Vacation Questions -- Gone 2 1/2 Weeks

[jaimeg]

Hi there,

I'm heading out of town for almost 3 weeks and I'm a little nervous about our fish tank. It is a 10 US gallon tank with 2 cories, 3 dwarf platy, 1 zebra danio, and 1 platy fry. It has been up and running about 3-4 months. I am paying a neighbor boy to come over and check the house (I know from past experience that I can't trust him to just feed the fish a TINY bit -- they get overfed) so I want to use a vacation feeder. Also, I have to change my water about 30% a week, which I usually do in 2-3 small changes a week. Here are my questions:
1. Any recommendation on vacation feeders?
2. Should I get one 2 week feeder or several 3 day feeders that he can add every few days?
3. Can I leave a plastic container with conditioned water sitting (covered) and just ask him to remove some water and add the stored water once or twice while I'm gone? He is too young to ask to do a normal water change. Will the water have enough air? Would I need to store it in glass? Any other concerns I haven't thought of for this plan?


I think with those things coverd, I should be fine if I buy a heater and put the lights on a timer.

Thanks for any suggestions!
Jay

 

[WILDER]

I would not buy them feeders they can cause disasters.
I would get the lad to feed them for you.
As long as the water in the bucket is covered should be fine.
Maintain your filter before you leave so it dosn't get blocked while your'e away.
And maybe increase aeration as well.

 

[my fat fish]

get an air stone 2 sory ya oxygen problem if ur worried about that u can pick them up with a pump for about £7 not i aint sure about the rest

 

[zoekin8yg]

you could get a medcine pill storer, the kind that has the days of the week on and put enough food for each day in there that way your holiday person cant over feed them

 

[dwarfgourami]

After one disaster with an automatic feeder and a semi-disaster with holiday blocks (which are actually supposed to be more dodgy), I have switched to the pill box idea. Also I ask my neighbour only to feed once every three days- and the portions I leave in the pill box are no bigger than a usual feed. With such short rations, I reckon there won't be any need for water changes in 2 1/2 weeks.

 

[jaimeg]

can I ask about the automatic feeder problems? I took some time away from checking this and bought an automatic feeder in the meantime. (I was only referring to vacation blocks, I didn't know about automatic feeders until just recently) I was thinking of trying it out over the next few weeks and then letting it go during my trip with my neighbor checking in every 3 days to make sure it hasn't fallen over, etc. I guess if I knew it was ok to feed only every 3 days, I could have skipped to auto feeder all together (Maybe I can rinse it out and return it...i just set it up today!! )

I also just got a heater...and advise on heaters before I set it up?

And are lights on a timer ok??

Thanks!

 

[Sammie7]

Lights on a timer are fine. And just for future reference, fish can go weeks without food. I would say two weeks would be the most that I feel safe with. Life in the big blue doesn't come with a reliable and steady food source. The only thing I would worry about are the fry going without food for a long time, since they are still growing. Have a nice vacation.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yup agreed, most community fish will be perfectly fine for 2 weeks with no food.

regarding the pill box idea, it's good, but also you don't need to go buy a pill box, just wrap up in foil a portion of flake, get the boy to feed just 1 portion every 3 days.

resist the urge to give them a big feed before you go. this will mean they create more waste and water quality deteriorates when your not around to notice or fix it. in fact for the week or so before you should wind down your feeding regime so they are used to getting less, also reduce the time the lights are on for. this will mean the fish are less lively and active (don't worry your not doing them any harm, just calming them down!) than normal so while your away will use less energy and as such need less food and create less mess, reducing the worry over water quality etc.

I would do a really big water change just before you go, like 50% and that will be fine until you come back. weekly changes are a good idea in principal, but to miss it once in a while isn't gonna do much harm. you can also get a product called tetra easy balance, which is supposed to 'clean up' your water for you and reduce the need for water changes. i wouldn't recommend it for long term use but if you felt conident you could maybe leave an eggcup with the right dose in, covered with cling film and ask the boy to just put that into the tank after 1 week. should maintain water quality until you get back.