Holidays

[CrystalClear16]

The holiday season is on it's way and I am curious to know how people look after their tanks while they are away.

I am off for a week next month and it will be the first time I have left my tank on it's own for longer than a weekend. I have 6 clown loaches, 3 platys and a couple of neons. It is a 50L tank (yes I know the clowns will outgrow it). My plan is to do a 50% water change the day before we leave, switch off the lights but leave everything else running. As for food, I am not sure if one of those 7 day feeder pyramids would be ok, or if I should look at a holiday feeder. Unfortunatly no one lives close enough to feed them every day but I might be able to persuade someone to check in.

So how do you make sure your fish will be ok on your return?

 

[simonas]

having always kept tropical I;ve always been happy to leave them however I go for a week in couplle of weeks and panicking about my marine tank

 

[GAB99]

my ROT is big meal before leaving and they'll be good for 2 weeks, i have never been gone that long so i havent had to worry about feeding, but if i do ill get some one to feed them every 3 days with pre layed out food in a medicine organizer with the days marked.


for marine id say maybe half it just to be safe, in a wierd circumstance neither me or my father fed the clown for 1 week, showed no signs and greedily ate when we figured out they werent fed.

 

[CrystalClear16]

Seems I just have seperation issues

Mojo - apologies if this is a silly questions, but what do you mean by ROT? And what type of clown was it? A loach?

I am curious to know how long my fish could go without being fed, though obviously I don't want to risk an experiment - and certainly not while I am away and unable to moniter!

 

[Tolak]

Healthy adult fish can easily go for 2 weeks without being fed, I've had them go double that.

 

[fishnovice]

Healthy adult fish can easily go for 2 weeks without being fed, I've had them go double that.

You let your fish starve for a month!
Free safe holiday food for live bearers, goldfish and plecs:
Half a small potato micowaved for 1 minute
Slice of courgette held down with a teaspoon or Screwcumber
Fish love healthy fresh veg and it gives then something to nibble while you're away. Sorted!

 

[Tolak]

You let your fish starve for a month!

Ever worked with an eggbound female cichlid?

 

[CrystalClear16]

Hmmm interesting. So is it better to give them a holiday feeder, a pyramid block or just not feed them for a week?

 

[gbailey141]

ROT is rule of thumb. I would personally feed them before you go and not worry about it for a week. Some of these 7 day food tablets can turn the tank very messy and are more hassle than they are worth. You're fish will be fine for a week. Have a good holiday!

Gav

 

[GAB99]

Seems I just have seperation issues

Mojo - apologies if this is a silly questions, but what do you mean by ROT? And what type of clown was it? A loach?

I am curious to know how long my fish could go without being fed, though obviously I don't want to risk an experiment - and certainly not while I am away and unable to moniter!

yeah gbailey got it ROT= rule of thumb

and when i meant clowns i was referring to my clownfish aka nemo , was referring to simoas lol

 

[IAmATeaf]

I'm starting to worry about this too, I'm off for around 4 weeks in July and non of my friend, or should I say so called friends have expressed an interest in popping over every few days to do a feed. My neighbour used to previously but after a fish died whilst in her care she now flatly refuses.

 

[CrystalClear16]

No family members you could call on?

 

[IAmATeaf]

No family members you could call on?

I'm currently trying to convince my brother in-law/sister in-law who don't live that far away, have told them they only need to come round every 2-3 days so hopefully they'll agree.

 

[TheHolding]

Buy an automatic fish feeder!

I can't get away with not feeding mine for a week the puffer fish have big apertite and will see my other fish as food!

So I got an automatic feeder, not used it yet mind!

 

[Truck]

It is a week, the fish will be fine, I only feed mine when I remember, after all do you think they get fed it on a plate in the wild? No.