Can a decomposing snail kill a fish?

Question

I noticed my betta acting really strange - like swimming sideways and upside-down. Also he's had a bloated belly for about a month or more, but not in a way that matched descriptions of illnesses that I found on the internet, and he was otherwise normal, so I still have no idea what that was about. Then tonight I noticed the snail was dead. No idea how long it has been dead, because it's a snail... it's never been very active. So I'm wondering if the fact that it may have been dead for a while could have fouled the water enough to kill the betta? Or the other possibility is that they both had the same affliction, whatever it was - just took the betta a little longer to die.
Of course it doesn't matter now anyway... they're dead. I'm just curious, that's all.

Answer 1

Yes and no. The fact that the snail died would indicate ammonia, or nitrate poisoning. The snail rot would produce even more ammonia/nitrates. This sounds like a case of over feeding, and under cleaning. The sideways upside down swimming is a swim bladder disorder caused by the bloating.

I'd clean the bowl/tank at least once a week, stop feeding for 3 days, then start feeding a minimal amount once a day. He only needs about as much as his eye ball in food per day. If 3 day of fast kills your betta he died of something else.

Answer 2

Most products like these do not work. OK they kill some of the snails but the problem remains. The best solution is a snail eating fish cichlids, snakeheads as well as the above mentioned. Also keep removing and the problem should resolve its self. Do not use the snail killing stuff as a dead snail produces high levels of ammonia as it decomposes. The ammonia level is most critical in any tank the higher the ammonia the harder it is for a fish to breath.

Answer 3

Doesn't take a Betta a month to die from illness. Supposing the container was about 1-2 gallons, the ammonia and nitrite levels rise when a living creature dies in the tank. I once had a 75 gallon reef tank with a snail the size of a tennis ball, that died and I wasn't aware, well it fouled the whole tank. Anything dead creates bacteria and in warm water, bacteria multiply fast.

Answer 4

I had a similar problem not long ago. I couldnt work out what had screwed up my cycle until I found a dead and decomposing snail in the tank. You need to take your fish out of the tank. Clean the tank throughly and restart your cycle. There are plenty of good sites available on the internet to do with setting up a cycle. You should put your fish in a 1letre container and treat him with a broad spectrum anti-biotic. I would be treating with something that deals with everything as any infection would weaken his immune system and make it easier for something else to take hold. You can get something suitable at your pet shop or aquarium.
Good luck and hope he gets better.
K

Answer 5

I'm sorry to hear about your betta and snail.

Anything decomposing in the tank--snails, fish, plants--have a definite negative impact on whatever's left in the tank and the smaller the tank, the worse it is. It's unlikely they both had the same disease.

Answer 6

alright, i'm not a fish expert but i'll take a guess here.
most likely, the dead snail did kill your fish. the bacteria from the snail infected the water, which infected your fish. get another snail and another fish and check on the snail more often, and clean the tank more often too.

Answer 7

your fish has an infected swimming bladder.
the water is full of bacteria.

Any decomposing animal or food is bad and turns the water foul especially in a small container.

change the water and get meds for the fish.

Answer 8

Any decomposing thing like another animal or aquatic species can cause disease in other fish in an in closed spaces. I would remove it and throw it out, and get yourself a new snail.

Answer 9

it could foul the water and result in the fish dying

Answer 10

Maybe, but i honestly have no idea sorry. Hmmm.. im curious now.