Holiday question

[odwyer1980]

I'm going on Holiday for 1 week and just wanted clarification on a few things. I have bought one of those 2 week holiday food things that you drop in and the fish help themselves. Is there anything I need to know about these? Also, I have a Giant African Shrimp in my tank that's been in for nearly 2 years, as well as a few Amino Shrimps. Would they also eat the "2 week holiday food" that I will drop in for the other fish.

On the box, it says for all Ornamental fish.

I also have Corydoras and Snails, so would this also apply the same?

Thanks.

(Btw - I have an established tank of 1.5 years. I have a air pump but cant keep it on all the time whilst I'm away as it's in one of those "Clam" shells and the Big shrimp keeps knocking the thing shut, making the bubbles go all odd).

 

[Deleted member 149562]

This is my own opinion and others might well disagree but I would not use that feeding block

They can cause ammonia spikes as they break down, fish are naturally piggish and will eat and eat if food is infront of them, which turns into waste, which adds even more ammonia to the water.

Can you get a friend or relative to feed them whilst you are away?

If concerned about overfeeding by friend or relative you can easily go to a bank and get some new cash bags and measure out/label the food for each day.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Generally, a healthy tank can be left un-fed for at least a week.
Prepare the community by feeding a little more than you usually would, focussing on the fish and taking care to remove waste.

Throughout your holiday, your shrimp and snails will be dining on fish poop, snail poop, bacteria and a host of microorganisms you'll probably be unaware of. I suspect you'll have a very clean and algae-free tank upon your return.

For the general health of the tank, you could drop in more plants and be sure some of those plants include floaters. These will significantly contribute to ammonia management.
I'd also suggest you seriously look at keeping the tank aerated during your absence.

As for the feeder block...don't do it!

There are several good articles on Thinternet to explain why these are to be avoided, this is just one of them.
Here's another from a fave site of mine, KGTropicals.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

If concerned about overfeeding by friend or relative you can easily go to a bank and get some new cash bags and measure out/label the food for each day.

Another tip would be to invest in a dosette/pill box, available from most good chemists. You put a small amount in the relevant slots and insist that whoever feeds the fish will stick to that, no matter what.

To be honest, it's easier just to fast them.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Agree with the above.

Feeding blocks are awful. The majority of tropical fish will be just fine with no food for a week. The only exceptions I would say would be Cichlid tanks or predator tanks.

You can get mechanical feeders if you are really worried about it. The basically have compartments that you put you "food dose" in. Then you set a timer on them when you want a compartment to be opened. I have used these for when I was going to be away from extended periods (over a month). One downside to them is that they have to sit over the water. This normally means the food will get damp/wet with condensation which then normally means it gets stuck in the feeder.

 

[Guyb93]

I would just feed before I leave and that’s it , most HEALTHY fish can last several weeks without food , you can slow down the metabolism by cooling the tank also they will move less and eat less but honestly for a week I would just leave them

 

[odwyer1980]

Ok, I appreciate all the advice.

 

[Essjay]

Another tip would be to invest in a dosette/pill box, available from most good chemists. You put a small amount in the relevant slots and insist that whoever feeds the fish will stick to that, no matter what.

And hide the food tubs. Many non-fish keepers think we don't feed enough so they'll add the food from the pill box, then look for the food tub and add more. If you hide the tub, they can't.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Agree with all of the above, feeding blocks and auto fish feeders can all have problems and not always reliable.

If it’s just for a week then fish, shrimps and snails will be fine fasting for a whole week.

I have done this several times in the past and never had an issue whatsoever.

One extra tip, the day before or on the day you leave for a week, do a nice water change and this ensure water is as fresh and clean as can be for the livestock.

Keep filters on all the time and tank lights on a timer but if no timer then tank light can be left switched off for a week if you only have low to mid level plants, they will be fine with natural light coming into the room.

 

[noobfish]

I was just on vacation 2 weeks ago. Gone 8 days. I was nervous and had a family member that was willing, but I took the advice here and said no. Fed right before we left and all was fine when we returned. No one ate anyone and water conditions were still good (0-0-6).

(Not surprisingly, they were all very happy to see me )

 

[AbbeysDad]

One more nail in the feeder block coffin - I don't like them and would never use them. I have from time to time used an Eheim Everyday Feeder with good success. But fish can go without being fed for a week...some would say even two weeks. As mentioned already, I would do good tank maintenance including a partial water change and filter servicing, have your lights on a timer, and enjoy your trip.... the fish will manage without you.

 

[AbbeysDad]

This opens the question of fasting and Are You Overfeeding Your Fish?. I tend to think that most hobbyists tend to overfeed which leads to less healthy fish and poorer water quality. I'd wax on here, but the article says it all.