Went On Holiday...

[EV0LUTION]

I went on holiday this past weekend and popped in some weekend feeders, when I can home I found three of my fish dead (kind of expecting it). So now my tank reeks of death! Is there any way to get rid of this smell any faster than a water change or filter replacement?

 

[rdd1952]

Not that I can think of. And I wouldn't replace the filter, only do water changes and remove anything that is dead. That's the problem with those feeders. It's best to just leave them. My tanks are never fed when I go on vacation. They can easily go 2 weeks without food.

 

[Colin_T]

just do a big water change (75-80%) using dechlorniated water that has a similar temp and PH to the tank. The smell will go with the water change. Increasing the aeration will help too.

As mentioned above if you are going away for a week or two don't bother with a feeder or even getting someone in. Most people overfeed the fish and they can survive for weeks without any food. If you are really concerned about them starving put some live aquarium plants in the tank a week before you go.

The longest I have had a fish go without food was 8 months in a lightly planted tank. Two weeks is nothing.

 

[chicklette]

If you can get someone in too feed them that would be great. As suggested by someone on this forum which was a great idea is fill some week long pill containers up with the daily feedings.

 

[Colin_T]

If you can get someone in too feed them that would be great. As suggested by someone on this forum which was a great idea is fill some week long pill containers up with the daily feedings.

That would be the only way I would let someone else feed the fish. Have prepared packages of food and only get them to feed the fish every couple of days.
Have strict instructions to only feed one package per time and under no circumstances feed more.

 

[loachman]

If you can get someone in too feed them that would be great. As suggested by someone on this forum which was a great idea is fill some week long pill containers up with the daily feedings.

That would be the only way I would let someone else feed the fish. Have prepared packages of food and only get them to feed the fish every couple of days.
Have strict instructions to only feed one package per time and under no circumstances feed more.

Definitely. Hide the rest of the food too, far from the tank. Overall though, fish are fine. Up to a week is nothing, 2 weeks is fine.

I had my roommate feed my fish once, what a disaster. "Drop in 1 algae wafer from this bag once a day. Call me if you have any questions or need anything." I also wrote it all down. I was gone probably 5 days. When I got back the tank was overrun with snails, algae, brown water and probably a dozen intact algae wafers in it.