Can a dead fish cause a phosphate spike?

[EricTheRed]

I haven't seen a 5" wrasse for a week and my phosphates have spiked significantly. They were 0.03 last month and are now at a whopping 0.38.
It's a 90G and my feeding regimen hasn't changed in years (same food...same quantity) and nothing new, like rock, has been added to the tank. Could a rotting fish (presumably pulled under rockscape by cuc) be to blame?

Also, nitrates went from about 3ppm to 20ppm in the last month...

 

[dwest]

I would think so. Sorry about the wrasse.

 

[EricTheRed]

I would think so. Sorry about the wrasse.

Thanks..he was a good fish, had him for years ;(

 

[HuduVudu]

I haven't seen a 5" wrasse for a week and my phosphates have spiked significantly. They were 0.03 last month and are now at a whopping 0.38.
It's a 90G and my feeding regimen hasn't changed in years (same food...same quantity) and nothing new, like rock, has been added to the tank. Could a rotting fish (presumably pulled under rockscape by cuc) be to blame?

Also, nitrates went from about 3ppm to 20ppm in the last month...

Yes.