What Do You Do When You Leave For A Week?

[snowflake311]

I am going on a vacation camping trip we are taking the dogs so no need for a petsitter. I normally have my petsitter feed my tanks every few days. So this time I am just cleaning the tanks and leaving them alone.

I just wonder what others do?

 

[fluttermoth]

I would give the tank and filter a good clean a few days before I left (so I could check everything was working properly afterwards) and not feed while I was away.

Healthy, well fed fish can easily go for two weeks without food, so there's no reason to worry about them dying.

Leave your lights off, if they're not on a timer.

 

[KrystaK]

I normally just have a family member come check every other day or so and feed them (Depending on the family member I actually have to put the amount of food they're allowed to give in a pill box so they don't over feed)
I also clean the tank the day before I leave, even if I just cleaned it a day or two before.

 

[SchottayB]

Clean the tank a day or two before I will be going away then not feed them till I'm back.

Left them for 2 weeks at a time maybe 3-4 times a year and no deaths or problems as of yet.

 

[Teacher Martyn]

Now this is proving very interesting.

As a school teacher with a tank in my classroom I have often fretted as to what to do during the half-terms and Easter breaks.

On occasion, I've forgotten to get a feeding block and, halfway down the motorway to Cornwall or somesuch, have remembered and nearly had a heart attack.

They've always been alright on my return and I'll worry less now.

 

[StandbySetting]

I just leave them, no deaths using this method so far.

 

[KISSfn]

I would clean the tank, filters and do a 50% waterchange the day before. They should be fine a week without food.

 

[fluttermoth]

You don't want to do it the day before, just in case any problems crop up; unlikely, I know, but there's always that possibility.

 

[KISSfn]

Agree with fluttermoth!

 

[HAMBONE]

going camping in a couple weeks.. was planning on using feeder blocks, but now I am juss going to let em go..

 

[Dieses Madchen]

My sister watched my fish and feed them every 2 days. Gives her an excuse to play with my cats (which is the reason why someone NEEDS to look after my pets)

 

[NeonNeptune]

I have my sister feed them once a day if it is a long time. if not then I just feed them allot before I leave. they also have algae since most of my fish are live bearers.

 

[kcartwright856]

Fish are fine for a week, as most everyone agrees.

Feeder blocks are much more dangerous than leaving your fish without food for a few days. They have wiped out entire tanks.

 

[Teacher Martyn]

Fish are fine for a week, as most everyone agrees.

Feeder blocks are much more dangerous than leaving your fish without food for a few days. They have wiped out entire tanks.

Worst of all, however, is school decorators who unplug heaters during the holidays and don't plug them back in again.

Came back after Christmas hols to find all fish dead apart from a listing RTB shark. He's survived to terrorise another day.

 

[coldcazzie]

I'm another "poop patrol before I leave and no food for a week" person.

I do have someone come in to feed the cats once a day, so I ask them to keep a look out for bodies and remove them if they see any, but other than that they are under strict instructions not to touch the fishtank on pain of death.