Vacation Time Feeding

[laknarf]

I have a question about feeding my Mbuna and Peacocks/Haps. We'll be on an extended vacation soon and will be gone for 3 weeks.
We do have someone "watching our place, but they will be here for only about an hour at a time and have absolutely zero knowledge about fish.

What suggestions might anyone have so that when we get back hopefully the fish are all here

Thanks for your input

 

[Tolak]

It must be vacation time for everyone, this is about the third member I've seen with the same question. Lucky dogs!

Healthy adult fish can go for over two weeks without being fed, I've had adult angels go for over 3 weeks. The biggest problem with an extended vacation is water quality, you will not be around to do the usual maintenance.

For a three week absence I would set up a couple of small shotglass size containers, larger if you need. Have the helper feed container number one after one week, container number two after two weeks. Do not put more than you would for a normal daily feeding in each container.

Less food consumed means less waste produced, doing this avoids any water quality issues while giving your fish enough to get by.

Do a water change before you leave, and one when you return. A timer for the lights helps if you have live plants, you can leave the light off if you have room light & artificial decorations.

 

[kribensis12]

WOW, Tolak in the African Cichlid Forum? This is HISTORIC! I cant belive it, Tolak, Angel man = Afircan cichlids. im astounded.

I would go with Tolak on this one, i would recommend a GREAT vacation feeder, but this is too long a vacation to use it for.

 

[Biulu]

I go regularly on business trips for 3/4 weeks, and have somebody coming in once a week.

First of all, I have planted tanks, which are of great help maintaining the water quality. I used to use vacation food, but this highers the pH although my fish did survive well on it.

Nowadays, I have an automatic feeder, which allows fish to be fed 2 a day, working on a timer. You can determine the amount of food to be dropped and both pellets and flakes can be used. I think it is really ideal, and they are not too expensive.

 

[fish are friends....]

You could wrap up daily amounts of food, for every other day you are away or something.
Just wrap some food up in some cling film for each day so that you know they arn't over feeding and the waste is kept to a minimum!

They will be like little food parcels