What to do about fish when away for a week.

[boohbahbah]

The In-Laws are flying in and we're taking a car trip out of state for a week. I'm all fine with it, except when it comes to the fish! My hubby's co-worker has agreed to feed them every other day, when I usually feed them everyday. We have a porky (yes, yes, I know they're bad with other fish) & he gets antsy when we skip a day on feeding.
I was thinking about making a divider (90+G tank), to protect the dogface and fuzzy dwarf. but then I started thinking maybe make another divider for our volitan (sp?) lion as well. so there'll be 3 sections in the 90g...would this be a good idea? I am definitely making one for the fuzzy and dogface, as they're the weaker ones in the tank. would like to protect the volitan as well, since we never know when the porky will decide to be an a**hole to everyone because he's not getting his food everyday.
EDIT: Also, would like to divide them as it'd be easier for the guy to feed them. I have my own way of making sure everyone is fed properly, but I don't trust this guy with our fish since I don't really know him as much as my hubby does.

 

[srfisher17]

Leaving fish care to others is a big problem, making it complicated is a disaster. IMO, your porky's attitude has little to do with the way you feed him and more to do with his genetic make up. BTW, don't forget top-off water.

 

[cranberry]

Not sure what your entire stocking list is. But I wouldn't feed them for a week. They can definitely go without. Just a little top off. I don't even want to get started on the things that have happened at the care of others. I've lost plenty of fish and entire tanks to sitter mishaps.

 

[socalnano24]

I went on vacation for a week this summer and my "watcher " left the tank lid down on a 95 degree day. All my fish died. I even had an old person medicine Tupperware for feeding amounts. Just be sure to be thourough on what he is and isn't supposed to do. My buddy didn't understand why the lid was left up all the time

 

[meowzer]

YIKES...LOL...I'm scared to leave for one night......Not as much for the fish, but for my stingray....She is a piggy and I am afraid if I don't feed her daily she might decide to eat a fish LOL
I could never leave the tank for a week unattended....

 

[rcreations]

Would you be able to ask someone from your LFS to fish sit? Better to have someone who knows about fish than someone who has no clue.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by Cranberry
http:///forum/post/3171454
Not sure what your entire stocking list is. But I wouldn't feed them for a week. They can definitely go without. Just a little top off. I don't even want to get started on the things that have happened at the care of others. I've lost plenty of fish and entire tanks to sitter mishaps.
I'm glad you said this; I have said the same thing before, but nobody ever seems to believe fish can go a week without eating. Any healthy fish can easily handle a week.

 

[cranberry]

With exceptions.... like seahorses.

 

[louti]

+1 to leaving them alone for the week. This is what I do. They can easily not eat for a week, and well-intentioned friends always seem to accidentally kill stuff.

 

[eric b 125]

i've thought about this a good bit lately. with the peaceful community fowlr i've had for the past year, it didnt bother me much to leave for a few days. now that i'm getting coral, the thought of it weighs heavily on my mind. that's why i'm going to make the re-build of my tank super user-friendly and as automated as possible.
the fish can go a week without eating. if you're not too interested in this idea: do your maintenance a week before you leave. dont add anything to the tank for a month before you leave (including equipment). have this guy over for a few hours to explain your day to day routine with them, and of course leave your number with him. when you leave for vacation, just expect everything to be dead when you get back- that way you wont spend the entire week worrying about them and you'll be able to enjoy yourself. hopefully you will have a great time with the in-laws (gag) and you'll come home to some very-much alive fishes.

 

[small triggers]

all i would do is leave the food out you want him to feed each time (hopefully you have some flake they eat) AND DO NOT LEAVE THE REST OF THE CONTAINER ANYWHERE HE CAN FIND IT,(people think our fish need more than we give them) label it IE. Monday's Wed. Fri....and leave the jug of top off water with a note and mark on your tank where the water level should be,,, thats it, dont complicate anything.. I had an emergeny and my boss and her husband watched my house with my dogs and 150g fish tank for almost 2 weeks and it was fine....

 

[flower]

A jug of top off water??? I go through a 3g jug a day. Set up an auto top off unit...use a new plastic garbage can filled with RO water...that will last a week...Cranberry is right, the fish can go a week without food.
A tank with live rock has food...that's why fish pick at it all day.
With the lights on timers, you should be fine for a week. You can have the friend LOOK in and tell you if all is well, instruct them to DO NOTHING...if something looks off then have them call you...then offer instruction if needed.

 

[small triggers]

Auto top offs are great, and it some of us had the space we would set them up,,, i unfortuntently dont, but i only go through about 15 gallons of water a week in my 150g display/30ish g sump...so i would think a 5g or 7g container for 1 week for a 90g tank should be okay...(depending on the usual evaporation replacement)