I went and got a plant from Petsmart for my goldfish tank, and it had a hitchhiker. I knew this was a possibility, and have dealt with making the plant goldfish safe (disinfected it, and removed the hitchhiker, and it currently sitting in quarantine for a few days)...

The problem is what do I do with this itty bitty snail. I hadn't thought about what to do with the snails if indeed there were some in the plants. Thankfully there was only one, and honestly I have no clue if he is alive or not. Right now he is sitting in a bucket full of dechlorinated water with some of the plant I bought him with.

I can't just get rid of him (assuming he is alive), but I don't have any clue what to do with him, and I didn't have permission to buy a new pet!

I don't even know what kind of snail he is. He is really small. Like three millimeters, and his shell is sort of see through, I can see that there is something inside his shell, but he's so small that it is hard to tell if it is snail or not.

His shell is brown with a white stripe near the tip, he is sort of pointy shaped.

I tried to get pictures, but my camera is incapable of focusing on something that small.

I know nothing about snails, but if he is alive, I can't just throw him away. I had intended to buy a snail eventually, and I may be able to convince my family to let me set up my extra tank for him (though that seems a bit ridiculous since it's a 10 gallon tank, and he's only 3 mm)... but I'm just at a loss for what to do.

If he is alive, how big of a container does he need if I change is water daily, my choices are pretty much a flower vase or the 10 gallon tank or going with the goldfish... and I think they'd eat him, or he'd get crushed in a gravel siphoning, or worse, get sucked up by the siphon!

Also, how do I tell if he is alive? just wait for him to move? Stick him in a glass bowl with a bit of fresh veggie and see if any of the veggie goes missing?

People are probably going to say take him back... but I won't be able to go back to the store until past December 7th

*does announcer voice* "December 7th, a date which will live in infamy"...

okay sorry, back to the snail thing...

So um, what now?

Chances are he is a pest snail. Do yourself a favor and just toss him in the trash can. If you keep him them you will be over run with all kinds of them in the filters and everywhere. No need to take him back.

I believe it is Daryl that has such big problems with pest snails. Or maybe Devs... I get them confused sometimes She can tell you all about the pains of having them.

Can "pest snails" reproduce with just one of them?

Whatever happens, I really don't want to kill it, I'm sort of against the killing of animals unless I have to. I usually catch the bugs and let them go outside, rather than having to swat them. I have no intentions of putting it in my fish tank, but would there be a way to keep him alive by himself?

Seriously, I know it is hard to think about killing them but take it from someone who has taken apart a tank twice and replaced a filter and still has pest snails, Kill it! They reproduce on their own like mad and chances are there are eggs all over the plant you brought home, the egg masses are clearish yellow and are hard to see. I have the utmost respect for all living creatures, but I will never think twice about killing a pest snail after the drama I have been through with the tank they were in.

I am with Maceo, I will not kill an animal, but a pest snail has got to go. They will, as she said, reproduce like made even when ther eis only one. They are asexual meaning that they can reporduce on their own.

Perhaps keep him where he is then until the 7th? And then bring him back?

Honestly, by the 7th you will probably have an infestation and the pet store will probably just throw him in the garbage anyway, so seriously I know it is hard to have to get rid of an animal like this but do your self a favor and throw him in the trash can.