Do mercury thermometers last longer than other thermometers?

Is there mercury in water thermometers?

• I cycled my tank (4 weeks) and i was thinking about getting fish soon. I was getting my magnetic alge cleaners in place when they connect they shattered my thermometer. :( Its a normal thermometer. 2$ at Walmart. Do they put mercury in thermometers these days? I cleaned out all the glass, will this accident harm my fish?

• Answer:

  aquarium thermometers with the moving red indicator line is usually made with coloured alcohol, and not mercury. Mercury is a silver-coloured liquid. However, both are equally harmful to fish, so you should clean out your tank. Worst thing that can happen is if you have gravel and the mercury sticks to it. In cases like this, people basically change the gravel and restart the tank.