Changing Your Fish Tank Can Get You Really Sick

I always have a to-do list running in my head. As I sit here in my recliner at home after a long workday my fish is staring me down. In between bubbles he is mouthing the words “clean my bowl lady” but I just learned something about my “innocent” pet fish that is giving me pause. Changing your fish tank can make you really sick.

Meet our pet fish, Sushi. We’ve had him for two years and I mindlessly clean his bowl on a regular basis but I never knew I was risking my health. Did you know that these little suckers can give you Myobacterium Marinum? Yep, it is as bad as it sounds.

Photo credit: Fia Marinelli

I have to confess, I've been so busy that this guy is way overdue for a water change. The problem is, I don't have any plastic gloves and after what I learned, it is not worth risking it until I do. It turns out that you HAVE to use water-tight gloves before you touch this grossness or else...

Myobacterium Marinum is found in tanks and bowls and can be spread to humans when cleaning them. I’ll try to be delicate here, you catch it from touching their poop.

If you do contract Myobacterium Marinum, you will get red bumps and sores on your hands, fingers and up your arm. You’ll get a fever and feel fatigued as well. Ewww. I never knew this was looming but now that I do I wanted to pass it along.

These problems come from pets that are allowed, can you imagine what problems from from animals that are banned? These are animals banned in each state.

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

These exotic animals are legal to own.