Holidays & Fish

[Red]

8) As it's summer (at least in the UK!) and many of us will be leaving our beloved fish for a short while I'm starting a new thread, which I hope will generate some interesting discussion on the merits of the various holiday feeding systems, members experiences and general tips on how to return to a tank of healthy fish and no floaters!

C'mon and tell us all about it! B)

 

[scottminot]

I've read somewhere that most fish can go a fairly long time without feeding although I wouldn't like to starve my fish while I'm on vacation. I'm planning on going away for a week long vacation at the end of this month and I have three tanks to worry about. I don't like the idea of having somebody coming over my house when I'm not there to feed my fish.

I was looking at some of the automatic feeding systems out there but not sure which ones to go with. Anybody have any good recommendations?

 

[Nidge]

When i go away i get a family member to feed the fish even though fish can go without food for a long time they would lose weight, I leave little tubs with the food in it sealed with cling film to keep it fresh i do this to stop them from over feeding. I get them to feed them every two days.

I have no experience using automatic feeders as i have never needed to use them.

 

[sunflower]

You can get automatic feeders for about £15 I've seen them.

Or you cna get these little blocks that you put in and they dissolve slowly over a week or so. They're quite cheap. About £4 for three or something like that.

 

[scottminot]

I've seen those blocks but I don't they would work for me, especially in my silver dollar tank. I think they would chew those things to bits within a few hours. I would think my plec would latch onto one of those and eat it quickly also.
I was looking at buying a few of these.
http/petsolutions.com/product.asp?pn=15510780

 

[heresmike]

Those blocks are not a good solution. They contain mostly junk which will pollute the water. I think I heard it's plaster of paris.

I have a friend who uses auto feeders, even when he's home, 'cuz he's lazy!

I also heard fish can go a week or more w/o food, but I don't like to take any chances. So, when I went away on vacation (US version of holiday ), I had my sister come over every other day. I had their food pre-measured into Dixie cups. No losses!

 

[FishDan]

Personally, if I am gone less than a week, 10 days tops, I don't worry about my fish. I know they will be fine, albeit a little hungry, when I come home. I don't know that I trust someone to come over and not overfeed the fish. I'd rather have fish that are a little hungry than fish living in a tank polutted with excess rotting food. The only cases in which you need to worry (IMO) is with fry and very small or delicate fish. The larger the fish the longer it can go without food. Any time I am away for over 2 weeks I'd find someone to feed at least once a week. However, since I have so little time to go away for so long this has not been an issue.

And I agree. Feeder blocks are evil and do more damage than good. The plaster (or whatever it is) disolves in your water and pollutes the tank. Not to mention, do you want to suck your food out of a plaster cube? Your fish probably don't either.

Bottom line, for a week, I wouldn't worry.

\Dan

 

[parker313]

If it's a week or less, I give them a good feeding and a water change before I go and that's it. I've done that twice, with no feedings while I was gone and both times have come home to as many happy and healthy fish as when I left. Then, I feed, change water and feed again the next morning.

We're getting ready to go away for about 10 days and I'm having a neighbor come feed the fish every other day. I have dried brine shrimp which is in cube form, so I'll just have her drop one whole cube in the big tank and one half cube in the small tank. Should go well - and then a good water change right before I leave and one when we get home.

 

[yhbae]

As parker mentioned, 1 week is ok. I do this during my vacation too, and so far, I have not lost a single fish due to starvation. Just do some water change before leaving and feed as if you are feeding normally. (Don't over feed).

 

[CFC]

I leave them too, its a safer option to let the fish go hungry for a week than to risk letting a non fish keeper near the tank.

The day before i leave i do 50% water changes on all the tanks and clean the filters paying particular attention to the impellers and hoses to make sure there are no blockages to minimise the risks of a filter failure. For planted tanks remember to set the lights on timers.

 

[sunflower]

Those blocks are not a good solution. They contain mostly junk which will pollute the water. I think I heard it's plaster of paris.

I've never actually ued them, just know the exist.

when I go away in Semptember my brother is hopefully gonna come stay for the week and I'll get him to feed with premeasured flakes!

 

[cutechic]

Depending on the size of the tanks and the length of my absence, I do water changes the day before I leave.

If I am gone for more than 5 days, I leave premeasured amounts of food for a family member or neighbour to feed to the fish.

 

[Opcn]

I step up the feedings to about three times as often as I normally do and do three or four water changes before I go I've lost some fry from 57 days w/o food but I'm sure they (3 new guppy fry) became food.

 

[Elisabeth83]

The problem I am having right now is thinking about my fry. I have about 40 of them. Was told to use one of those plaster things...but I really do not want to resort to one of those after reading lots of horror stories on here.

I was told to drop in like a piece of algae wafer...but how long will that last them?

I can see right now my pleco and a couple of my swordtails are eating it through the mesh breeder net. Yikes!!

Darn vacation...don't even want to go but it's my boyfriends family having this big get together!! Sounds like fun

 

[3lfangor]

I use auto feeder. Made by my grandfather using an alarm clock, thread and those little boxes with food in it. The clock reaches a certain time, the clockwork reels the thread and a small section opens up and like food drops in. hehehe. could try to make one urself. Never got how he managed to control the opening of the container tho.