Holiday Travel guide

[brewmaster15]

A quick search of the forum will turn up many threads and posts on how to best care for your discus while traveling. I thought maybe an updated discussion on what members here actually do. Tips and secrets etc. How do you prepare for your trip and what steps do you take while away? Do you have sitter? Water changer? Do you feed or fast? Di you keep lights off?

Going away can be a pretty daunting process if you have critters to worry about. Im sure we all have been in that position... "Going away? Now what do I do about the fish?"

Al

[Second Hand Pat]

For me with adults I stop feeding 48 hours before I leave. The day before I leave I do a large water change/vacuum and leave the lights off. For fry I had my son-in-law Mike feed and do water changes every other day.
Pat

[Discus Fever]

When we leave on vacations I usually have my son or someone else staying at the house because I have 2 dogs as well. I have them take care of the dogs and fish.

[Willie]

I change water.

Unless you have someone who is an experienced fish feeder do the feeding, it's always been a disaster. E.V.E.R.Y.T.I.M.E.

[brewmaster15]

I do like Pat pretty much. When I have fry I have our pet sitter feed them. In the case of the pet sitter feeding fry I literally make baggies for each tank for each day. Our pet sitter is very competitent. She takes care of our cats,chickens, tortoises as well as our axolotls and fish when needed... but I do not trust anyone to change water here and Only feed fry and axolotl larvae as per exact portions.

[Charlyc11]

I prep petri dishes with measured food for every tank. Our sitter is a mother and daughter team next door, the daughter feeds fish and helps out the mother with the 4 dogs, 2 cats and 1 turtle. She is also my groomer. Great people.

[CliffsDiscus]

I don't feed for 2 to 3 days before leaving, large water change day before. Any 1 to 2 weeks fry were transfer to Seto's Hatchery before when Bing had his hatchery or they were farm out to Lau, Wong and Yoshi. Also selected local Discus Study Group members got their share too. Their would always be some 2 inch left for Herman Chan. No one takes care of what is left at my operation, no feeding for 2 weeks, no water changes, light off, temp. 82.}

[Adamski77]

I trained the friend of mine to do water changes every third day… he actually does it more often than I do (I normally do twice a week)… but he is not yet trained on vacuuming the substrate so more water changes substitute for lack of vacuuming. This time is the longest as I’m for two weeks in Europe for Xmas… before he handled it well for up to 10 days with no issues (knock the wood). After arriving I do have little bit more work around plants, vacuuming and some algae but after week or two all is back to normal. What helps this time is that tank seem to be super fully cycled with no change in amount of fish inside. Getting video updates every time… so missing them less.