Snails And Their Role In Fry Tanks

[MoonstruckMuse]

I've been looking into raising fry (specifically those of Rosy barbs and other egg scatterers) and stumbled across several sites/articles that claim that snails are useful in raising fry.

The reasons stated for this are that they

• eat leftover fry food
• provide conditions for infusoria to flourish with their poop
• stir up the bottom of the tank
• reduce ammonia/nitrite levels (somehow? Unsure of how this possibly works)
• are easier to clean up after

However, since they're seem to me like omnivores, wouldn't there be some definite cons?
I'm unsure as to whether or not they'll munch eggs (or worse, the fry themselves!). Is it really safe to leave their poop in there to supply some additional infusoria? How much sense does it make to let a bigger animal pollute fry water? How the heck are ammonia/nitrite levels supposed to be reduced?

And if you do use snails, and advocate them...
What sort of snails do you recommend? Apple snails, ramshorns, MTS, common pond snails? Does the size of the snail/type of snail alter their eating habits so that they could become predators or pollute the tank overly fast? Would snails like MTS eventually reproduce too fast, and run over the tank, starving the fry? How often do you need to change water with snails in them/what is their bioload? Would it be easier to just collect the snail poop, cultivate some infusoria, and then put that back in?

Opinions & experiences, please!

 

[MoonstruckMuse]

Would this be better off/get more attention on the inverts forum?

 

[GuppyDude]

Iv found the to be benefitial. They eat leftovers, alge, poo, w/e they can get really. This does not mean fewer water changes however, as the snails in question also make a mess. Id say they are worth haveing around, better than nothing. Rotten food can creat far more problms for your young fry than snails can.

 

[jourdy288]

they may eat eggs if given opritunity, but will not attack fry.

 

[J4MES]

i have golden apple snails, mts and ramshorns in my fry tank, no problames so far

J4MES

 

[MoonstruckMuse]

The apple snails don't decide to become fry-hungry at their giant sizes? Interesting, thanks guys.
However, since they're liable to munch on some eggs, I'd add them AFTER all are hatched (and free-swimming, probably), right? I'd assume that if they were still wrigglers, they'd look mighty appetizing.

Does anyone just leave the snails in the spawning tank the whole time, from when the parents are spawning?