| Don't
worry... your fish will be fine while your away! Vacations
present a new set of issues for the tropical fish hobbyist... or do
they?
Don't call a Friend!
Back when I first took up the aquarium hobby I was very concerned about
my fish while I was away. The first thing I did was try to get a friend
to stop by to feed them. This was a big mistake! Most of the time the
friend would seriously over feed the fish and pollute the tank. Unless
you have a friend that is an aquarist... don't use this option!
Sea Shell Vacation Feeders...
Then I discovered Wardley vacation feeders. These feeders look like a
white sea shell and come in a weekend size and a larger 10 to 14 day
size. I used these feeders for years without a single problem.
Battery operated Feeders...
Then the good folks at Hagen developed a battery operated feeder called
the Nutrafin Fish Feeder. This handy feeder can be set for two feeding
times. The food tank holds enough flake food to last for over a week. I
have one of these feeders on each of my tanks and they work like a
champ. The batteries seem to last for years. I think this is the best
option for feeding your fish while your away.
If your only going to be away for 2 or
3 days, your fish can get by without any food at all. Trust me on this
one... I do it all the time. But if your going to be away for any length
of time... buy a battery operated feeder.
Do a water change Before you
leave...
When ever you leave for an extended period of time... say 7 days or
more, do a 20% water change the day before you leave. This way your fish
will have good clean water to live in until you get back.
To learn more about water changes,
let's read... Care and Maintenance of your
Freshwater Tropical Fish
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