xSweeneyx

I'll be driving up in the mountains this coming weekend, to stay in a cabin for 3 days. The problem is, I have platy fry that need water changes frequently (the stinking filter doesn't seem to do much.....Anyone have any suggestions for a new filter?), and need to be fed frequently. Would an automatic feeder be a good investment? Or perhaps the weekend feeder things? (I have no idea how either of them work, so...)
None of my neighbors have fish, so I'm not sure if they'll know what to do and all....:/

Any ideas?

Laelanna

I have heard the automatic feeders work well. I have never been crazy about the weekend feeders. I guess I just worry about what is being released in my water.

Lucy

I've heard bad things about the weekend feeders, I wouldn't trust them.
Hopefully someone whose had experience with them will be along to help you.

Ghostfish

If it weren't such a short notice you could go with an automatic brine shrimp hatchery. It would be perfect for your situation. Here is what one looks like:

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod...7mLQis4cgbKQ__

xSweeneyx

I guess the automatic feeder will just have to do :/
Unless, do you think maybe, if I put them in a 10 gal, and gave them a large portion of food before I leave (and do a water change) that they would be able to eat the food for 3 days? I know the food would get kindof gross, and its not the best option but...

Chief_waterchanger

Large portion of food wouldn't do well, because it would raise the ammonia in your tank.

The fry, if in an established tank, should be fine. They would eat algae and microfauna in the tank. If you have other tanks with algae or decorations you can pop some of the decorations into the new tank and let them graze for the 3 days.

We've had fry go that long without food and do alright.

xSweeneyx

Hmm, I don't have any algae in any of my tanks it seems.
So I can just leave them without food for three days and they'll be fine? If thats the case, I needn't have worried...

I'm just worried that I'm going to come home to a tank of dead fry...I've had one or two die off in the last few days, and I've raised them for about 3 weeks already. Some of them died off in the first few days, but shouldn't they be pretty strong by now? I can't think of whats wrong....so thats why I'm worrying.

Anyways, maybe I'll just have to get a automatic feeder anyways xD
Hmm...

pepetj

If you have a good neighbor who you can trust -hopefuly one that takes good care of a pet, teach him/her how you want your fry to be fed (I did this with my elder sister, who cares for her dogs and cat, and even though she had no experience with fish she fed all my tanks accordingly). To prevent overfeeding, emphasize that it would likely harm them -even kill them.

Just do a partial (30-40%) water change and substrate vacuum, minutes before you leave and be ready to do another one upon arrival.

Please, don't change that stinking filter -stinking may be good not bad-, even if it is not removing solids, it is likely holding beneficial bacteria, don't even rinse it; if you want to add a filter do it without removing the old one. In fry tanks you need to consider not using filters that could suck the little fishies through the water intake, most fry safe filters I know are usually biological filters (sponges) with air flowing through from an airpump.

Hope this info is helpful for you

Pepe
Santo Domingo