Going on holiday

[platypus]

Hey guys,

I'm off on my hols on Monday for 1 week, and it's the first time I've left my babies behind for so long! I do a 25% change once a week, and last time I checked (a few days ago) my ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels were all safe. I've got one of those pyramind blocks of food to pop in when I go, but is there anything else I should watch out for? Will all the fish be OK with this? I have 3 clownies in there that never eat flakes so I am worried they will go hungry.

Any/all advice welcome, thanks!

 

[CFC]

A week without food is fine for adult fish,dont bother with the food block as that is just asking for a problem,fish tanks have a awful habbit of going horribly wrong whenever the keeper is away so it is best to leave nothing to chance.Do a large water change and gravel clean and make sure the filter is clear of uny gunge and debrie the day before you leave and then just leave well alone.If you have live plants set the lights to come on with timers but otherwise just leave them off.

Good luck and i hope you dont come back to any awful suprises

 

[platypus]

CFC

Thanks so much! My tank is only 8 months old and we got clown loaches as babies - do you know if they will be OK without food for all that time?

Will do as you suggest re cleaning out the filter media - and the timer etc is all set up so it's just their tummies I need to worry about. I am just such a sucker, they do such a good impression of being starving all the time!

 

[CFC]

Your clown loaches will be fine,it is only very young fish and fry that need a constant supply of food.You would be suprised just how much food theyll manage to find in the tank while your away,if you have any snails in the tank they wont be there when you get back

 

[AquaNut]

I was actually going to suggest.. if you're worried about your clown loaches, put some snails in before you go. The clowns will eat them all!

 

[platypus]

I have no snails, but I could get hold of some - would any old ones from the garden do? Also I have heard they love earthworms - I may give this a go if I can find any. Not sure if the London earth will do the water quality any good though!

 

[AquaNut]

No, I meant aquatic snails or pond snails. I have no experience with snails from the garden.. as long as they come from soil that hasn't been chemically treated, they may be worth a try, but definitely not when you're leaving on holidays! Your lfs would probably be more than happy to give you a dozen pond snails out of their plant tank (unless you're fortunate enough to have an lfs that dips for snails).

 

[platypus]

Grr don't talk to me about my lfs (see other post ).

I think I will play it safe and leave them until I get back. Thanks for the tips though and I will definitely investigate the snails later, if they go for them with anything like the ferocity they attack the tubifex worms I would say that's quite a treat!