Vacation feeding?

[L&M]

I am trying to figure out what I can do for vacation feeding for my fish. My husband doesn't like the automatic feeders, and wanted to use vacation blocks. I am testing some out, but so far I am not sure that it's going to work.

My daughter's betta, Purple Sky, won't eat any food from the bottom of the tank - he's just ignoring the little betta feeder block sitting on the bottom of his tank. She will be devastated if we come home to a dead fish.

Also, my Boesemani Rainbows pretty much won't eat food off the bottom that I can tell. They pretty much ignore Repashy except for when it's floating down, so I am pretty sure they won't eat from a feeder block.

I'm not sure what I should do about the fry in the breeding net, either.

I am thinking I should just release the fry and put the vacation block in and hope for the best. There are places for the fry to hide, but I may come home to either dead Rainbows or fat and happy ones but no fry.

Do you think that the Betta and Rainbows will come around and eat from the vacation blocks? Or should I just be like "oops! I accidentally bought a few auto feeders. Um...I forgot?". LOL. TIA.

Laura

[moganman]

Auto feeders are wonderful little machines. Before I had one, I always bothered my roommate telling him to feed my fish at a certain time. Now that I have one, my fish are never deprived. I'm not familiar with blocks but if you decide to go with an auto feeder, be sure to test it out before you leave it. The space you allow the food to get out can be very deceiving. A little space (1/16") is plenty. Start off by barely opening it and seeing how much food gets out. With you being gone and not being able to do water changes I would feed on the light side. Fish can go extended amounts of time without eating and they are fine, but if avoidable try to avoid it. I wouldn't let the fry in the tank. Might have a better chance of buying a used 10 gallon and a cheap filter or just leaving them in a breeder box or net.

[mistahoo]

Those blocks suck *!%. Worst invention ever... I highly doubt your betta or rainbows will eat that thing unless you're gonna try to train them to eat it. Their idea is good, but the quality of those things are horrible. How long are you going to be gone? Fish can last quite a while without food. If you're gonna be gone for too long, I would invest in an automatic feeder. I don't know what your husband's got against it, but they work like a charm! Just program the time for feeding and adjust the amount of food and you're done! As moganman said, careful with how much you open the thing. The amount you need to open all depends on how big the tank is and how many fish you got. Less is better if you're going to be gone for a long while.

[mistahoo]

Bettas would probably last longer than your other livestock too. I don't think the big box stores ever feed their bettas and they could sit there for months...

[L&M]

Vacation feeding?

Good info. Thanks.

I can set up my QT tank for the fry and I have an extra filter running on a cycled tank. I think my extra heater is toast, so I'll have to get another probably.

The betta barely eats as it is. He eats a few flakes every day and that's it.

I think I'll go ahead and get an auto feeder for the tank with the Rainbows. I'll wait to see what kind of state those feeder blocks leave the other tanks in after a week before I decide on those.

Any recommendation for a good auto feeder?

[eklikewhoa]

How long are you going on vacation for?

Most of the time you can get away with no feeding, just let the tank water get a littler cooler, shorter light cycles and a good water change prior to leaving should suffice.

The vacation feeders are most likely going to just deteriorate water quality.
Eheim feeders are IMHO the best and only I would use.

[RonR.]

I have a wc colony of mobas. I used to leave ziplock packages with food in them for my relatives. I don't do that anymore. I know my fish can go at least 2 weeks without feeding. Wifey and I were in Hawaii for 14 days in June.

Before our trip I fed the colony daily (I usually skip feelings during the week) for a full week. 2 days before our trip I did a 50% water change. When I got back all were well and hungry.

Hope this helps you and others.

[troy tucker]

those feeder blocks will just turn you water to poo. If your going to be gone for more them a week get an auto feeder. the fry will need one but most adult fish can go a week or more with out food. Do a water change befor you go. Go have fun and enjoy your Vacation...

[L&M]

Vacation feeding?

We'll be gone for 8 days.

Right now I am testing the blocks. I did my weekly wc before I put them in and I'll test again after the week. I've been watching and it looks like mostly just the snails are congregating on the feeder blocks.

I'm working on my husband to bring him around to the idea of an auto feeder. He just thinks its an unnecessary expense, since this will probably be the only time we will ever need to use it.

[rage]

We'll be gone for 8 days.

Right now I am testing the blocks. I did my weekly wc before I put them in and I'll test again after the week. I've been watching and it looks like mostly just the snails are congregating on the feeder blocks.

I'm working on my husband to bring him around to the idea of an auto feeder. He just thinks its an unnecessary expense, since this will probably be the only time we will ever need to use it.

I have several auto-feeders that worked wonderfully. One is an Eheim, the others are Aquachef. Too bad you live so far. I went on vacation for 2, 3 weeks before and they worked just fine. Like others say, try them out and see how big of an opening you should have. Feed them less, not more. They can survive on very little.

[mistahoo]

If you do a large water change the day before and feed them before you leave, I think they would last 8 days with no problems. I wouldn't be too worried, but if you are, just get an auto feeder or possibly borrow one from someone if your husband is against it that much?

[moganman]

Also, I don't think auto feeders do too well with flakes, if that's what you're feeding. Not enough gravity.

[rage]

Also, I don't think auto feeders do too well with flakes, if that's what you're feeding. Not enough gravity.

Auto feeders work fine with flakes for me.
I didn't feed with tube shape pellets but I think they may actually cause problem. If you adjust the opening big enough to be able to release the pellets lying in different orientations, the opening may be too big and just might release more than you want if the pellets line up just right.
Round pellets may work fine.

[mistahoo]

Re: Vacation feeding?

Round pellets work. The sticks won't

Sent from my spaceship using Tapatalk 2.

[sountfc]

Only thing I'd add here, and I don't know how it might or might not apply to rainbows, but if I let my Malawis go that long without food the aggression level rises and SOMEONE will pay the price for it, never fails. Hopefully that doesn't apply here.

I have a wc colony of mobas. I used to leave ziplock packages with food in them for my relatives. I don't do that anymore. I know my fish can go at least 2 weeks without feeding. Wifey and I were in Hawaii for 14 days in June.

Before our trip I fed the colony daily (I usually skip feelings during the week) for a full week. 2 days before our trip I did a 50% water change. When I got back all were well and hungry.

Hope this helps you and others.