Switching To Cichlids?

Question
QUESTION: Hi Christy,

I have a pretty well established tank. I've had the usual problems here and there but the worse by far are uninvited snails. Through some drastic measures I almost have them tackled. I broke the whole tank down once but they are back.

I would like to switch this tank over to Cichlids. The person at the store said that a 29 gallon tank could accommodate 5. I also have a beloved 12 year old Plecostamus that he said would be OK but I'm going to end up sacrificing some neons for this.. :(

Are 5 Cichlids too many for 29 gallons even if they are purchased small? Will my salt treatments for snails be too much for Cichlids?

ANSWER: Hi Trudy
For snails...best way to get rid of them(takes some time though, but much easier) float a piece of lettuce in the tank.  Soon you'll notice the snails accumulating on it.  Dispose of it.  Repeat until one day, you don't notice any snails on it.  Now, there may be a period of nothing, then more snails because they lay their eggs and you'll need to wait for them to hatch.

I wouldn't recommend the salt.  Plecos are a bit salt sensitive.  It's my understanding, short term use is ok for them at low doses, but long term use of salt isn't good for them.  Same with tetras, they generally don't like salt either.  I only recommend using salt in fresh water tanks for disease treatment-ich/parasite or fungal infections, or for a problem with nitrites in the tank.  

5 cichlids seems like a lot for a 29 gallon tank.  What kind are you looking to get?  You're probably only going to be able to put one or two in there tops.  Again, depends on what kind you're thinking about getting.  Let me know what you're thinking about and we'll take it from there.  And for the neons, will the store take them for store credit?  Or, another possibility...a nice 10 gallon tank :)

Christy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I was looking at 2 small yellow ones and 2 electric blues. There was also a small African? I'm not sure of these names.

Would I be able to do the lettuce treatment with these guys. The ones in the store looked like they'd eat anything!

I'm going to see if they will take the neons back. There are only 5 of them. Also a lemon tetra that is quite cute. If they won't take them back I may set up a small 5 gallon tetra tank. I don't know if I can bring myself to see them eaten.

Answer
Hi Trudy
Those all sound like African cichlids, what you mentioned.  The yellow ones are probably yellow labs, they're pretty common.  Unfortunately, most Africans will get to be about 5-7 inches, and do require a larger tank.  Africans tend to be aggressive, and they're very territorial.  

Have you checked into any of the dwarf cichlid varieties available?  I don't have any links handy, but off the top of my head, there's apistogrammas & microgeophagus(rams).  You're most likely going to find those types at a mom and pop store, or fish specialty store rather then chain stores.  At least that's been my experience with the places I've lived.  The dwarf cichlids will generally stay in the 3-4 inch range, and most are fairly peaceful.  You could probably get away with about 3 maybe 4 in your tank.  German rams are some of the most beautiful and colorful fish, but they're very sensitive to water quality, and do require a low ph around 6.0-7.0 and soft water.  I was never able to keep them longer then a month unfortunately.  I currently have 3 Bolivian rams, for about a year now.  They're supposed to be a bit hardier, but they're not as colorful as the Germans.  There's also a "newer" variety called a German golden ram, only seen photos, but they're gorgeous as well.  I'm not sure how hardy they are though.  Here's a few links I did find quickly:

http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=30

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=889

Also, I just thought of 2 other fish that may work out.  But I'd only recommend keeping one or two of them-and of the same kind.  The first is a jewel cichlid.  I have one of these, it's an African cichlid, and it turns the most beautiful colors, mostly red with flecks of blue.  And I've seen them frequently at a lot of stores.  My grandfather even caught a few in a river in Florida that "escaped" from a fish breeder after Hurricane Charlie.

http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/african-cichlids/blue-jewel/100150.asp

The other is a firemouth.  They also get a pretty red, especially by their mouth/throat area, which they can flare out like a betta.  They also get the blue flecks, another gorgeous fish.  I have 1 firemouth and 1 jewel, and they hate each other(had to put the jewel in with him because the Africans I had almost killed him).

http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/central-american-cichlid/firemouth-meeki/10

Try searching around online on those 2 for photos, I think you'll like them. And from what I've read, they can do ok in a 30 gallon tank, though of course larger is better....And both are readily available at most pet stores.  They're easy to care for, like all fish just keep the water quality good.  I've had my jewel for about 8 years now, and the firemouth about 7 years, so they're hardy fish too.

For the snails, the lettuce should work.  I used to have a puffer fish.  Petsmart used to give me some of their "pond snails"(that's what I call them-the unwanted pest varieties that show up)when I'd go in there.  I'd keep them in a big plastic ice cream bowl, and throw in some lettuce for them to eat until I was ready to feed them to my puffer. I tried so hard to get them breeding in one of my tanks, but never had luck lol....other people hated them and wanted to get rid of them, and I wanted them :)  So I've finally managed to get some to breed in one of my tanks now, and go figure, my puffer ended up dying....just can't win.  But anyway, yes, they'll eat the lettuce.  You may need to remove it daily for awhile until their populations settle down.

Hope that info helps, and good luck finding something you like!  Let me know if you have more questions.  Yes, good call on the neons/tetras :)  Don't let them be eaten.

Christy