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Ammonia in Your Fish Tank

Ammonia in Your Fish Tank

Updated on February 03, 2023
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Reviewed by Don Spaeth
Petco’s National Aquatic Care, Education and Programs Manager

Where does Ammonia come from?| The Dangers of Elevated Ammonia| Removing Ammonia from your Aquarium| Recommended Products

aquarium with plants & fish

You do not need to be a chemist to set up an aquarium, but there are a few items that you will want to familiarize yourself with, a critical one being ammonia (NH3). Ammonia is the most toxic nitrogenous waste product in an aquarium which can cause stress and possible death to aquatic life if not addressed.

Where does Ammonia come from?

There are several ways ammonia can enter your aquarium, fish gills being one of the largest contributors of ammonia to a tank. Overstocking or adding too many fish at once to a new aquarium that has not gone through the nitrogen cycle can increase ammonia levels that the tank is unable or ready to accommodate.  Ammonia also enters the aquarium through the decomposition of uneaten food, fish waste and plant matter. Overfeeding can lead to large buildups of ammonia if left to accumulate. Water treatment facilities may utilize chloramine, a chemical that bonds chlorine to ammonia, as a disinfectant to make water safe to drink. Therefore, if untreated, tap water can contribute to ammonia entering the aquarium.  

After setting up an aquarium your tank will go through a biological filtration process called the nitrogen cycle. This process is where beneficial bacteria establish themselves by feeding off waste and byproducts within the aquarium, converting it into less harmful byproducts. If a rapid change in water chemistry happens, like an aquarium filter failure or addition of medications, bacteria colonies can be disrupted or destroyed causing harmful ammonia to become elevated, often referred to as ammonia poisoning.

The Dangers of Elevated Ammonia

Elevated ammonia is so dangerous because it has a direct impact to your finny friends’ blood and gills.  Fish will try to combat ammonia burn by producing additional mucus. This extra buildup of mucus can cover the gills, reducing their ability to absorb oxygen. Ammonia also has a direct effect of concentration of hemoglobin in fish. Hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen from the gills to their body tissue.

Because ammonia can build quickly or over the course of a couple days, ammonia poisoning may not be noticed immediately. The gills of fish are their most sensitive area and fish breathing heavily, or gasping, at the top or bottom of the aquarium is a good indicator there may be an issue with elevated ammonia levels. A bright red or purplish coloration may also occur. As the effects of ammonia buildup continues, your fish will become lethargic, settle to the bottom of the aquarium, and refuse to eat. As a fish’s natural immune response is to produce mucus, you may notice discoloration and a grey like appearance. 

Removing Ammonia from your Aquarium

If your aquarium is suffering from ammonia poisoning, you should complete a 50% water change. Do not forget to utilize a dechlorinator if using tap water and ensure the temperature is the same or within one degree of your aquarium water.  This will provide your aquatic life some relief, but you may need to complete small daily water changes, keeping the ammonia at a safe level until the biological filtration is established. Stop feeding- at this point, if your fish are not eating, any food added to the tank is just contributing to the buildup of ammonia. Additionally, there are liquid ammonia neutralizing products that will assist with detoxifying ammonia. In freshwater, zeolite crystals can also be utilized to absorb ammonia.  

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Prevention is one of the best ways to avoid your aquatic life and tank succumbing to ammonia poisoning. Routinely testing your aquarium water, at least twice a month, will help detect potential concerns early. Control feedings, ensuring you are feeding the fish and not the aquarium. Refrain from adding too many fish to your aquarium at one time, this is especially critical for newly started aquariums since bacteria needs time to grow and take on the additional bioload. 

Recommended Products for Ammonia Testing and Detoxification

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