Can a sudden change in nitrate levels kill fish (or anything else)?

[LordJoshaeus]

Earlier today I could not find my new royal gramma and assumed they had somehow died. I went to an LFS today and was telling them about it, and they claimed that my 0ppm nitrate levels may have been the cause...that a sudden change in nitrate levels (from 5-15ppm to 0ppm) could kill fish. I have since found the fish alive and well, but I am still curious...could a sudden change in nitrate levels be lethal to fish or other organisms in our saltwater aquariums? I strongly doubt it, I just want your thoughts. Thanks

 

[NonstopSoda]

I've never heard of low nitrate harming fish before, VERY high levels of nitrates can kill fish but 5-15 ppm dropping would not do anything harmful your live stock. Low nitrates is only bad in-terms of coral. That LFS has no idea what they're talkin about!

 

[Lasse]

IMO - dropp in NO3 does not kill anything

Sincerely Lasse

 

[exnisstech]

It probably wasn't a rapid drop to 0 but either way I doubt it bothers fish. Hopefully it was just a worker and not the owner that told you that. If the owner I would look for a different lfs

EDIT : I have an sps tank that hits 0 quite often and fish don't care. I dose it back up 5ppm in one shot.

 

[dakoop]

Don't believe that would harm your fish

 

[brandon429]

the cause: skipping disease preps/easily fixed by instating them/ not nitrate. agreed.

 

[LordJoshaeus]

It probably wasn't a rapid drop to 0 but either way I doubt it bothers fish. Hopefully it was just a worker and not the owner that told you that. If the owner I would look for a different lfs

I got the royal gramma from a petco (not the lfs who told me this, which maintains nitrates from 5-15 ppm), so I do not know what the starting nitrate level was. The acclimation lasted about 15 minutes after I cut the bag open...it would have been longer, but the royal gramma was visibly stressed during acclimation and I decided to add it to my tank earlier. As of today my tank has 0ppm nitrates.

 

[LordJoshaeus]

the cause: skipping disease preps/easily fixed by instating them/ not nitrate. agreed.

Not completely sure what you are saying...could you elaborate a bit? I found my royal gramma alive and well after I got home today.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

Rapid drop facilitated by what out of interest?
Water change?
A drop wouldn't kill fish.

 

[LordJoshaeus]

Rapid drop facilitated by what out of interest?
Water change?
A drop wouldn't kill fish.

Acclimating from one tank to another. I honestly don't know if there was a difference in nitrate levels to begin with, the LFS just assumed there was. My nitrates are currently zero, though I intend to increase them by a few ppm when I go to add corals/macroalgae.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

Acclimating from one tank to another. I honestly don't know if there was a difference in nitrate levels to begin with, the LFS just assumed there was. My nitrates are currently zero, though I intend to increase them by a few ppm when I go to add corals/macroalgae.

Sorry, I posted before I read that part.
Will be fine.
My fish are currently in 0 nitrate & no issues

 

[Lasse]

Here is my NO3 variation for the last year- No fish death at all

Sincerely Lasse

 

[brandon429]

Biosecurity

A short introduction to aquarium biosecurity

www.reef2reef.com

That is the most likely cause of the fish loss if massive salinity shifts can be ruled out

That article describes how adding things from a pet shop can and routinely brings in disease

If you didn't take special measures to exclude disease with everything ever added to the tank (fallow and quarantine habits) then you'd assume the tank is disease loaded, that's how pet stores roll nowadays
= fish with disease that you have to undo is how they roll

 

[LordJoshaeus]

Biosecurity

A short introduction to aquarium biosecurity

www.reef2reef.com

That is the most likely cause of the fish loss if massive salinity shifts can be ruled out

That article describes how adding things from a pet shop can and routinely brings in disease

If you didn't take special measures to exclude disease with everything ever added to the tank (fallow and quarantine habits) then you'd assume the tank is disease loaded, that's how pet stores roll nowadays
= fish with disease that you have to undo is how they roll

Ahhhhhh...that makes much more sense. Thank you for elaborating Fortunately the fish is not actually dead...simply quite shy. Hopefully it starts coming out more.

 

[KrisReef]

Earlier today I could not find my new royal gramma and assumed they had somehow died. I went to an LFS today and was telling them about it, and they claimed that my 0ppm nitrate levels may have been the cause...that a sudden change in nitrate levels (from 5-15ppm to 0ppm) could kill fish. I have since found the fish alive and well, but I am still curious...could a sudden change in nitrate levels be lethal to fish or other organisms in our saltwater aquariums? I strongly doubt it, I just want your thoughts. Thanks

Yes, sudden changes in nitrate levels can be lethal. In this case the changes should kill your relationship with the LFS person(s) who claimed that improving water quality for fish could kill them. Did they try to sell you a replacement?