Feeding Fish When You're Away

[Mola Mola]

Hi,
It looks like I am going to be away for a week over Xmas, and there is nobody that I can ask to feed the fish when I am gone.

I'm guessing that a week is far too long for them to go without food, so do I need to look at getting an automated feeder? If so, can anybody please advise on what to look for in a good feeder?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I believe fish can go up to two weeks without food, so they should be okay. I truly believe i read that somewhere here on this forum. Someone please correct me if I am wrong?

 

[mike455555]

if you feed them before you go they can last a week easily. most fish keepers over feed there fish. in my opinion. i feed mine every 3-4 days.

fish are optunenistic (dont know how to spell it) feeders so they eat whatever available.. in the wild they wouldn't get food every day. also there cold blooded with a lower metibolic rate. this means they dont use as much energy as humans do

 

[TropicalJuwel]

Yeah your fish will be fine for a week, not to sure if it's as much as 2 weeks but know 1 week will be fine. Wish I could go up to 2 weeks without eating, think of the savings I'd make lol.

 

[Tizer]

leave a note for santa

 

[creeker]

Personally, I'd feel better if I knew mine were getting fed. I've seen automatic feeders here (at Walmart I think) for less than $13. There are also those compressed food blocks that last a few days or so. I think they're known as vacation feeders. We used to keep them in most of the tanks in the warehouse for the bottom feeders.

 

[raptorrex]

Hi,
It looks like I am going to be away for a week over Xmas, and there is nobody that I can ask to feed the fish when I am gone.

I'm guessing that a week is far too long for them to go without food, so do I need to look at getting an automated feeder? If so, can anybody please advise on what to look for in a good feeder?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

as, most of, the rest have said. a good feed before you go will be fine.

automatic feeders, even quality ones, are far from reliable. and if they fail, you've wasted time and money. if they get stuck you can end up with a tank full on rotting food and ammonia.
on balance, which do you think is the safest option?

 

[Caprichoso]

IME, those food blocks are a complete waste of money, they don't even break down properly and usually just pollute the tank. I know people that have left their tank for 2 weeks and all the fish were fine. Now, these were also established tanks with many plants in them. I left my fish for about a week with no food and they were ok.

 

[creeker]

IME, those food blocks are a complete waste of money, they don't even break down properly and usually just pollute the tank. I know people that have left their tank for 2 weeks and all the fish were fine. Now, these were also established tanks with many plants in them. I left my fish for about a week with no food and they were ok.

I was putting them in about 300 tanks a week, and did not have any pollution problems. But that was on a central system in very large tanks. I had to do something because the corys and such would come in from Singapore so emaciated. But everyone is right here in that one week without food will not kill your fish.

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

In the wild fish go for very long periods without food. So IMO it is actually good for them to take a break from being over fed(as we all do) for a while. In Europe, for wild fish, we have winter, which shifts the feeding balance between omnivorous and predatory fish, and in tropical climates we have wet and dry seasons. So in essence, it will do them good to have a detox for week

 

[CezzaXV]

A friend of a friend used a food block on his tank. Eventually the block got small enough that one of his fish swallowed it whole and died shortly afterwards.

 

[DevotedToDiscus]

A friend of a friend used a food block on his tank. Eventually the block got small enough that one of his fish swallowed it whole and died shortly afterwards.

Agreed! Just leave them be for a week or two

 

[Mola Mola]

Hi,
Thanks to everybody for their input, and really sorry that it has taken me so long to respond.

Taking your advice onboard I immediately switched to feeding once every 3 or 4 days, rather than twice a day (as I used to).

The fish seem fine, and I'm a lot happier about having to leave them over Xmas.

Thanks again.