"Flash Wilson" wrote in message
...
Hello. I don't normally post here, but I do read it.

Anyway - I have a 4ft tank which I want to slowly convert to be
a cichlid tank. At present it contains 2 nocturnal catfish
(a pleco and similar, which hide by day under wood), 4 kribs,
3 clown loaches and 3 tiger barbs.

I have much the same situation with an 80gl hex that I have. I really never
did anything definite with it for the two years I had it. I originally
wanted to make it into a heavily planted tank but because it's so tall it's
a pain in the rear to plant, light, and maintain. So now it contains a
couple Kribs left over from a breeding population, a couple plecos, a couple
loaches, and a really mean kissing gourami.

Just recently I decided to turn it into an African Cichlid tank so I added
some more hiding space and added a couple juvenile Africans. I left the
plants and the fish alone and plan to add Africans as I collect pocket
change and can afford to do it. I decided that this relaxed and long term
method was the way to go because as Africans are introduced they will either
accept their more docile tankmates or take care of the problem naturally.
Eventually I will have a community of Africans and it will take less time
than just waiting for the other fish to just die off.

Since you don't want to spend lots of money this might work for you.