what happens if a fish eats carbon?

[jacblades]

im assuming they would spit it out and not actually ingest it, but what would happen if they did?

i have a corner filter with a layer of carbon and a layer of filter wool. the carbon wont stay beneath the wool and keeps coming out of the top im afraid my fish are going to eat it. (they are blind cave tetras)

i guess all i can do is take the filter out?

 

[OrionGirl]

They likely won't eat it. If they eat a small portion, well, in the same way that a child who swallows a penny, it will come out--just not very comfortable.

 

[TonyN]

Well, I doubt if your fish are going to eat the charcoal. To a fish, the charcoal would be the same as the gravel we use, and they dont eat that, so I dont think you would have to worry about it.
And being blind wouldnt matter - if a fish picks up something inedable they'll just spit it out.

 

[jacblades]

so can i leave the filter in even with the few stray pieces of carbon coming out?

 

[OrionGirl]

Yep. Won't matter a bit--and the fish wouldn't be harmed even if they did pick any up.

 

[Captain Hook]

Why not just put the carbon in an old stocking or something? Or wrap the carbon in floss.

 

[jacblades]

once again, the obvious answer escaped me...
thanks.

 

[ChicoRaton]

The fish would have clean, odorless fish poop.

 

[SuttonElsie]

I actually had a fish die an hour ago. I am 90% sure that is why. I had a media bag that came loose and sunk. Carbon floated out and it began eating the smaller pieces as I was trying to get them out. Now he is dead. Water test the same as my other 5 tanks and those fish are all alive and well, but carbon free. So I say yes it can be harmful... :-(

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Almost every filter maker offers a media bag good for carbon and other things. One can also buy generic media bags. And for the gals, old stockings will work.

Pretty much all fish are pigs. In the wild finding food is not always a regular (daily) thing. So most fish will pig out given the chance.

One of the funniest things to observe in a tank with fish is when a scrap of something, usually a piece of dead plant matter is floating in the water. The first fish spots it and grabs it in it's mouth only to spit it out. The nearest fish who witnesses this immediately makes a beeline for the scrap and grabs. it too spit it out. Now the third fish having watched fish #1 and #2 spit it out still grabs it, and it too spits it. I have literally watched a dozen or more more fish do this one after another.

I believe most fish have only a few thoughts:
1. Can it eat me?
2. Can I eat it?
3. Can I spawn with it?
4. Does the shadow approaching have food?

As you can see, 75% involves food. So I can believe fish might eat carbon given the chance.