Constructing a caresheet for 1 month vacation

I'm going on a vacation soon for the winter, lasting about 1 month going back to my home country. Currently I have 2 small tanks: 5.5 G with guppies, ghost shrimps, and a snail; 3.5 G with betta and ghost shrimps. I plan to have an apartment neighbour take care of them while I'm away, and I need some advice on what to point out:

• Feeding I deem to be most important since I need to limit on the amount of feeding. I plan to ration out the crushed pellets so that it's easier to identify how much to put.
• Light I probably just time with the feeding so it's also not as intrusive to my neighbour's time.
• Water changes is the one I most worry about, since both tanks are small tanks so they get changed often. I have a bucket and gravel vac I usually use to drain and clean, but I'm unsure on how to instruct them. Possibly give a small demonstration with draining and water conditioner.
• I also will point out on contacting me if they have problems or questions.

For their experience, I would guess not much. They have a betta but it lives in a bowl with a plant, so there's not much care that they already know.

Any advice on what I should add to the caresheet? Also any guess on suitable payment since they will be taking care of the tanks for a month? (I was thinking on some cash and a small upgrade to their bowl with a filter that I'm not using)

 

Personally I would seriously underfeed the fish with such small tanks. Leave instructions to only feed every other day or 3 times a week or so, get some betta pellets for the betta and write down the exact number to feed every time -- for the guppies, maybe instruct "1 flake per feeding"? Not sure how many there are.
Anyways, I would play it safe and give them very little, adult fish can go without food for two weeks without serious issues so feeding only a couple times a week should be able to stretch that to a month without any trouble, then you can just feed them a little extra for the first two weeks when you get back.
That also makes it easier on the neighbours since they won't have to visit every single day.
Wouldn't a 3.5 and a 5.5 be easier to change with a cup than having your neighbours suck on the siphon and potentially swallow tank water or accidentally flood your floor? It won't take more than 20 minutes per tank even in that scenario, since the tanks are so small.
If they have a betta in a bowl, they should know how to use conditioner at the very least, right? I would just skip vacuuming for until you return, make it as simple as possible.

And tell them to remove any dead fish found immediately and count the guppies every time they feed them so they'll know immediately when one is missing and prevent a tank wipeout from a decaying dead fish. Not a pleasant topic but better than not saying anything.

 

get 4 of those 7 day pill containers fill with just small pinches of food and tell them to split what's in there between the tanks for each day. As far as payment reward them with a 3.5 or 5 gallon kit and if you have plants add them to their tank when u return.

 

As far as payment reward them with a 3.5 or 5 gallon kit and if you have plants add them to their tank when u return.

+ your idea of gifting a filter...


Unless they explicitly expressed wanting these items these could be really inappropriate gifts because they can be taken by your neighbours as you implying that their care for their own fish is bad i.e. as an insult. I understand that you mean well but from experience, don't gift people "upgrades" unless they asked for them or you know they want them and their only hurdle is a lack of financial means.

 

Thanks Pascal, that's a great idea! I'll see how much to ration then.

Gonna see if they would like a tank or not, just unsure how to ask them. At the very least I want to give them some frogbits because mine has slowly grown to an excess, but they look pretty cool.

 

Get one of those auto feeders and have them visit once a week for 50% water changes.

 

If they have a betta in a bowl, they should know how to use conditioner at the very least, right?

The last time I looked at their setup, it's just a fishbowl with a plastic plant on the bedside table. Talked to them and they just feed and change the water, but as far as I know no conditioner. Probably just gonna say follow instructions on the bottle for the conditioner.

 

I'm going on a vacation soon for the winter, lasting about 1 month going back to my home country. Currently I have 2 small tanks: 5.5 G with guppies, ghost shrimps, and a snail; 3.5 G with betta and ghost shrimps. I plan to have an apartment neighbour take care of them while I'm away, and I need some advice on what to point out:

• Feeding I deem to be most important since I need to limit on the amount of feeding. I plan to ration out the crushed pellets so that it's easier to identify how much to put.
• Light I probably just time with the feeding so it's also not as intrusive to my neighbour's time.
• Water changes is the one I most worry about, since both tanks are small tanks so they get changed often. I have a bucket and gravel vac I usually use to drain and clean, but I'm unsure on how to instruct them. Possibly give a small demonstration with draining and water conditioner.
• I also will point out on contacting me if they have problems or questions.

For their experience, I would guess not much. They have a betta but it lives in a bowl with a plant, so there's not much care that they already know.

Any advice on what I should add to the caresheet? Also any guess on suitable payment since they will be taking care of the tanks for a month? (I was thinking on some cash and a small upgrade to their bowl with a filter that I'm not using)

What a nice neighbor!
You might actually have the neighbor do a water change/vac on each tank with your assistance rather than just showing him/her. Then if your neighbor has any problems/questions you are actually the and can help. Also, another thing I always consider when taking extended trips: Plan B. If your neighbor became ill or had an out of town emergency, you'll want to have a backup both for his/her Peace of mind and yours. Some fish stores (not usually the franchises or chain stores) will 'tank-sit' for a fee. With small tanks, it would be easy to just take the whole thing to the store. One LFS in town has all sizes of clean tanks they set up at a moment's notice and can adjust parameters if necessary-including saltwater fish, and freshwater fish used to low pH and RO water systems. You might check that out too as a possible contingency plan.
A couple of ideas:
Pill dispensers make great daily food portion containers. (I've used large ones with daily treat allowances for my dogs when I've been out of town)
OR
A measuring spoon that holds exactly one feeding portion of food (like a 1/8 teaspoon for the guppys) makes it easier for a caretaker not to over or underfeed your fish.
Good luck and safe trip!

 

Have never done fish before but have done pet sitters with 4 dogs 3 cats up to a dozen rodents and a horse, some with some serious medical issues. The easier you can make this the better, meal preping is a great idea, make sure it's obvious who gets what food, write their names on it. If the fish don't have names at least give the tanks names and maybe each species a group name(the punnier the better), helps anthropomorphize them in the petsitter's mind so they feel more attachment to them, also makes it easier when they text you to say something is up.

How bad would it be if they didn't condition the water every change? That sounds like the most complicated part and if you can cut that out or reduce the frequency then that would make it easier. If you can make it sound like the conditioner is a medication of some sort, people who might not go out their way to treat the water when it works fine as is for their fish wouldn't dream of not giving something their medication. Demonstration is a million times better than saying "follow the bottle", unless the process is long one(more than 10 minutes). If it is long then a verbal walkthrough while holding up all supplies and miming pouring or whatever.

As far as payment the rule I use for long term is a dollar per minute I expect them to spend in the house, minimum $5 a day(these are Texas prices, you may want to adjust for the local economy). Offer the filter after you get home with a "oh since you have fish, would you be interested in this old thing I'm not using, otherwise it's going on craigslist." Not as a payment will be $x and a filter sorta thing but as an additional thank you gift for doing such a good job.

 

Thanks for the advice!

I'll try to show them next weekend, along with the sheet.

I'll probably try to find a backup in my uni's fish club and see if anybody is interested in fish-sitting.

 

Personally I would seriously underfeed the fish with such small tanks. Leave instructions to only feed every other day or 3 times a week or so, get some betta pellets for the betta and write down the exact number to feed every time -- for the guppies, maybe instruct "1 flake per feeding"? Not sure how many there are.
Anyways, I would play it safe and give them very little, adult fish can go without food for two weeks without serious issues so feeding only a couple times a week should be able to stretch that to a month without any trouble, then you can just feed them a little extra for the first two weeks when you get back.
That also makes it easier on the neighbours since they won't have to visit every single day.
Wouldn't a 3.5 and a 5.5 be easier to change with a cup than having your neighbours suck on the siphon and potentially swallow tank water or accidentally flood your floor? It won't take more than 20 minutes per tank even in that scenario, since the tanks are so small.
If they have a betta in a bowl, they should know how to use conditioner at the very least, right? I would just skip vacuuming for until you return, make it as simple as possible.

And tell them to remove any dead fish found immediately and count the guppies every time they feed them so they'll know immediately when one is missing and prevent a tank wipeout from a decaying dead fish. Not a pleasant topic but better than not saying anything.

I agree with PascalKrypt. In your situation a buildup of toxins is the threat, especially with the smaller tanks. If I was going away for a month, I'd want to feed as little as possible to keep them alive and healthy. That would lessen strain on the water change schedule. Portion out everything you want someone else to feed your fish.

I haven't done this, but here's what I'd probably do. I'm interested to hear other ideas.

Start feeding less before you leave. Do a big water change before you go. Portion out very small amounts of food to be fed every three days. Have the person do a water test after two weeks. If levels are low keep on the schedule til you get back.

 

Put your lights on timers. There’s a good chance they won’t show up a few times. Skipping a feeding is no big deal but leaving the lights on is no good. I agree with rationing out the food. I used to do that while I was gone. It worked well and it’s no thought then. Also keep in mind they likely won’t do water changes. Think the worst of people.