Vacation time - how to feed, IF to feed?

[shoggoth43]

I'll be heading off to Colorado in preparation for a possible move out there. I'm expecting to be out there for 7-10 days. I've got 5 juvi/sub adults. Can they be left alone for that time or am I going to be much better off boarding them at the LFS? Maybe an automated feeder? I have other stuff going on at the house so it's not likely anyone will be able to get to them. The other tank has cories, tetras, and shrimp, I'm thinking they can be fed by a vacation feeder but maybe that's not a good idea either?

If I head off to CO permanently, are they likely to survive a trip from Massachusetts, or would I be better off trying to ship them, or should I just sell them off instead? They're finally at a point where they aren't freaking out and are coming to the glass.

-
S

[Ardan]

Do a large wc before you go (75% or more), very light daily feeding (with auto feeder) if at all, then do a lg wc when you get home.

As far as moving, if you can set up a tank at the new place and ship overnight, that would work. If you are driving from Massachusetts, I don't think it would work.

hth
Ardan

[hedut]

I leave for one month last year, they ok but make sure before you leave change 100% water and when you come back change 100% water :D:D:D


hendri

[rich815]

I leave for one month last year, they ok but make sure before you leave change 100% water and when you come back change 100% water :D:D:D


hendri

They had no food for a month?

[Eddie]

I do as Ardan suggested, one small feeding daily of flake from an autofeeder. One major cleaning before I go, with a 100% water change......wait.......I do that everyday. LOL


Take care,

Eddie

[rich815]

I do as Ardan suggested, one small feeding daily of flake from an autofeeder. One major cleaning before I go, with a 100% water change......wait.......I do that everyday. LOL


Take care,

Eddie

I'm looking for an auto feeder for my 6 discus while I'm away for 5-6 days. Any suggestions of brand, model?

[hedut]

They had no food for a month?



Yes no food for month (they look skinny) but after that like I mention before same day when I arrive back to States I do 100% WC and feed them 5 - 9 time a day for week than they good again:D:D:D

Again as always Eddie mention WATER IS THE KEY

hendri

[Eddie]

I'm looking for an auto feeder for my 6 discus while I'm away for 5-6 days. Any suggestions of brand, model?

Eheim 3581, easy and will run until the batteries die. Easy go for 6+ months before you have to change the batteries. You will just have to fill it back up with flake or pellets when it runs out.

http://www.amazon.com/Eheim-Feed-Air-Fish-Feeder-Everyday/dp/B0002AQY8A

I know another member got this same feeder off ebay, but it was advertised as "every day turtle feeder". She got it for half the price too!

Eddie

[jerbear]

I ordered a few from the below link last week.. Best price I seen online with the exception of the Turtle feeder on ebay.. :)

http://www.fishsupply.com/s5frl-03581.html

[Disgirl]

Thanks jerbear, I just ordered one, have been looking for one at a good price!
Barb :)

[silent_thunder]

I have to leave for at least 10 days...I have a brother in San Diego who is very ill and it seems like I am the only one willing to go help him.

He has had lung cancer as well as prosrate...

That all being said...I am worried about my fish...can you set the Eheim Digital Automatic feeder #3581 to feed once a day? I know it will feed 8 times a day but thats not going to be reasonable...if not

WHat other kind of feeder can I find that will feed once daily...

One thing after another `ey...

But I am soooooooooo blessed to go help him ...besides its a full moon on my b-day soooooooooo I can stalk the grunnion!

Thanks alot people...

D

[Eddie]

Yes, the 3581 will feed once a day. You just program to that time, one turn instead of 2 and thats it. Easy as pie. ;)

Eddie

[mmorris]

Sorry to hear about your brother, D.

[Peachtree Discus]

with any autofeeder, be sure to let it run for a couple of days so that you can make sure the amount fed is appropriate. I'm not sure about the eheim, but that was an issue we a different autofeeders that i had. yea, very sorry to hear about your bro.

[DiscusOnly]

I recently went on a 9 days vacation and didn't feed or change the water for 10 days on all my tank. I was originally going to leave the auto feeder on but a few suggestions here sway me to just not feed them.

I came back and the water params were fine and all the tanks did well except for the planted tank (not a discus issue).

I highly recommend doing a large WC the day before and just not feed after that. I added 18"x18"x4" sponge filter to each tank 1 months prior to help establish a good bio.

As for the feeder. If you use the eheim or simliar, use a piece of tape to tape the opening. I doubt that they will get move but I handle mine quite a bit and I don't want it accidently move.

[silent_thunder]

I recently went on a 9 days vacation and didn't feed or change the water for 10 days on all my tank. I was originally going to leave the auto feeder on but a few suggestions here sway me to just not feed them.

I came back and the water params were fine and all the tanks did well except for the planted tank (not a discus issue).

I highly recommend doing a large WC the day before and just not feed after that. I added 18"x18"x4" sponge filter to each tank 1 months prior to help establish a good bio.

As for the feeder. If you use the eheim or simliar, use a piece of tape to tape the opening. I doubt that they will get move but I handle mine quite a bit and I don't want it accidently move.

Thats almost what I am thinking about doing...

My son can feed my tropicals but I dont know if I can trust him feeding discus and making water changes...

They are all juvies so they will LIKE me when I return LOL...finally.

[Eddie]

Thats almost what I am thinking about doing...

My son can feed my tropicals but I dont know if I can trust him feeding discus and making water changes...

They are all juvies so they will LIKE me when I return LOL...finally.

If they are juvenile fish, I would definitely feed them once a day at least Dan.

Hope brother is gonna be okay and both take care,

Eddie

[silent_thunder]

If they are juvenile fish, I would definitely feed them once a day at least Dan.

Hope brother is gonna be okay and both take care,

Eddiethanks Eddie...

is one feeding a day going to be enough?

having him do water changes kinaa bugs me... i know he can do it BUT...if he makes any mistakes...dead fish could be the result...

whats your thoughts...

thx about my brother...He will be in good hands...i was a hospice volunteer for 5 yrs

[Eddie]

I think once a day is better than none a day, especially with juveniles. The water changes, not too sure. You may have to walk him through it and then talk to him on the phone while he does it. Best not to just throw the ball into his court if he hasn't done it before. :o

Eddie

[silent_thunder]

I think once a day is better than none a day, especially with juveniles. The water changes, not too sure. You may have to walk him through it and then talk to him on the phone while he does it. Best not to just throw the ball into his court if he hasn't done it before. :o

Eddie

I just ordered a coupleEheim 3581 feeders...they may as well be fed daily more than once...

It will be a great experience for my son to take on the task and theres no reason he can`t...

I am going to give him a few aquariums, he just does not know it yet...unless he kills my fish he wont need to worry about much cuz I may strangle him LOL

Thanks Eddie

[DonMD]

I've had great luck with those Eheim feeders, they are very reliable. The only issue I've had is when I knock them in the water!:mad:

I've dried them out completely and they work again, but one groans a lot.

My wife got some sticky velcro, and I've velcroed the feeder body to the glass cover, to help keep clumsy hands from inadvertantly knocking it in!:p

-Don

[frenchie100]

Another thing you might consider is turning the lights off the whole time.

That's what I did after Al suggested it to me. It apparently slows down their metabolism, so they have less of a need for food.

I was gone for 12 days. Had the eheim autofeeder set to one light feeding a day. I set the light timer to turn on just for one hour during that feeding.

I also had the petsitter put some Prime in their every 4 days. I had tried not doing daily wcs on my tank before my trip to see how my water parameters looked and after 4 days i ws getting 20ppm reading on nitrates. That's why I had the petsitter add the Prime when I was gone!

Hope that helps!

-Julie

[silent_thunder]

Right now I only have 3 types of dreid food to feed them..am looking for others,,

I feed them

1. ON Prime Reef Flakes

2.ON Formula One Flakes

3. Hikari Dixcus Bio Gold <very small pellets.

Thanks...I WILL velcro it for sure.

Thanks as well about the lights being off...I cant see my son over here much longer than an hour a day...if that. So...no lights and GIVE him PRIME...good idea.

D

[Daniella]

Lowering the temperature a little will also slow down their metabolism. That's what I am planning to do about a week before I leave, and I will not feed them for about 7 to 8 days. I recently lowered the temperature from 30C to 27C and my fish eated much less. I would not leave the temperature to 30C and not feed them for a week.

[RandomTabby]

As per the shipping, you might consider Kordon's breathable bags, I have shipped fish in them through the mail with no problems. I have several times kept fish in them for five days strait. Unless the fish pokes the bag and causes a hole, they will be perfectly fine.

http://www.novalek.com/kordon/articles/breathing_bags.html