Automatic feeder for vacation?

[ostrow]

Hi. I'm new here.

I have a small Eclipse System tank. These have the light and BioWheel built into the tank hood. It is an acrylic tank.

In it I have a couple mollies, a couple Wag Tail Platies and a couple of Blue Variatus.

I'm going out of town for about 12 days. I'm wary of the plaster-based feeding blocks.

I've scouted the automatic feeders (many good deals on ebay!) but am puzzled.

They either bracket onto the rim -- but then how does the hood close?? And will it scratch the acrylic?

Or they say they can be "free standing" -- but then how does the food get into the tank?

Can someone relieve me of my ignorance? Or at least resolve this puzzle!

Thanks,
Joel Ostrow

 

[pete]

Do you not have a friend / neighbour who can come in and feed them once a day?

As for automatic feeders im afraid that i know nothing about them m8 :what: , i know that ehiem make a good one but ive never had the need to try one out.

In my opinion its always best to get someone to feed them for you as they can keep an eye out for possible problems too .

Hope you get something sorted m8

 

[Great Lakes]

Ostrow, if I am not mistaken, the Eclipse system has a hood that is sealed all around. If this is the case, an automatic feeder wouldn't work well. You would have to modify your hood.
I have used those vacation blocks before, and they seem to have worked ok.
The best solution is the friend or relative one though.
However, You have some nice community fish, and with the lights off, their activity levels will be down, and the missed feedings shouldn't stress them too much.
I have even gone as far as lowering my tank temps a bit if I will not be home for extended periods. I do this because the missus always has them cranked to the limits. But lower it gradually for a few days before you go, and also shorten their lighting cycle for a few days. Then readjust them slowly when you get home.
Oh, and it's never too soon to start planning for your next aquarium, welcome to the boards

 

[adeyc]

I have to agree with pete on the automatic feeder idea. I've never used them so can't comment I have seen one that works by a timer and looks a little like one of those surface feeder cone things. You fill it up and at a certain time of the day it lets a set amount of food out. I'm not sure who makes it though. As for the feed blocks I don't like them myself if the block disolves to fast the fish will gorge themselves and then have to starve for the rest of the time you're away. If you start to lower the amount of lighting and the temp like Great lakes suggests and feed the fish a bit more than usual for a few days before you go they should be ok untill you get back. I know some people that only feed their fish once or twice a week. But the best overall solutions is to get a friend to keep an eye on them and feed them while you're away.

 

[ostrow]

Are you really suggesting not feeding them for 12 days?!? Why do I suspect I'd come back to find 6 dead fish?

It's as I suspected with the sealed hood, though. Well, it's off to the pet store to see what they suggest.

If I learn anything, I'll post.

If anyone knows a "block" food that is better than others lemme know!

Thanks all!

 

[William]

I just bought a cheap one and found that it did my tank inhabitants fine. All well and healthy after 2 weeks away

Fish can go without fish for up to a week really as they can find food in the tank and also they reduce their metabolism.

Sorry to contradict Adeyc and GL but don't give them more on the days before otherwise they increase there metabolism so when u leave they want lots of food but have none!! If anything start decreasing it before you leave.

12 days would be pushing it but I have heard of fish living 3 or 4 months without food and being fine. If you have plants they can feed on them a bit also .

So get a feeding block thingie can't remmeber the one I got but it was cheap

 

[pete]

12 days without food is nothing at all to be concerned about as when fish are imported they are starved for a few days by the wholesaler in the country they are to be exported from so that they do not pollute the water in their transport bags, then they are very rarely fed by the wholesaler in the country they arrive in as they are still stressed and the turnover rate is so fast that that they dont have time to settle in there, plus the fact that they have to be transported again to all the fish shops in the country so again the waste levels have to be kept to a minimum, so as you can see 12 days is nothing at all for a fish to go without food.

As well as that in the wild they dont get a feed at 6pm every night (or what ever time you feed yours) and have to hunt for their food which can mean (especially with large Catfish) a fasting period of days on end before finding the next meal so i personally dont bother with feeding blocks but then again i have a good friend who doesnt mind coming in once a day and feeding all of my fish (yes all 16 tanks lol)

 

[adeyc]

No I wasn't suggesting you don't feed your fish for 12 days, Sorry if it sounded like that. That would be an option to use only as a last resort. It has been done before but the people that did it regularly fed their fish twice a week, they increased the feeding a week before they left and came back to find not one fish lost. I was suggesting if possible it's best to get someone to keep an eye on them and feed them incase any problems arise while you are away.

 

[William]

Pete his fish are not large catfishes Just livebearers like me

I think if you could get a person to come in once that would be enough. Just leave out the normal amount you give your fish each day and just 1 days portion for them to feed. Underfeeding (almost) never kills but overfeeding definately does dude to pollution.

Good luck with whatever you do and keep us posted.

 

[ostrow]

William, should I put a large catfish in there? Or maybe a large Ray? 6-gallon tank, I figure a 5 pound catfish would do the trick!

Seriously, though, I can't have the kid across the street do it because I'd have to give him an alarm code (and wouldn't want to put him in a potentially risky situation ... I live in a great area, but it is right next to a pretty harsh area and there is always a potential for trouble). Dont' want to mess with that.

The guy who I'll ask to feed my plants once or twice could perhaps do it. He's kind of a bonehead but I could parcel out the feedings I suppose. My main concern though is that I currently feed them daily, so I am worried about suddenly stressing them out with a feed every 4th day routine.

But perhaps this is best.

 

[William]

little is better..

Just get a cheap vacation block for 1 pound. Put it in your tank and enjoy your trip. Come back and I assure you your fish will be fine! 8)

 

[adeyc]

If they miss a day or two before the next feed they'll be fine. As William said it's over feeding that will cause more prob's. The fish might be hungry and not look at you for a couple of days though when you get back. Have a good trip.

 

[Great Lakes]

William has a sound idea with the plants. I know platys love to munch on real plants. Specially the ones with the real fine growth. These are cheap and could be an additional source of nutrition.

 

[Rose]

You know I have never fed my fish on a regular schedule. They get fed when I feed them. Sometimes it's every day, twice a day, once a week, once a day every 3 days. What ever and my fish are just fine and grow like weeds. They aren't stressed so don't worry about it. 12 days is no biggie for fish. I've gone as long as 2 weeks (I was out of town then) several times with no problems. Rose