So I decided to get an apple snail for my bf's fish tank.
Did some research, and I liked the idea of a golden apple snail in the tank. My bf did too.

So today I went to the petshop, told the lady I'd like a golden apple snail, and she gave me a stool to look because the tank was too high up for short little me....

Apple snails are about $10. I cringed when I saw the price, but thought it was worth it. I look and find a cute, decent sized golden apple snail.
When I point it out, the lady says "Oh, you just wanted a normal snail! Those are only $2!"
Confusion. "So which ones are the apple snails?" I ask. And she pointed to the enormous--apple sized--snails that were dark brown and kinda ugly. I was sure those were apple snails, but I was also sure what I wanted was an apple snail.

Well, I get my little large marble sized snail for exactly $2.12 and I'm left wondering what just happened?

If by regular, did she mean regular regular snail, or regular-sized apple snail? Because it certainly LOOKS like an apple snail!

So I decided to ask on my favorite fish site what exactly I got.
I took some photos. The snail was still in the bag at the time, because there's a feast back in the tank for the little guy, so there are some shines, but I took the best and put them all together.

Although hard to see, he's got very long antenae(sp), like apple snails are supposed to. Haven't seen the "third" yet as I just got home and was busy putting him away and editing the pictures. I suppose if I saw that I would know for sure.
If it's not an apple snail, should it still be ok for the singular goldfish, who is about 3 times the snails size?

Well, without further hesitation, the pictures. I hope they are decent enough!

i think that is a golden apple snail i got one this weekend to and it looks exactly like that hes only cost me £1 and he has a third antenae thing too

Nakita, You have yourself a Golden Apple Snail. The big ones the lady pointed out and mistakenly referred to as apple snails were a different type called Canas. They grow much larger than the Bridgessi variety which you purchased. They only grow to the size of a ping-pong ball max. I am not understanding what is being referred to as the third antennae. They have two sets, one right below the eyes (Cephalic Tentacle) and a second set right at the mouth (Labial Tentacle). They do have a siphon that comes out from under the shell to help them breathe surface oxygen. Could that be what you are referring to? If you can keep the water level below the very top of the tank, approximately however long the snail is when he/she is crawling. They have lungs and gills and, like the Betta, have to breathe air. Hope that helped some.

Yup, the guys are referring to the siphon.
I won't tell you what my boyfriend calls it!!!!

He's a lovley Apple Snail....enjoy him!!

LOL @ Kila's bf!
I can only imagine, but I think I know.

Thanks for the info on the snails. I had some like that but they would always die. I didn't know that they had to breathe air. Maybe I will try them again and leave room at the top for them.

when feeding snails how long can you leave the food in before it affects the water? i dont want food rotting in my tank!

The "3rd antennae" could be its breathing siphon It can go really long! I love snails.. but mine always die, it could be the hard water we have here, i dont know..

Snails like hard water with a high calcium content, it's great for shell health which is critical. It is a common misconception that they will survive on algae and fish poopie alone (would you? ). That is not true, in fact they eat a varied diet and are vegiterian. They will each the algae and such if they are starving since it is a last resort. So many people buy the little guys to clean up a tank and they end up making it more of a mess. I order special high calcium snail biscuits for mine which is a complete diet and I usually leave them in there for about three hours, they eat rather slowly. I ordinarilly do not have any leftovers to clean up in my snail tank, they devour the food in no time. It is also recommended you get a calcium suppliment such as Kent's liquid calcium (available in the saltwater section of fish stores) and add a few drops a day for the little guys' shells.

About the calcium supplement. You add just a few drops every day and that's okay? That's what I did. It appeared my golden snail's shell was repairing itself. I also had a black one. I introduced a new fish into the tank and almost everything died. I know, I know...use a QT tank. I didn't know about it until it was too late.

Also, the snail biscuits? Will goldfish (mine's a black moor) eat them too?

Goldfish will try to eat anything, so yes. If your snails are in a tank with fish that try to eat the snail food, take the snails out and put them in a bowl with tank water adn the food. Leave them for at least three hours and put them back in the main tank.

Yes, the calcium drops are just a few drops daily. It will make a load of difference in new growth and will help in repairing damages.

I usually clip whatever leafy green I have on hand at the moment to the veggie clip. They eat it thru out the day and by the next morning its either all gone or mostly gone and I take whats left out and put fresh in. I've got one of those big applesnails and two smaller ones called haustrums that seem to be well on their way to getting huge like Goliath, my cana. They eat so much, I only spend about a dollar a week on food for them but compare that to the five dollars I pay to feed my fish for about 6 months....

Its funny how they won't touch the algea growing in the tank but they zoom as fast as they can to the algea wafers that I put in there

I know what you mean! Mine have algae all over the tank and all over their shells, but they won't touch it! Silly little things!

Hey! Lady D! I suppose I should've thought to do that anyway. Duh! But I've had snails before and this has NEVER been a problem with my fish. This guy is just a PIG!

I bought some snail biscuits off of eBay and the guy that sold them told me to feed them at night. If I do that then how do I know that THEY are the ones that got the food and not the fish? Ah ha! The bowl idea serves me MUCH better!

Night is a really good time to feed because they are more active at night but if you have females that is when they will want to lay eggs. I would feed out of a bowl during the day so that they don't go wandering off on you. They have a habit of that.

Glad I could be of help!

That's too funny! I sure wouldn't want them to wander. You know what's funny about these two guys is that they're actually SLOW! I've had snails before that are amazingly fast and never had to fight for food.

I found my old hexagon betta bowl and that's working great. I have one in there now. The other one was so attached to the filter tube I let him have his time alone with it.

Too funny!!

Apple snails are cute Id love to have one..mabe when I get my bigger tank this summer

That is a pretty snail you got. And nice price too

I was never able to get my snail enough food when he was in my goldfish tank. I eventually had to give him his own 10 gallon so he could get enough to eat. Another reason why I recommend ONLY keeping goldfish in a tank.

Yup I agree with the others , it is a golden apple snail. I had one but contary to what is the normal behavoir , mine was very active duing the day. It was quite facinating to watch. You will have to be very diligent about removing any eggs sacs you see in your tank or the snails will soon overun your tank. Do you have it in the tank with your goldies? If you do then you may have to watch them and the snail closely. My goldies thought that when the snail was out moving around that it's tentacles and body were something to eat and would nip at them.

Mine did that, too, Kris! My shubunkin kept nipping at the antennae. It was really starting to stress out the snail so I felt he was much better off by himself.

My common and shubunkin ate the all the antennae clean off my golden brig, and they even ate a hunk out of her foot. I started a snail only tank when I noticed it was going on. Apparantly the antennae resemble worms or the like and triggers the fish to feed.