu8015]

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

[@bevncliff]

Thank you so much for sharing. Being in the Hobby, it is vital to gain this knowledge.🙏

[@BaconCove]

Absolutely -- glad you found it useful. I've got more tidbits like this in the pipeline!

[@76honda76]

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

[@BaconCove]

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.

[@kelly-bo-belly]

@@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?

[@kharnifex]

Live rock, all kinds of things come in with it. I even had freshwater ones that came with plants

[@allieemarriieeee]

Oh my.. thank you for sharing your experience! I’m so sorry this happened to you ❤

[@BaconCove]

Thanks -- I appreciate that. Everyone has been so kind!

[@atheisticgreyblob3284]

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.

[@ryanjofre]

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🙏🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@lyshi87]

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!

[@BaconCove]

M. abscessus, huh? I actually haven't heard of that one. I wonder how many there are... Thanks for leaving a comment friend!

[@artistic_spaz3724]

Never heard of this. Thanks for sharing!

[@lastdays7855]

Sounds like you may have had an open wound to start with. Thanks for sharing and glad you’re doing a lot better. ❤

[@BaconCove]

I probably did have some small scratch or something -- that's how it gets transmitted. Thanks for the comment!

[@jimmckeand4610]

Maybe try wearing gloves when handling foreign germs

[@maxwellblackwell5045]

Thank you for the concise safety announcement.

[@jessical.7750]

Thank you for taking the time to inform us! Knowledge is power. I'm glad the outcome was good for you in the end!

[@BaconCove]

Thank you so much! I appreciated the kindness and support!

[@mofomoco]

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.

[@otallono]

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

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@stefanostokatlidis4861]

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.

[@chicagorc3967]

crazy! Im glad your ok and thank you for showing people this! Had a tank my whole life and never heard of this!

[@BaconCove]

Right? That's exactly why I wanted to make the video. Thanks for the encouragement!

[@RampartPh]

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.

[@BaconCove]

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...

[@nickh5049]

Buy aquarium gloves.

[@jaynedavis3388]

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

[@louiel8711]

Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery.

[@hjsin3693]

Thanks for sharing it with the community! Happy that you are doing well now :)

[@BaconCove]

Thanks so much -- only six months of antibiotics to go!

[@4loveoffish]

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 ?

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@aeromoe]

So by limb immersion in the tank water then through an open wound?

[@kennethedmond]

@@aeromoe Through direct contact with a contaminated surface when I had a break in the skin.

[@aeromoe]

@@kennethedmond Thanks for the additional info...glad you're on the mend.

[@tristanwegner]

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.

[@JW-dc8hk]

Glad that you discovered what it was and were treated successfully. What a crazy infection 🤯

[@craigcraigster5605]

Last summer I was fishing for bass and when I was getting the hook out of one I caught, I was stuck by the spine in the palm of my hand. I cleaned the wound but I could see some debris still under my skin. A couple days later I suddenly had extreme chest pains and about five hours later got a fever. I recovered the next day but thought it must have had something to do with the spine from the bass. Lesson learned as I'm sure of the cause now. Very minor thing that could have ended up getting much worse. Very happy that you recovered from your aquarium incident 😁

[@MW-ut3dk]

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 🤦🏻

[@BaconCove]

The one that always stuck for me was vibrio vulnificus -- "tell your patients not to eat oysters if they have liver disease"

[@MW-ut3dk]

@@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?

[@Smiithrz]

Curious if you wear gloves seen as you knew about it (and other nasty things in a tank)?

[@MW-ut3dk]

@@SmiithrzIf 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.

[@mikebevan1034]

What happens if you don't get a timely diagnosis with this?

[@ChalcoAPRN]

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.

[@BaconCove]

So happy to help, and I really appreciate all the kind comments! Thanks for the encouragement.

[@Smiithrz]

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?

[@BaconCove]

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.

[@Arborpress]

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.

[@christkallimanis4621]

I got very ill from brown zoanthids . No joke. Now I’ll always use shoulder high rubber gloves anytime I need to get into the tank. Amazon sells them. Never bare skin! I’m glad you recovered.

[@heatheranne9305]

Thank you for sharing your story and helping to prevent suffering in others.

[@Kw1tsel]

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

[@BaconCove]

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!

[@Kw1tsel]

@@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 🤣

[@stefanostokatlidis4861]

So, is an aquarium effectively a self-contained fetid swamp?

[@sher_3771]

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!

[@MrBrettrx7]

A doctor so knowledgeable is even more rare than the infection

[@rickershomesteadahobbyfarm3291]

I have a fresh water tank. I always check for cuts or sores on my hands and arms before putting them in the water. If there’s anything, I will avoid touching the water. Then I sanitize my arms and hands really well before washing them very well. I want to avoid any weird diseases or infections.

[@manong4328]

So glad you have recovered from this infection. Had fish tanks since a very young age. I’m 62 and still have one. I just love it. Never heard of that rare infection. That doctor who find it 👍. Thanks for sharing 🐠. Stay safe.

[@BaconCove]

Thanks. I had a follow up with my surgeon recently and I told him about this video and all the praise for him in the comments. I hope he gets a chance to read some of them!

[@dianewarde6074]

So terribly sorry you are going through that. However, many thanks for disseminating the information. I truly hope your issues resolve well.

[@BaconCove]

Such kind words -- thanks so much! I appreciate the support.

[@newrivertroll1553]

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. 😎👍

[@Ryvucz]

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.

[@CarnivorousCowMan]

Thanks! This was brief, engaging, and informative.

[@sleepygothboy44]

Said a lil prayer for you I'm sorry man I'm proud of you for educating people on the infection though id genuinely never heard of it. You've got this 💪

[@sarahk4047]

I’m so glad you’re alive to tell this incredible story❤🇦🇺

[@Revitandgo]

I’m not in the aquarium keeping hobby, but this is very fascinating and informative. Thank you

[@gratefulfishingtv]

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 🙏🏿

[@Funnyfish66]

Wow. Good doctor you had! I'm glad you're doing okay.

[@zalphinian]

Thanks for sharing the signs! Important to be aware of them just in case.

[@RandyHedington]

My son and I have saltwater tanks. Thanks for sharing. I hope we never need the information but great to know it exists.

[@kim.4100]

Wow. Thank you for sharing your experience. Praise to the doctor who asked.

[@The-three-eyed-Prophet]

you are so lucky that this doctore knew about this problem and even considerd it !!! ...

[@hoofarted8709]

Its people like you that help the world...just a simple story of what you experienced will do wonders for others:)

[@VolcanixAquatix]

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.

[@Suszoo]

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. 😮

[@jamesandmike2ndhandsales449]

😮🐟🐠 This video is very informative. Thank you for sharing your story and I wish you a full and speedy recovery when off the meds. 👍🐠🐟

[@BaconCove]

Thank you so much!

[@flygande_ren]

Great PSA! Glad you're feeling better. Always tell your doctor what kinds of animals you have at home. - veterinarian

[@stankyank]

I always check for cuts or scrapes before placing my hand in the aquarium, glad you were able to recover!

[@ebutuoy6463]

Thanks for the heads-up. Anytime you are taught something that can cause a devastating disease you've learned something good. Mycobacterium infections are difficult to treat because the bacteria don't have the cell wall that are the target of most common antibiotics.

[@rosignol916]

thank you for the PSA, heres wishing you a speedy recovery and a happy new year

[@genevievesmith3562]

So sorry for your pain & suffering. God be with you always.

[@abcha0s]

Thank you. It's rare but still important that people know about this.

[@kimmieh8419]

This is wonderful that you did this video. Even though it's rare, it still happens and it could happen to one of the people who see this and it'll save them so much pain and suffering. With how it started to where it ended is so unrelated, that it makes sense not many people would connect the two. Kudos to your orthopedic surgeon! You're right in calling him 'really excellent'. I'm sorry you had to go through the surgery and the many months of antibiotics. That in itself is scary because you don't want to become immune to them. I hope you're feeling better and get through this course of antibiotics without a hitch. 👍 BTW, your fish and tanks are beautiful! New subscriber here.😊

[@BaconCove]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your thoughtful comment.

[@kimmieh8419]

@@BaconCove You are so welcome! 🤗

[@michellehathorus3324]

So sorry this happened to you. Thank you for raising awareness

[@dawnmaclellan7831]

That was one of the best and most informative KZbin videos I’ve ever seen! Simple, clear and informative without the drama

[@BaconCove]

Wow, that is such a compliment!! I really appreciate the encouragement. Hopefully more interesting content to come!

[@braviafeed]

I have been researching the hobby for a few months and was preparing to start making purchases towards building my aquarium set up. Thanks for this video. I will be spending my money on another hobby.

[@JTBoehm-nl6wh]

That’s bad news. I caught an infection of “Myco” after get a nasty coral cut in Polynesia. Parts of my body stared getting itchy and inflamed pretty quickly, especially my the tops of my forearms (I only remember that now because I can remember itching them, so maybe it’s confirmation bias). Fortunately being in the Indo pacific where it was common I started anti biopics almost immediately (within 3 days I think) so my symptoms never got anywhere close to what you experienced. I’m glad your recovering. Good that you are spreading awareness as well. There are a lot of toxins in our reef tanks so stay vigilant.

[@RoccosVideos]

I’m sorry you went through all this. I’m glad you’re doing better. Thanks for educating us.

[@BaconCove]

Thank you for saying that -- and thanks for watching and commenting. It's so rewarding knowing that people are learning from these videos!

[@craigversheck7835]

Very cool to know about, thanks for the info. Glad your doing well. I'm surprised you had never mentioned to any doctor that you constantly have your hands in aquariums. Maybe a good thing for everyone else to know is mention they are in the hobby or professional when seeing doctors. Again, glad your doing well, that's a crazy surgery to go through. Reminds me of getting cellulitis, but worse!

[@dorothyharrison2765]

I've only been doing this for a year. Thank you for the info. I'm glad they found it. Love your tank! It is beautiful!

[@HogTime]

Holy cow how scary!!! I had no idea you could get this from a fish tank, im so glad you caught it and were able to get treatment

[@BaconCove]

Thanks so much. I'm grateful too. Thanks for commenting!

[@aeromoe]

But not literally glad he 'caught it' (caught the infection in the first place)

[@Danihelus]

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing! I'm in medical school and I've very briefly heard about this disease.

[@BallBusta]

That's crazy your orthopedic surgeon caught that with how rare it is. I'm glad they caught it before the had to amputate!

[@SapphosSails]

Thanks for helping spread the word!