Last week I moved my remaining tetras to a smaller tank and filled my big tank with cichlids. I have two severums and four convict cichlids. I'm going away for labor day weekend. I'll be heading out of town on Thursday, and returning on Sunday or Monday. I'm new to cichlid keeping, so I'm wondering if there's anything I should do in preparation for leaving them.
Mostly, I'm wondering about food. When I had to leave my tetras, I would give them one of those automatic feeders that slowly dissolves. Will those things work for cichlids? Or is there another kind of automatic feeder that works for them? If I have to I can ask one of my neighbors to feed them, but then there's the risk of someone who doesn't know much about keeping fish overfeeding them.
If it matters, I added them to the aquarium on Tuesday 8/19, I did my last water change (about 15%) on Friday 8/22, and I'll be doing another 15% water change today. Typically I feed them once in the morning and once in the evening.
Thanks!
EDIT: I should also mention that since they're new, they're all pretty small right now. The severums are each about 2.5 inches long, and the convicts about 2 inches.
Mostly, I'm wondering about food. When I had to leave my tetras, I would give them one of those automatic feeders that slowly dissolves. Will those things work for cichlids? Or is there another kind of automatic feeder that works for them? If I have to I can ask one of my neighbors to feed them, but then there's the risk of someone who doesn't know much about keeping fish overfeeding them.
If it matters, I added them to the aquarium on Tuesday 8/19, I did my last water change (about 15%) on Friday 8/22, and I'll be doing another 15% water change today. Typically I feed them once in the morning and once in the evening.
Thanks!
EDIT: I should also mention that since they're new, they're all pretty small right now. The severums are each about 2.5 inches long, and the convicts about 2 inches.
