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amirnezhad
03-04-2003, 01:29 AM
Hi,

I have a bad problem :(
What do you do with your fishes if you have to go to business trip for at least 2 weeks?
Please tell me what I have to do for this long time?

Ralph
03-04-2003, 08:01 AM
Luckily, I've never had to leave my fish for that long but this is my understanding of the situation. The problem is not the food really, adult discus can go about a month without food and still be OK. It's lack of water changes that is the problem. Stop feeding your discus 24 hours before you leave, then do a major water change right before you go.
This is second hand info so if anyone knows different, please speak up.

dm
03-04-2003, 08:30 AM
It is really best if you can get someone you trust to take care of them while you are gone.

roclement
03-04-2003, 09:46 AM
Hello, I was away for 1 week and just came back, I did have someone to feed the fish while I was gone, so that was not a problem.

My biggest concern was the water changes...what I did was plan ahead so I matured some sponges in a separate tank and added them to my tanks as redundant filtration...2 #4 hydros per 55g tank, on top of the existing filtration.

It worked well for me, I had no issues with fish loss, and my parameters were fine wen I returned. Hope this helps.

Rod

arpanlib
03-04-2003, 01:22 PM
hi,
normally i feed a lot before i go......... i.e. a week before i leave i feed excessively. they eat it all, till 24 hours before leaving.

when i am about to leave, i do a massive water change and start the water changer system (or whatever you call it. - a drip system.) its a system which does 2 gallon per hour of water change. at this time i connect the changer to a tap which has well water, which is hard, but of the same paras. as i keep them in well water mixed with RO, its not much of an change for the fish. its like RO 25% and rest is well water........ so i dont see a big change there.

the fish are fine all the time and it has worked for about 18 days.......... this is the longest time i have ever been out at a stretch.

as for food - i set the automatic dispenser at the least feeding programme. its like once a day with the least pellets dropping in the tank. i know that only some of the fish will get it and some wont, but another day or some day the others will get atleast one pellet......... something is better than nothing.

and for all - if you can get some one for you to look after the fish....... its great.

hope it helps.

arpanlib

Don_Lee
03-04-2003, 02:31 PM
It is much more important to feed juvenile fish regularly as opposed to adults. So, if your fish are juvenile, I would try to find someone who could come over and feed them for you. You could always fill some containers with what you want fed ahead of time so that the "fishkeeper" does not under/over feed the fish. Also, there are automatic feeders that work well for dry/flake foods. I have an Eheim unit that can be programmed to feed up to 4 times a day.
If your fish are adults they will manage a period of not eating much better than juveniles.

HTH,

Don ;D

Harriett
03-04-2003, 02:50 PM
I just returned yesterday from a 12 day trip out of town. I have 9 juvenile discus (6-9 months old). I did a massive water change the morning I left town and a massive water change last night. I luckily had a willing though inexperienced person around to do a bit of the care and what I set up was a light feed once a day and cleaning the prefilter pads on my wet/dry every other day while I was gone. They still look like they grew some! The tank certainly looked ready for a cleaning but the fish look good and seem to have made it through ok. I plan to do another big water change tonight just to clear out any soup remaining. I think the light or no feed cycle and pre/post massive water changes that everyone suggests are the way to go. These guys are pretty hearty. Good luck to you!
Harriett

amirnezhad
03-05-2003, 05:20 PM
Thanks everybody,

I can not find anybody that I can trust him to take care of my fishes, but my fishes are juvenile and I can not feed them for this long time :(
Is there any good idea about any kind of auto feeders that I can use for feed my fishes when I leave them?
and about water change: I have a 80 gallon tank that I use it for 4 juvenile fishes and I tink if I change whole water before I leave, maybe there is no problem until I come back, Is there any kind of filters that I can use it for this time that can make some good result?

Thanks

Richman
03-06-2003, 12:36 AM
How large are your juvenile fish? A 3 inch fish can get by better than a 1 inch fish.
I have left my fish for as long as 12 days with no problem. Just stopped feeding at least 24 hours before leaving, did a massive water change just before walking out the door, and came back 12 days later to a tank full of hungry but healthy fish. Did immediate water change when I came back. Never had a fish to starve. Some folks like to feed with an automatic feeder and have someone care for the water periodically. However, if you have absolutely no way for any of the water to be changed, I think you are taking a big risk to feed while you are gone. If the water goes bad, the fish can die in a hurry. Two weeks is a very long time to feed regularly with an automatic feeder and no water changes.

amirnezhad
03-06-2003, 09:33 AM
Thanks Richman,

I heared some good news today :), My trip changes and now I have to go the trip for 8 days and I will be back after that time so I think I have to stop feeding 24 hours before I leave and have a complete water change before walking out the door.
Is there any other idea? Please tell me what you think?

glo
03-06-2003, 10:59 AM
Don't know that I heard "complete" water change in massive. I don't know the percentage s I am new here myself but I think it would be helpful to know what percentage is meant by massiv ewater change. Are we talking 50% 75% etc.

Maybe we are talking 100 % seems a bit much to me but if the filter is well cycled and with extra sponge filter etc might do ok. jmho

glo

Richman
03-06-2003, 08:44 PM
I do 80 to 90 percent water changes with stable water. Just make sure the ph is stable (aged) and the temp is right.

Darren
03-07-2003, 11:16 AM
I'm going to be gone for 7 days here shortly. I don't have anyone I trust to do water changes so there will be none. I do have someone who can come over to feed while I am out. Is it better to just do the heavy w/c right before I leave and not have anyone feed or have them feed lightly while I am out? If you think a light feeding is better, how often and what kind is the least polluting to the water, tetra bits, flakes, frozen blood worms, frozen BS, Beefheart or CBW?

Thanks,

Darren

Richman
03-08-2003, 12:20 AM
Every other day with tetra color bits. I think they will foul less than others. If you have someone feed make sure they don't overfeed. It is strange that sometimes folks will throw a lot of food in the water if they don't think they are going to feed for a day or two. Fish will eat only what they normally eat at once. The other food won't keep till later. It just fouls the water and kills the fish. If you feed and 10 minutes later, there is still uneaten food, you have fed too much in this situation. Just tell them to feed lightly each time and only do it every other day or so. The fish won't be harmed. If you aren't certain that someone will do it right while you are gone, don't feed at all.