Going on Holiday and fish care

HI everyone

We are going on holiday for a week at the end of the month, we have some one popping in to check and feed our fish once a day but I was wondering about the light on our tank. Does it matter if the light is off for a week? I can't set it to a timer as the light and filter are one 'system' with the on/off switch for the light being on the tank rather than on a separate plug. Thanks in advance.

Rachel

 

Won't hurt a thing for your lights to be off for a week. The fish can also go that long without feeding.
Carol

 

Thanks Carol. We can enjoy our holiday without worrying about the fish now!!
Rachel

 

A great suggestion (which I believe I got from this site) if you are going to have someone feed the fish, is to make up packets of food for them. Tell them to dump in 1 packet of food only no matter how fast the fish seem to eat it. Then you are assured that your fish are getting the right amount and not more then they (or the tank) need.

 

Exactly Liniyn You could also tape them to the tank you want the food to go into if your using different food.
Carol

 

That's a really good idea! thankyou x

 

I did that once when I was going to be gone for an extended period of time. My son had kept fish but didn't know what mine were used to getting when. I used the little snack size ziplock bags and labeled them feeding one, feeding 2 etc. and taped them to the tank I wanted it to go into and only had him feed them every 3-4 days. The idea is, it won't hurt them to go as long as a week without food, and if some thing goes wrong somebodies not adding food and the fish aren't adding waste to add to the problem. So easy does it on the food.
Carol

 

Hi! Last year when I went on holiday I only went for a week and just had my mums friend around 2ice during the week to check on the fish and feed them, but this year I'm going for a 2 week holiday, and my mums friend is dropping hints that she doesn't really want to come and feed them this year. :-\

What can I do?

I don't want to use those block things as I know they can make the water horrible, and I can't really afford to buy an automatic feeder. :-\

Any ideas?

Thanks

Gwenz

P.S. - I'm going mid/end June.

 

I have used the blocks and it wasn't too bad. I had to do that for Spring Break when I was in college. I think tetra makes a new Gel one that is plaster free. I have seen them at Petco and superpetz. Other than finding someone else, or starving the fish (which they would probably be ok) then I think the block is the best option.
You'll just have to do a water change when you come home.

 

yea ok thanks. I will keep a look out for the tetra gel ones.

Gwenz

 

I think the fish should go with you.. even fish need a holiday.

those feeding cubes/pyramids/(misc shapes) sound like the best option. it'll give your fish the least amount of time to go without food that's possible under the circumstances.

 

ok thanks for the tips, but my fish don't have a passport. :-\

Gwenz

 

ok thanks for the tips, but my fish don't have a passport. :-\
Gwenz

you're kidding?! your LPS doesn't sell fish passports? I find that very disappointing.

 

lol, me too! ;D

ok, I found the gel things, they are the tenth ones down. Are they the right ones?

I'm going to buy some otos soon as well, will they eat these as well?

thanks.

Gwenz

 

YUP- the Tetra Vacation ones, and maybe the Tetra Holiday ones

 

ok, I found the gel things, they are the tenth ones down. Are they the right ones?



I'm going to buy some otos soon as well, will they eat these as well?

thanks.

Gwenz

excellent searching! that's the perfect product for your holiday. I can hear the fish rejoicing now - "food food food food!"

 

lol thanks. Yea, so will the otos eat them too?

Also, would it be ok, to put one in the 7.5gall even though there is only 1 guppie in there?

Genie - Which tetra holiday ones? there are 2. The gel ones (9th down) or the sticks (7th down)?

thanks

Gwenz

 

the gel ones. And I don't know if the ottos would eat them. You might want to clip a leaf of lettus in there, but you risk it going bad. The tank with the guppy will get messy, and he will probably over eat, so I would be careful.

 

The tetra holiday gel ones say they are for coldwater, the vacation ones are for tropical.

Any tips for the one guppie then?

thanks

Gwenz

 

what is in your other tanks and can he take temporary housing in there? If it were me, I would either find someone else to stop in or just not worry about the one guppy. Because fish can live for a long time without food, but will kill themselves with overeating.

 

hmm yea. ok. I really need to find someone. :-\ Not sure who I could trust though. I don't really know anyone where I live. :-\

The guppie could go to the 15gall, but I don't really want to move him, he seems so happy where he is.

Gwenz ???

 

If you buy me a plane ticket, I'll stop by and feed your guppy for you. he probably would be better off in the 15g, then you'd have all the fish in 1 tank and the holiday feeder would be less likely to have anyone overeat. Just sit him down and explain the situation to him first.

 

lol. yeh. I might be able to find someone tho, hopefully.

If I can't, I think these might be better -

Even though the table shows "8 - 10 fish" "13 - 25" and "26+" fish I could just put less sticks in for Bruno (my guppie). What do you think?

It says 3 sticks for 8 - 10 fish which is what i'd put in the 15gall, but couldn't I just put 1 stick in the tank for the guppie? Do you think it would last him 2 weeks?

thanks, I just got the idea that they might be better because I could control how much i'd put in.

Gwenz

 

those do look like a good idea and I think a stick or even 1/2 of one would be good for the guppy the entire 2 weeks.

 

yea that's what I thought. My dad said half would be enough too. That's what is works out to be anyway.

I think I'll get these. Its better IMO!

Gwenz

 

those gels and sticks seem fab! the very thing! just be sure to do a big water change when you get back!! enjoy your hols!
tan

 

yh. thanks!

Gwenz

 

guys.....I have 280% overstcoked tank...which I been maintaining it smoothly since months....and fishes are quite happy and are doing good....
But I have to go out on holidays for 5 days.....I have bought this holiday food....its a cube once u left in water I will slowy release some small small amount after some time.....m not really sure that I should go for this have any one before used this kind of weekend food...???


14 gal tank---

7-neon tertas
4-cardinal tertras
4-rumy nose tetra
3-marble platy
2-honey gaurami
2-red platy
1-shrimp

 

Is it white and in the form of a pyramid? If so those course more harm then good. Someone on here lost a fish because of that kind of feeder. I have never used them but I don't think they are well like around here. Someone with a bit more knowledge about this kind of stuff will be around shortly,but for the mean time. I herd some nice stuff about

I have seen they at our local Wal-mart before and I bet you can find them at a big pet store like Petsmart or Petco. I will say now that I have not use this kind also. I don't travel much or for many day at one time.

Hope this helps

 

Is it white and in the form of a pyramid? If so those course more harm then good. Someone on here lost a fish because of that kind of feeder. I have never used them but I don't think they are well like around here. Someone with a bit more knowledge about this kind of stuff will be around shortly,but for the mean time. I herd some nice stuff about

I have seen they at our local Wal-mart before and I bet you can find them at a big pet store like Petsmart or Petco. I will say now that I have not use this kind also. I don't travel much or for many day at one time.

Hope this helps

This may have just been my experience, but I've lost 5 fish using those Tetra feeders that andy linked to. Not saying it would happen to you, just saying my experience. I think for 5 days, before I left I would do a big WC, feed them, and then feed them again when you get back. I think that they'd be alright. I've left my fish alone for 4 with no ill effects.

 

I believe if you're only going away for 5 days then your fish will be fine. Just be sure to feed them before you leave. Fish can go for quite a while without food.

actually I would wait for a little better detailed instruction, I'm not an expert on those types of fish so I don't know if aggression will increase without food.

 

Is it white and in the form of a pyramid? If so those course more harm then good. Someone on here lost a fish because of that kind of feeder. I have never used them but I don't think they are well like around here. Someone with a bit more knowledge about this kind of stuff will be around shortly,but for the mean time. I herd some nice stuff about

I have seen they at our local Wal-mart before and I bet you can find them at a big pet store like Petsmart or Petco. I will say now that I have not use this kind also. I don't travel much or for many day at one time.

Hope this helps

Yes it a white dome like thing.....I have kept it water since yesterday to check how it works....I can see it size reducing but I don't see anything coming out of it...a very slow dissolveng thing....btw how long can fish survive without food. Or I wll tell my friend to feed them once every alternate day during this 5 days.

 

I will let some one with a bit more experience help you.

I think that they will ok for 5 days but then as I said in my other post, I have not left my fish for more than a day.

 

For 5 days, I'd recommend not using a feeder and especially not one of those old-school feeders.. they can really do a tank a lot of harm even one not overstocked. Plus, if you're not there to maintain the water and do water changes, they'd be better off without food for that time.

 

I'm going on holiday next month for a week. Will my fish be ok if I get my sister to come and feed them once in the middle of the week? My cat is going to stay at my mums but I can't take the fish there too! I have a betta, 2 neon tetras, 5 harlequin rasboras and two zebra nerite snails.

Thanks

 

Do a water change before you leave, and they'll be fine all week without feeding. They can go a good two weeks with no ill effects assuming they have been getting proper nutrition until then. You might want to have her check and make sure everything is running as it's supposed to (filter & heater on, no sick fish, etc) but other than that, you're probably good.

 

Thanks. What percentage water change do you suggest before I leave?

 

I would do like a 50 but that's me...enough to get your nitrate down around 20 or less and clean out any solid waste from your tank. I think there's actually an article on pre-trip prep around here somewhere...lemme see if I can find it.

 

Ok thanks.

 

Here it is!
https://www.fishlore.com/vacationaquarium.htm