Holiday Fish Care

[Rory the cat]

I'm off on 3 weeks' holiday (honeymoon ) in a fortnight's time. I would be interested to know how you have your fish cared for when away.

We live with my brother so he will be taking on the fish while I am away. I'll do a water change a day before we go, but my water perameters have been perfect for a couple of months now (0 amm, 0 nitrite, 5-10 nitrate) so I'm not too worried about not doing a change for a few weeks. I deliberately have left it 3 weeks without a change this time around to see how the water has fared and it is still at these levels. I've got a spare filter, and I am about to go and buy a spare heater too (old one got used) so that he's all set. He has basic fishkeeping knowledge.

Normally I feed the fish once a day (in the evening) for two consecutive days, then give them a day off. Puff gets frozen bloodworm, mussel, prawns, white worm or mosquito larvae (in rotation). The community tank gets flake and 3 sinking pellets one day, and frozen bloodworm, daphnia, white worm or mosquito larvae (in rotation) with 3 sinking pellets the next day.

This works well, however for the 3 weeks, bearing in mind no water changes, I am considering asking my brother to feed every other day, or even once every 3 days.

What do you think?

 

[dead_letters]

Ive got a coldwater tank and a mall tropical tank and for my coldwater tank i clean the tank to the bottom and use a clean biofoam filter.I also put a net on the top of the tank under the hood and leaves the hood up in case theres a powercut and there isnt enough oxygen.I normally use 1 2weeks feeder block and about 7 pellets.For my tropical tank i clean them out and use more or less the same food but a bit less.Hope thats helped a bit.

 

[TorPeteO]

Let's be honest...you only started this thread because you wanted to say 'fortnight', didn't you?

Just kidding. I think that if you've left the water for 3 weeks without changing it while still maintaining your normal feeding schedule and haven't noticed any problems, then another three weeks after a water change should yield the same result, no?

Also, you say your brother has basic fishkeeping knowledge. Does that include a knowledge of how to test and read the water for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates? If he does, he may be able to use his own judgement as to whether or not he should cut back on the feeding regiment.

Hope I helped.