Do I Trust A Weeklong Feeder?

[pregnantpolly]

Hi I am in college and I am going on spring break this weekend. I only have a five gallon tank but it's still a bit much to bring home for just a week and then back here again. I have three different kinds of fish. Do those feeders thing really work? I don't know much about them and I want my babies to be ok!!

 

[pica_nuttalli]

short answer: skip the weeklong feeder. they should make it a week just fine.

have you got a timer for the lights? it's not essential, but it's a nice touch.

 

[Nevergone815]

i used a weekly feeder for my spring break and the fish were like 2-3X the size that i left them. i don't know what they put in their but my fish grew fast. although it could've been that i didn't see them for 10 days. it wasn't all the way done being eaten but they worked great for me.

but the fish should be fine w/o one. fish can go a week easily with no food. just make sure you do a 20% water change when you leave and when you come back and clean the substrate each time. doing this and leaving the lights off (if you don't have a timer- leaving them on can stress the fish out).

in short just make sure the water is clean and cleaned when you get back, leave the lights off and jsut feed them once you get back and your fish will be fine.

 

[Fella]

3 types of fish in a 5 gallon has me concered. What types are they?

 

[pregnantpolly]

The three kinds of fish are a goldfish, a balloon mollie, and i believe bubba is a little tetra. they actually get along really well and one follows around and copies the other, its kind of cute!

thanks guys for the advice. knowing that they can go for the week without food is reasurring i was worried that a feeder wouldnt be enough. maybe i can get a shorter feeder or something so they wont eat too much with it all there at once. i do have a light but no light timer i will just leave it off. thanks!!

 

[Fella]

I don't know if you're aware, but those species are quite incompatible. At least, the molly and goldfish are, can't say about the tetra without knowing exactly what it is.

Might be worth sorting that when you get back.

 

[pregnantpolly]

The three kinds of fish are a goldfish, a balloon mollie, and i believe bubba is a little tetra. they actually get along really well and one follows around and copies the other, its kind of cute!

thanks guys for the advice. knowing that they can go for the week without food is reasurring i was worried that a feeder wouldnt be enough. maybe i can get a shorter feeder or something so they wont eat too much with it all there at once. i do have a light but no light timer i will just leave it off. thanks!!

thanks for the concern but they're actually the great together

 

[James007]

I have used the week long slow release feeders several times now and they have worked fine.

However given you only have 3 fish AND the feeders do seem to hold a lot of food PLUS they can survive some time without food - why not compromise and maybe throw in a 2 days feeder block instead.

 

[Bloo]

Instead of spending money on an automatic feeder and light timer, perhaps you should think about buying a larger tank. Very concerning that you have 3 kinds of fish in a 5 gallon tank
Goldfish are coldwater fish. Mollies and Tetras are tropical, and tetras are schooling fish.

 

[Nevergone815]

Instead of spending money on an automatic feeder and light timer, perhaps you should think about buying a larger tank. Very concerning that you have 3 kinds of fish in a 5 gallon tank
Goldfish are coldwater fish. Mollies and Tetras are tropical, and tetras are schooling fish.

after learning of your fish types i was quite concerned with this as well. also, i would suggest not using a vacation feeder as it is only 3 fish. most feeders IME contain enought food to feed 20 1" fish over the course of 7-8 days. it would be better off for you to just feed them a before you leave, do a 20% water change and clean the substrate before leaving. this will get you through the break. then when you get back i would find out what kind of tetra you have and do research on your fish and put them in the appropriate sized homes.

goldfish are coldwater like stated above... but in most cases i have seen people keeping them in 10 gal each (not sure if that is what is minimum, but what a lot of people recommend)

tetras regardless of type should be kept in groups of 5 or more and are tropical fish

baloon mollies are tropical also and can be kept by themselves

my suggestion is when you get back, buy a 10 gal tank, put the mollie in there and get a nice school ( 5+ ), and get rid of the goldfish. you will most likely be overstocked (depending on tetra species) but at least the fish will be in the right environment and be in sufficient groups.

i hope i helped

 

[pica_nuttalli]

we've had a lot of horror stories on here of people using "feeder blocks" and coming back to a nasty clouded over tank full of dying fish.

the feeder blocks aren't just all food; look at all that white chalky gunk the food is embedded in. where do you think that stuff goes? bingo. all in your water. add in a lot of decaying fish food and you've got the perfect ingredients for a water crisis.

if you've been feeding your fish for the last month, then a week long fast won't hurt. it might even help your fish be a bit healthier! several scientific studies have shown that small animals such as fish and rats live longer, healthier lives in captivity if periodically subjected to brief fasts.

 

[Nevergone815]

we've had a lot of horror stories on here of people using "feeder blocks" and coming back to a nasty clouded over tank full of dying fish.

the feeder blocks aren't just all food; look at all that white chalky gunk the food is embedded in. where do you think that stuff goes? bingo. all in your water. add in a lot of decaying fish food and you've got the perfect ingredients for a water crisis.

if you've been feeding your fish for the last month, then a week long fast won't hurt. it might even help your fish be a bit healthier! several scientific studies have shown that small animals such as fish and rats live longer, healthier lives in captivity if periodically subjected to brief fasts.

that is very true. i personally have never had a problem, though i only used them twice. once for a week just to see if my fish would take to it and eat it (i too was afraid of coming back to a bunch of dead fish) then used it a few weeks later when i went on break. i guess it depends on the brand for cloudyness, idk. as for the fasting... i never knew that, time for my fat fish to get some excersise and a break in their diet!

like i said and pica_nuttalli said... just go on break w/o fear of your fish dieing. they WILL be just fine when you get back.