Feeding My Tank While On Vacation

[seaweed]

Can anybody offer advice on how I should feed my fish while I'm away on vacation. I only recently started a saltwater tank and before when I had a freshwater tank I would just drop in a couple of food tablets when I went away. Is the process of feeding your saltwater fish while on vacation, the same? Any recomendations? I have a 35 gallon hex tank with about six fish, all Damsel family.
Thanks!

 

[mr . salty]

Depending on how long you will be gone,and how healthy your fish are.You may not need to feed them at all.....A good healthy fish can go many days without eating.Most usually do in the wild...We spoil them...

 

[seaweed]

I was planning on being away for about five days around the Fourth of July. The fish seem healthy, but it's a relatively young tank.

 

[norm]

I will be falling in this same situation actually my tank will be finishing its cycle by the time I get back my 5 day break. I would be interested in any suggestions to this question.

 

[dugan]

They would probably be OK for 5 days. If you feed the day you leave and the day you come back then they are only going for 3 days without being fed, which is fine.
If you're really worried about it, do you have a friend that could stop by on the 3rd day?
If you do that, and the friend isn't familiar with keeping fish, I would pre-measure the food for him/her so you don't end up with a tank full of rotting food!
Katie

 

[hugo]

Use an automatic fish feeder. My fish at work go without being fed over the weekend and they do fine. Any longer then 2-3 days and I would be weary.
I bought one 3 weeks ago and it works great. When you mete out food amounts for the days you're planning to be away you soon realize how much food your fish would be deprived of.
I am feel more comfortable about using my automatic feeder than asking someone to do it. Inevitably they overfeed and you come back to a dirty tank and possible dead fish!

 

[goofieones]

I am also leaving this weekend for a couple of days, and I will be having my sister over to take care of all pets (3 dogs, 1 cat, 1 saltwater, 1 freshwater) Anyways, to help stop the problem of untrained feeders, ie. family, I had my sister over and showed her how to soak the formula one for exactly 1.30 mins and then cut it into pieces, then I wrote very detailed note, to tell her exactly what to do.... and if any questions arise have a cell phone aviable. I love my fishes to much to not feed them, I know I get cranky if I miss a day of food. But Mr. Salty is right, it wouldn't kill them to go without for a couple of days.

 

[jimi]

Healthy fish can easily go a week without feeding. Do you have any liverock or algae growth in your tank? If you do they will nibble on that if they get hungry. I usually worry more about my water top off then feeding.

 

[pufferlover]

I to will be away for 4 days end of July and plan to feed morning of day I leave- have friend feed next afternoon and then feed when I get back. Can't use feeder as I do not use flakes much. I also read that fish can go a week without much distress. In my case I doubt the Puffers I have would wait that long before inviting a tankmate to dinner.