Feeding Fish while out of town

[Henchman24]

I am going out of town for a week in July and am trying to figure out how to feed my fish while I am gone. I will be gone for 5 days. I don't know how long fish can go without food but I have heard that 2 days is about the limit. I don't know how well automatic fish feeders work but I think that is a good option. I only have a pair of clowns, cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, & clean up crew. I also have only been using frozen food so I have to find dry food if I want to use an automatic feeder.

[NYCEnglish]

Try them with Spectrum or other pellets ASAP. Once they take them, and they should, you'll be fine with an Eheim feeder or something similar.

Good luck!

[Reefmedic79]

What kind of fish? With the exception of anthias, a week is about the limit that fish can go. Assuming they are currently well fed and healthy.


Sent from my future self.

[Anemone]

A couple of well fed clowns in a 40 gallon tank will be fine for 5 days without food. I'd be more worried about evaporation and top off than food.

Kevin

[MARINECRITTERS]

A couple of well fed clowns in a 40 gallon tank will be fine for 5 days without food. I'd be more worried about evaporation and top off than food.

Kevin

+1, clownfish would be fine without food for five days, maintaining water quality ( specific gravity/salinity ), is much more important. A lot of water can evaporate in five days, not only harming the inhabitants but yo run the risk of pumps running dry and siphons stopping ( if you have a siphon like overflow ).
Either invest in an ATO ( automatic topping off system ) or run a slow drip line of freshwater into the tank.

[Craigdillman]

Best bet is convice a friend/family member to come buy and top off your tank and feed the fish in the middle of the week your gone that way the tank isnt all out of wack when your back and the fish havent gone that long without food.
Their is some not to bad auto fish feeders out their
I have the Fish Mate F14 Automatic Feeder simple cheap and it works

cheers

[Clowningaround5]

I agree, have a friend come over and feed them, just show them how and stuff. If that isn't an option, there are some little cubes or pyramid shaped food deals (I have no idea what they're called, but I've seen them) and they are made to release food over a period of 7-14 days. I've never tried them, but just another options. Find a friends or get an automatic fish feeder. You can find some cheap ones that work pretty well.

[Beandawg]

No food for 5 days is no problem. An automatic feeder with small pellets would work well. Top off could be an issue. When I go away, I use a glass canopy over the top to keep evaporation down. If you have MH though, heat would be an issue with a glass canopy. An ATO would be your best option either way.

[Henchman24]

I Appreciate all the feedback. I have an Auto top off with a 5 gallon container which lasts about 8 days on this 40 gallon so salinity should stay fairly constant. From what I am hearing the fish should be alright but I will most likely get an automatic feeder like EHEIM set at the lowest setting for extra measure. That is if I can't find a friend to help out.

[nynick]

5 days without food is not a problem what so ever. If you get an auto feeder get a good quality one. Cheap feeders will often malfunction and can kill off your entire tank in a couple of days. Eheim makes a great one.

[szgppl]

with friends feeding, I make up food in weekly/day pill dispenser. Don't want someone over feeding.

[nynick]

with friends feeding, I make up food in weekly/day pill dispenser. Don't want someone over feeding.

+100 Never underestimate the stupidity of your friends when it comes to aquariums.

".....but they kept asking for more food!" Famous last words for a million holiday related tank crashes.

[tanzer16]

Henchman.....I have a similar situation coming up.......and was concerned about the same. I have a family member that could feed probably two or three times in the week I'm gone, but I did already do what one post mentioned and got some Spectrum small sinking pellets and have been feeding them occasionally to ensure my two clowns and one chromis like them.....and so far so good. I also purchased an Eheim automatic feeder from the used forum on here.....just going to set to lowest setting which should be plenty


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[thegrun]

I would go with the auto feeder. I've got my tank set up so we can go away for two weeks on vacation and the tank takes care of itself. You know down the road you are going to want to get away for more than 5 days so you might as well start setting your tank up for that possibility. I built an acrylic holder for my Eheim feeder that has a feeding tube that extends down below the waterline so the food that floats doesn't get sucked down the overflow; it sits in the tube until saturated and then sinks down into the water table. In reality the fish end up swimming up into the feed tube before the food sinks, but at least it doesn't get pulled into the sump which is the main point. This has an added benefit, if I ever want to catch a fish I simply break out the feeder, the fish swim up into the tube and netting them is easy.
http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu262/greenirons/Aquarium%20Equipment/AutoFeeder002.jpg (http://s654.photobucket.com/user/greenirons/media/Aquarium%20Equipment/AutoFeeder002.jpg.html)
http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu262/greenirons/Aquarium%20Equipment/001-1.jpg (http://s654.photobucket.com/user/greenirons/media/Aquarium%20Equipment/001-1.jpg.html)

[MrTuskfish]

A couple of well fed clowns in a 40 gallon tank will be fine for 5 days without food. I'd be more worried about evaporation and top off than food.

Kevin

+1 I've left my fish alone (including anthias) for a week of so, dozens of times. Most fish aren't fed at all between the reef and your dealers tanks. As Kevin said above, top off becomes vital after a while, an ATO would be a much better investment than an auto-feeder.

[Reef Frog]

Excellent invention IMO. That might have commercial potential. Especially if its useful
As a fish trap too.

[Henchman24]

thegrun, That is a great setup you have. I think I will try to make one. What did you use to cut the acrylic pieces. I don't have a tablesaw. Is there a cutting tool or dremal attachment to make straight cuts.

[Sk8r]

If it's an established tank, they should be able to forage happily for more than a week, especially if you have a fuge. The far, far greater danger is a tanksitter who pity-feeds, mistakes the amount, or a feeder that malfunctions: that can harm the whole tank. If you use ANY device to operate while you're gone, test it for a week or so before you leave.

[barbazoid]

Put flakes/pellets in a zip lock baggy and label the day on it

[thegrun]

thegrun, That is a great setup you have. I think I will try to make one. What did you use to cut the acrylic pieces. I don't have a tablesaw. Is there a cutting tool or dremal attachment to make straight cuts.

I used a table saw, but if you were careful you could cut it with either a hack saw or a jig saw.