While on vacation ?my puffers?

[babyduke]

I'll be gone for a whole week with no one who can take of my fig8 & gsp's. What should i do? also, can they be w/o lights for 6 days as the tank is situated in my basement.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

go to your local hardware store and purchase an automatic light timer for each tank. occassionally LFS have them, but the prices are generally a lot higher. you should avoid leaving fish in the dark for more than 2 or 3 days at a time (even that long is pushing it).

 

[Opcn]

I'm curious as to why you dont want to leave them in the dark, some parts of the world dont get very light at all during the rainy season, leaving a lamp on in the room with a flourescent or LED bulb shoul be fine. Also Depending on your setup you may want to get some life food and either feed them well or get someone to come and toss in a few each day, thats just for fins sake however, if the puffers are seporated or devided they could make it a week easily.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

studies have shown that significant disruptions of the day-night cycle induce stress for most tropical fish. (i wish i could remember exactly where i read that...) my suspicion is that while prolonged light exposure interferes with resting habits, prolonged periods of near or total darkness is simply too different from everyday living. plus, sitting in a basement in the dark is pretty different from sitting around outside in a hard rain. we've had some fairly rotten weather lately in AL, but its rarely any darker than the "blue moonlight" systems most people run--which is to say, totally different from the actual dark. (PS, the detrimental effects of constant light are another reason i feel that 24-hour Walmarts should not carry fish.)

while a constant twilight (indirect or diffuse lighting) would be preferable to leaving fish in complete dark or light for several days, the best thing to do would just be to attach a light timer to the tanks. for temporary installations, a single timer can be attached to extension cords running to each tank, but i actually find using timers to be quite convenient on an everyday basis.

but i agree totally on the food thing.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Agreed, fish need a regulay day night lighting cycle. If you can, premeasure dry foods like freeze dried krill or plankton in little Dixie cups for a neighnbor, friend or relative to drop in 2x, while you're gone. My 82 year old neighbor feeds my fish while I'm away, in the same manner.