Feeding Fish Over Vacation?

[barb-e]

I'm going on vacation next week and I can't afford on of those battery operated automatic feeders so I was considering those disolving white block feeders . From everyones experience do they work?
Also, aside from my tank, I have some bettas in fish bowls. Could I use these feeders for them too or will they release too much food?

 

[celaeno]

i've read that those holiday blocks contain plaster. how long will you be away for?

 

[barb-e]

I'll be gone for four days. My whole family will be out of town so there's no one to feed them.

 

[rdd1952]

Fish can easily go a week without food. If you're only going to be gone 4 days, just feed them a normal amount the day you leave (don't throw in a lot as the leftover will decay and cause excess ammonia). They will be fine till you get back.

Definitely stay away from the feeder blocks. They really don't have a lot of food in them and are mostly chalk or plaster or whatever holds them together. The automatic feeders work but are risky. If the happen to malfunction and dump way too much food in, the ammonia spike could kill all your fish.

If you feel you have to feed them, find someone to come over the 2nd or 3rd day and do it. Measure out what you would normall feed them and put it in a cup on top of the tank. All they have to to is pour it in. Hide the food so they can't feed extra if they think your normal amount isn't enough.

There is an advantage to not feeding. No food means they produce very little waste. With little waste to process, even if a filter happens to quit working, the ammonia buildup won't be enough to harm the fish.

 

[Gatorbait]

They should be fine without eating for 4 days.

 

[Captain Retardo]

We went to mexico for a week in November, I opened the window blinds so that my tank got light and I didn't feed them once during that week (of course because i was in mexico) and when I got back they looked great! They were still really healthy. So your fish could go for 4 days without food easily.