# Can carbon kill your fish??



## shaft (Jul 2, 2004)

My 3" peacock bass just died like 2 minutes ago. I noticed since yesterday that it had been taking very quick short breaths and that it had started to lose some of its color.

About 5 minutes ago it started swimming erracticly and soon after died. When I took it out to examine it, I noticed that there was a small piece of carbon (from my filter) that was stuck down it's throat.

Does that mean that if your fish accidentally swollow bits of carbon that they will croak. Geez, now I want to take out the carbon in all my filters. Anyone else experience this? Thanks in advance for your insight.


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## delta (Jul 23, 2004)

never heard of that i doubt its related but ya never know


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## MR.FREEZ (Jan 26, 2004)

does any thing else look chewed??

what kind of substate do you have??

what was his diet??

did your tank have plenty of airation??


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## shaft (Jul 2, 2004)

I actually only had him for like a week and I fed him 2 guppies and some cichild pellets. His tankmates were another peacock, 2 ghost knives and a leopard pleco. I have tahitian moon black sand. I'm pretty sure there is plenty of airation because the other fish are fine and so was he for the first 4 days.

I actually did notice a piece of carbon floating in the water when i replaced the filter cartridge. I didn't think it would be a problem until it was swollowed. The carbon was stuck to the peacock's gills, and i think it obstructed it's breathing. I just don't why it wasn't able to spit it out.


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

shaft said:


> *I actually did notice a piece of carbon floating in the water when i replaced the filter cartridge.* I didn't think it would be a problem until it was swollowed. The carbon was stuck to the peacock's gills, and i think it obstructed it's breathing. I just don't why it wasn't able to spit it out.


Wow, did you wash the carbon before putting it in your filter? The carbon dust can cause problems if it is not removed.


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## ysberg (Jan 11, 2004)

shaft said:


> I noticed that there was a small piece of carbon (from my filter) that was stuck down it's throat.


 It has nothing to do with carbon, every sort of material would have killed him if it's stocked in his throat.


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## shaft (Jul 2, 2004)

smithgrind_who said:


> shaft said:
> 
> 
> > *I actually did notice a piece of carbon floating in the water when i replaced the filter cartridge.* I didn't think it would be a problem until it was swollowed. The carbon was stuck to the peacock's gills, and i think it obstructed it's breathing. I just don't why it wasn't able to spit it out.
> ...


 Yup, I rinsed the cartridge before I put it in. I guess a piece came out when I was putting the cartridge in the slot.


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## shaft (Jul 2, 2004)

ysberg said:


> shaft said:
> 
> 
> > I noticed that there was a small piece of carbon (from my filter) that was stuck down it's throat.
> ...


 Yeah, that's true. Now if any of my fish look like they're having trouble breathing, I'm taking them out and checking down their throats. Don't want to have to lose another fish for a dumb reason.


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## zygapophysis (Jul 16, 2004)

yeah anything stuck in his throat would kill him, he propaly lost the color from stress, and freaked out caus he was dying, sorry for your loss


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