What's The Problem: Low 02 or High C02?

[sundog101]

Well I had a tank crash today :(. My office tank lost power in the night during a storm. I lost 3 out of 5 fish. Luckily my pair of clownfish survived.

So the problem is lack of gas exchange. You always hear that depleted 02 levels are what causes fish deaths. I got to thinking though could the high CO2 levels kill fish before the lack of oxygen?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Aw crumb. I'm so sorry to hear.

No. They need oxygen. IMO.
Also the bacteria are taking up oxygen as well as other organisims.
Both the fish and other organisims as well as food and poo decomposing are also producing ammonia.

 

[sundog101]

Ah. The reason I ask is because when I got there, the clowns were of course breathing very rapidly, almost gasping. Now the random fact that I remember from my college biology classes is that gasping and the feeling of "I need to breath" are triggered by elevated C02 in the blood...not low 02 (at least according to the instructor). Also I've seen in decompression chambers where pilots are artificially brought up to high altitudes (like 20,000 ft+), nobody is gasping for air, they just start to feel the effects hypoxia.

I guess it really doesn't matter, but I was wondering if C02 could get too high before 02 got too low. Unfortunately...the fish are dead either way though.

 

[sundog101]

And yea I agree that low 02 is probably the cause of death.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yea, would have to really talk to fish folks. But it likely a bit if both. O2 used co2 increased.

And, still a total bummer.