Preparing for a holiday

[Lcc86]

I've got a holiday booked at the end of October and will be out of the country for 9 days. I didn't plan on upgrading my tank at the time I booked it but here we are, so wanted to ask how people prepare for periods when they are away?

I've read of some people leaving fish for a week or so without feeding, I have a pet sitter coming twice a day as we have other pets who definitely need feeding, so I was thinking of preparing food for my fish/frogs for every other day (ish) so that I know they won't be overfed. I have little pots that I can put each day's food in so I know they won't get too much.

Does anyone here "fatten up" fish before they go away to make sure they're okay?

I was also going to do a big water change, probably 75%? The day before I go, and clean the substrate. Tank is 29g and current schedule is 50% change once weekly. I test my parameters before I clean and nitrite, ammonia and nitrate before cleaning and they read 0. I just clean on that schedule as it's convenient for me but am guessing an extra couple of days would be fine before I get back. We land home at something like 6am so I'll have plenty of time in my jetlagged fugue state to get another big water change done when we get home.

Anything else people would recommend?

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

The fish will be fine have a lovely holibob!

 

[Lcc86]

The fish will be fine have a lovely holibob!

Thanks my pet sitter is super reliable and I know she always looks after everything but haven't been away for such a long period of time in many years!

 

[BettaFishGirl]

I was thinking of preparing food for my fish/frogs for every other day (ish) so that I know they won't be overfed. I have little pots that I can put each day's food in so I know they won't get too much.

That's what I did for my fish when I went away for 10 days. I just put the food in little containers and have someone feed every other day.

Does anyone here "fatten up" fish before they go away to make sure they're okay?

No. If you feed fish extra before you leave they will poop more, and there will be leftover fish food causing the water to foul quicker.

I was also going to do a big water change, probably 75%? The day before I go, and clean the substrate. Tank is 29g and current schedule is 50% change once weekly. I test my parameters before I clean and nitrite, ammonia and nitrate before cleaning and they read 0. I just clean on that schedule as it's convenient for me but am guessing an extra couple of days would be fine before I get back. We land home at something like 6am so I'll have plenty of time in my jetlagged fugue state to get another big water change done when we get home.

If your only gone for 9 days you could probably just do a 50% WC and gravel vac. It's such a big tank that it can go longer than 9 days without a water change, so I would worry and prepare for the tank too much.

Just make sure the sitter turns the light on in the morning and off at night (if you have a light) but it's not essential.

 

[seangee]

They'll be fine. I never bother with food if I am away for a couple of weeks (not sure if that's a problem for ADFs). Since you already do regular water changes skipping a week won't be a problem. Enjoy the hols.
P.S. Hide the fish food that you haven't measured out. That way you will avoid the "I gave them a bit extra because they looked so hungry" conversation.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I regularly have gone away for weekends for years. I leave Friday afternoon and I return early afternoon on Monday. I share a house with my brother and we are two old bachelors.

Normally, I would not worry about feeding most of my fish. However, I breed a few plecos species and often had fry. They need to eat daily. My brother knows nothing about fish keeping but is willing to feed. I prepare packets of food using aluminum foil which I fold closed and place on top of the tank lid where it should be fed. Because I have 20 tanks, I will often put a peel & stick red dot on the front frame of the tank so he knows which to feed. I also give him written instructions on the locations of those tanks. It is usually no more than 6 or 8 tanks. If you have just one tank your task is a lot easier.

I see no need for any sort of container- I can put flakes, wafers sticks etc, into a homemade foil packet. But I have multiple tanks in two buildings and 4 room (5 in summer).

Light On/Light Off- I hear they invented a device which can do this for preset times every day....

Before you go away just do a big water change and fertilize if you have live plants. I would ask your pet sitter to feed your tank once in the middle of the away time. You could also do it once on days 4 and 8 if you want.

Your fish, as long as you have no fry that need to eat often and must be fed, can survive 9 days of no food. I just hate doing that to my fish if there is an easy way to feed them along the way. I guess I just feel bad about not feeding my fish at least every few days. I usually feed non-fry tanks 5 or 6 days a week. I always fast one day and sometimes two, usually not in a row. I do not over feed.

 

[Lcc86]

That's what I did for my fish when I went away for 10 days. I just put the food in little containers and have someone feed every other day.

No. If you feed fish extra before you leave they will poop more, and there will be leftover fish food causing the water to foul quicker.

If your only gone for 9 days you could probably just do a 50% WC and gravel vac. It's such a big tank that it can go longer than 9 days without a water change, so I would worry and prepare for the tank too much.

Just make sure the sitter turns the light on in the morning and off at night (if you have a light) but it's not essential.

Luckily I have a timer so that's one less thing to worry about!

 

[Lcc86]

They'll be fine. I never bother with food if I am away for a couple of weeks (not sure if that's a problem for ADFs). Since you already do regular water changes skipping a week won't be a problem. Enjoy the hols.
P.S. Hide the fish food that you haven't measured out. That way you will avoid the "I gave them a bit extra because they looked so hungry" conversation.

I think adult ADF's can go a fair while without food but mine are juveniles so I definitely want them to get something even if it's not as regular. Think I'll also hide the rest of the food haha

 

[Lcc86]

I regularly have gone away for weekends for years. I leave Friday afternoon and I return early afternoon on Monday. I share a house with my brother and we are two old bachelors.

Normally, I would not worry about feeding most of my fish. However, I breed a few plecos species and often had fry. They need to eat daily. My brother knows nothing about fish keeping but is willing to feed. I prepare packets of food using aluminum foil which I fold closed and place on top of the tank lid where it should be fed. Because I have 20 tanks, I will often put a peel & stick red dot on the front frame of the tank so he knows which to feed. I also give him written instructions on the locations of those tanks. It is usually no more than 6 or 8 tanks. If you have just one tank your task is a lot easier.

I see no need for any sort of container- I can put flakes, wafers sticks etc, into a homemade foil packet. But I have multiple tanks in two buildings and 4 room (5 in summer).

Light On/Light Off- I hear they invented a device which can do this for preset times every day....

Before you go away just do a big water change and fertilize if you have live plants. I would ask your pet sitter to feed your tank once in the middle of the away time. You could also do it once on days 4 and 8 if you want.

Your fish, as long as you have no fry that need to eat often and must be fed, can survive 9 days of no food. I just hate doing that to my fish if there is an easy way to feed them along the way. I guess I just feel bad about not feeding my fish at least every few days. I usually feed non-fry tanks 5 or 6 days a week. I always fast one day and sometimes two, usually not in a row. I do not over feed.

Definitely no fry unless my corys decide to randomly spawn but I have no plans in relation to that!!

My current schedule is 3 days on one day off then repeat so changing to alternate days wouldn't be that much of a change for them.

I like the foil idea, the only reason I use containers is for defrosting worms, brine shrimp etc. I kept them from random takeaways when you get a little pot of sauce and they're perfect for keeping that messy sort of food in.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I've got one of these...

They're perfect for sitters I bought mine from either Poundstretcher or Pound land...for a quid

 

[Lcc86]

Need one of these for myself let alone the fish

 

[BettaFishGirl]

I used these when I went away. Cheap and easy. I just put the day and my sitter put the food in.

MYYZMY 30 Pcs Sample Containers, 10 Gram Mini Sample Jars for Cosmetic, Eye shadow, Black Lid https://a.co/d/5tULqmm

 

[Lcc86]

I used these when I went away. Cheap and easy. I just put the day and my sitter put the food in.

MYYZMY 30 Pcs Sample Containers, 10 Gram Mini Sample Jars for Cosmetic, Eye shadow, Black Lid https://a.co/d/5tULqmm

My little pots look similar to these, just with pop off lids instead. Kept them for a rainy day but they come in so handy for anything and everything!

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Need one of these for myself let alone the fish

That's why you buy 2!

 

[Lcc86]

That's why you buy 2!

As long as I don't mix them up in a rush and end up eating bloodworms by accident