Are snails dangerous?

Tomtom

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I set up a 4ft tank about 3 weeks ago, added some plants after a couple of days and about 12 fish a week later.

2 x platties
4 x Neon Tetras
4 x Guppies

I work away from home and since I have been away, I have lost about half of the fish. My wife says that the tank now has snails living in it.
Did these snails come with the plants and will they have anything to do with the lost fish?
She has taken a water sample to the shop and they say that it is fine apart from the PH being a little high (upper 7s).
Im sorry if this all sounds a bit vague, but as I am at work, I can only relay what my wife has told me.
 
I don't belive they cause any problems. They just eat some type of algae I believe. If you don't like them I know Clown Loaches eat them.
 
did the LFS test your ammonia levels? That could have killed the fish - and if you added all your fish at once, it's likely that would be the cause.... Don't know anything about snails... ;)

Hope you get some answers...

Jo.
 
I believe there are saltwater snails that kill fish...but that has noting to do with common freshwater snails you get at the LFS. Unless your fish are dead, snails will not harm them directly :p
 
Freshwater snails shoudn't hurt your fish at all. They're annoying, yes, but not harmful. As someone already mentioned, the only problem they can cause is if one dies and you dont' remove it, it can cause an ammonia spice and foul the water. But if you keep up on monitoring your levels and doing water changes, I don't think that would be a problem.
 
the most likely cause of your fish deaths is that you added lots at once without "cycling" the tank first. check out the pinned "new tank syndrome" thread for more info.
 
Have a read of the pinned topics in the beginners section about cycling.

Your tank will not have cycled yet, so it is not ready to support that amount of fish yet.
 
StarOrbs said:
I don't belive they cause any problems. They just eat some type of algae I believe. If you don't like them I know Clown Loaches eat them.
And many other loaches that would stay a whole lot smaller.
 
Betta also eat snails. I had snails in my 5 gallon, and kill the snails while you can because to me all they are is pests. I had close to 100 snials within 2 months of there only being a couple.
 
Remove snails by adding a weighted slice of cucumber over night. In the morning lift it out along with the snails munching on it. Repeat as necesary.

Your fish died because you had not cycled the tank, as mentioned above.
 

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