2 weeks holiday and Rams

[steve b]

Okay for those who can get away for 2 weeks how do you leave your fish to cope without you? Pairs, pairs with fry, grow outs? getting someone in not an option.

[jwcarlson]

I've left my discus for a week without an issue. I'd be worried about leaving for even a week with anything that's actively with fry or fry growing out. That's a pretty long time. Fry need to be fed quite a bit.

[steve b]

Thanks, I think any fry will be lost, it's not like they will feed off the parents. I'ts either that or not keep them.

[CliffsDiscus]

For my adults and grow out they are on auto fish feeders. Usually I would know when my vacation starts in advance, so either I keep breeding if there are hobbyist that are interested in taking the fry off my hands or stop breeding altogether for 6 months before vacation. There is a catch the free fry are return to me as adults next year, not all of the fry but maybe 6 adults out of a few hundreds. This works out for me as I really don't have the space for grow outs. Last thing you don't want is to be stuck with fry before going on vacation.

[brewmaster15]

Okay for those who can get away for 2 weeks how do you leave your fish to cope without you? Pairs, pairs with fry, grow outs? getting someone in not an option.

Without a helper while gone away fry wont survive and if they do they will not be worth raising.

Adult fish can usually go a week.with no food or care.. 2 weeks is pushing it and rams are different than discus in this regard. With their higher metabolism I would not attempt 2 weeks no food.

I'm curious though Steve. When you say "getting someone in is not an.option" why is that?

[steve b]

Trust.

I would put in what they call holiday block which can last a week or a two week version. May be invest in an auto feeder. they will not be over crowded so water quality should be okay, just have to tell them no hanky panky before I go....

[brewmaster15]

Trust.

Understandable. I don't have anyone I will trust with my fishes water changes, but I have a pet sitter that comes by for the cats daily and I have had good luck with her feeding Baby fish. I just pre weigh the food in small bags and label it clearly. Out pet sitter is a vet tech from our local vets office. I figure if I can trust her with my best buds while away , feeding the fish should be easy enough.

al