Broken Glass thermometer?!!!!!!!!

[mkovsa]

So I came home today with a broken thermometer and an Oscar whose mouth has wounds? I took action and took the broken thermometer out and did an 80 % water change. I examined the thermometer and the tiny silver balls were mostly gone and luckily the red alcohol did not leak into the water, but i could'nt find the broken piece of glass in the tank. I will follow up on water changes everyday 50% a day, and hopefully clean out my filters with tank water after a few water changes.

I bought the thermometer at Petsmart. Their product details for the thermometer said " does not contain mercury" but i wouldn't be so sure. Here is the link
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752255#prodTab1

also if I'm correct glass thermometers do contain wax that is different from the alcohol. I'm wondering if the wax does any harm to the fish?

 

[Oreo]

I wouldn't worry about the wax or alcohol since it's such a tiny amount anyway. If the reservoir broke or if it was mercury I might be a little more concerned. I think the glass would be the biggest issue but I can't imagine a fish swallowing that so as long as you can get it out of the tank & your fish isn't cut too bad I bet you'll be OK.

 

[Morledzep]

i've had a couple glass thermometers break.. peacock bass aren't very gentle when they are playing, neither are redtailed catfish. lol.

anyway.. we got all the glass that we could find out and as many of the little balls as we could. the second time we actually just took all of the substrate in the corner of the tank and backfilled the hole afterwards with the remaining substrate.

none of the fish is any worse for wear, but we don't have glass thermometers anymore.. we have plastic ones now. i only have to pick them up off the bottom of the tank and put them back on their suction cup.

 

[Arizonagrace]

Where do you find plastic thermometers?

 

[Morledzep]

Where do you find plastic thermometers?

i drive to a tiny little LFS in Fontana, CA to get them.. petsmart, and petco never seem to have them. when i make the drive (about 45 minutes from home) i buy all they have on the shelf.

i own 6 now.. i only need 5 more for the tanks i currently have running..