Best Automatic Feeder? Gone for 1 week

[Oscar Betta]

I'm going to be gone for around a week over Christmas time and need a way to feed my betta. He is in a 5 gallon Fluval Spec V for reference. Does anyone know a good automatic feeder that could work for this? Most auto feeders I find online do not have the best reviews or would distribute too much food for just one fish. I normally have my friend feed him when I'm gone, but he's going to be out of town as well. I wouldn't worry about leaving him without food if it was just a few days, but a full week seems a little long...

 

[gwand]

Several of us on the forum, leave fish for 7 to 10 days without food, and without negative consequence. For example, I am out of town one week out of every five weeks. I never feed my fish when I am away from home. However, leading up to my departure, I feed my fish twice a day instead of every other day, which is my routine.

 

[Innesfan]

Agreed. You are more likely to have a problem with a feeder fouling the water while you are away than fasting him for that amount of time. I've left fish for as long as 2 weeks without food and have never had an issue.

 

[fishorama]

I was given 2 different autofeeders but have never tried to use either. We either let our fish go without food for a week or more or have someone come over to feed them every few days.

 

[Colin_T]

This is how you prepare fish for a vacation.

1) Feed them more often (3-5 times a day) for 2 or more weeks before you go away. Use a variety of live, frozen and dry foods. This will give the fish a chance to gain weight and build up fat reserves, which it can live off when you're gone.

2) Do big water changes and gravel clean the substrate several times a week when feeding more often. This keeps the tank clean and reduces the chance of disease organisms building up due to lots of food and waste.

3) Add live plants at least 2 weeks before you go (assuming you don't have any or many in the tank). The plants will provide micro-organisms as food to the fish.

4) Increase the lighting time by an hour or two each day while you're away. The extra light will encourage plants and algae to grow and that will help keep the water cleaner and provide supplemental food for fish (not so much for Bettas but most other fish will pick at algae). You can reduce the lighting when you get back.

5) Clean the filter 2 days before you go. A clean filter is less likely to block up while you are away.

6) Do a big water change and gravel clean the substrate a day or two before you go. this makes sure the tank is clean while you are away.

Feed the fish just before you walk out the door and enjoy your holiday.

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Unlike mammals and birds that use most of the food they eat to stay warm, most fish get their body temperature from the surrounding water. this means any food they eat gets used for movement and growth. This allows fish to go for months without food and not starve.

I have had fish go for 2 months without any food apart from algae and plants in the tank. One week without food is fine for a healthy adult fish and you don't need to use an automatic feeder or a holiday feeding block.

 

[GaryE]

I've had automatic feeders malfunction, with deadly results. I've also had trouble in tanks with feeding blocks.
About 20 years ago, I stopped feeding fish if I was away for under 3 weeks. I lose no fish, and astonishingly, fry still manage to grow.

My tanks are planted, but not like some of the tank of the month entries we see here. They're a little rough.

Everyone has his or her own way, but I turn down lights, and slow activity down with the fish for the duration.

 

[TNG]

I use Eheim Fish Feeders, but only use them for my larger tanks 130 Litres – 250L. For a small tank with a single fish I wouldn’t worry about it if I’m away for a week.
I just returned from a 3 week trip and didn’t feed my 2 paradise fish during this time. They are in a 40L and 60L planted tanks, and they are as healthy as the day I left. The tanks are planted though, I think I could leave them for 2 months and it wouldn’t bother them – but not in tanks with artificial plants.

 

[Oscar Betta]

Thanks, all. I currently only have fake plants in his tank, and there is quite a bit of algae from the lights. I normally leave his light off when I'm gone (he still gets a good amount of day light), but I may look into getting a timer. I'll make sure to feed him a little extra in the days before I leave and do a water change.

 

[Innesfan]

Your betta will be fine.

 

[gwand]

Fish are cold blooded. The water temperature modifies their metabolic rate. Lower water temperature, reduces their metabolic rate and thus reduces their food requirements. You could reduce the water temperature before you leave to a lower but safe temperature. Don’t set the heater too low.