divakeeks

I am starting a new job on Monday where my boys will be alone all day. I need some help on how to change their schedule to accommodate my new hours.


Right now there schedule is as follows:

Lights on at 8 am.
Food at 11am.
Food at 7pm.
Lights off at 10 pm.

I will be working from 7:30 am to 4 pm. I will have to leave the house at 6:30 am and I'll be home at 5 pm.


How can I change their schedule without causing too much stress to them yet giving them the same care they need. I have someone to take care of them for me (brother-in-law is visiting) for the first week but since I am going to need to change their schedule I'd rather them get used to it while he's here. I have considered an auto feeder for feeding time but I'm not sure I trust them. I've never used one but I wouldn't want it malfunctioning and feeding them too much food.


Any suggestions/comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

poefox

Maybe I'm missing something but it seems like you'd just turn the lights on an hour earlier and off earlier. They won't mind that much. Sometimes I've missed schedule altogether and the fish could care less. The wonderful thing about fish is that you are in absolute control of their environment.

Boxermom

For the lights, you can get an inexpensive timer at pretty much any store that sells hardware and wiring (KMart, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, etc.). Just feed before you go to work and after you come home.

divakeeks

No, you aren't missing something. I was asking about the feeding because I think I read somewhere on the forum that you are supposed to feed an hour AFTER the lights get turned on. If I turn them on at 6:30 am I won't be home to feed them since that is when I have to leave.



Perhaps I am making this more complicated than it needs to be. I just don't want to disrupt their schedule too much if I don't have to.



I'm sure I'll think of something. Thanks!

Gwenz

I feed my fish before I go to school every morning at around 8ish and when I get home at 4. The lights are on a timer and come on at 10am and go off at 8:30pm.

Put the lights on a timer, it should work and they won't mind changing the hours of feeding too much ither.

Gwenz

divakeeks

Yeah, I already have the lights on a timer so I'll just let them come on when they usually do and I'll just feed them before I leave.


Are we sure they don't need lights on before they eat?

chickadee

I never leave my lights on more than 12 hours a day because there will eventually be an algae problem if I do. Plants and fish need 8 - 10 hours of light but over 12 and the algae has a hay day. Lights come on at 7 am here and the food comes out at 7:15 am. I do not subscribe to the "wait an hour" notion and have never had a problem. Then they eat again at 5 pm or so (give or take 30 minutes) and lights are off at 7 pm. Lights are on timers so there is no variation on them, feeding happens when they see me. They are surprisingly resilient when it comes to changing times, just not changing amounts or types of food. The automatic feeder would be a disaster I believe. They need some human contact during the day even if it is later or earlier than they have been used to. Bettas are lonely fish and they will suffer more from not having some contact with you SOMETIME during the day than when it is.

I hope that is helpful in some way.

Rose

divakeeks

Yes, that does help me. Thank you!


I am going to reset the timers and start their new food schedule tomorrow. I am sure like you say that as long as they get their food they won't much care WHEN it comes .. just that it does! :-) I'm going to miss being at home with them all the time but it will just make the time I do get to spend with them more special.


Thanks again to everyone.

inari

the only issue you may or may not have is your betta getting mad at you for feeding them later than usual Inari would rip my finger off if he could lol anyway I also do not subscribe to the hr after light consider that I get up about 6:30 the sun is already up and he's starved so maybe there are loop holes lol but just feed them their normal amounts and they will love you forever but like it has been mentioned the auto feeder would be a disaster, if it malfunctioned ur betta would have an all you can eat buffet and we all know how that would turn out it isn't pretty ever. and two like someone else said they really do get lonely when there is virtually no human interaction.