What To Do With Fish While On Vacation – You’ve organized your mail, told your neighbors to take out your trash, and set your house lights on timers. But what about your aquarium, who feeds your fish?
But don’t worry, there are a number of ways to make sure your fish are well taken care of, and plenty of things you can do before and after your trip.
What To Do With Fish While On Vacation
How long will you be gone? How big is your aquarium? How old is your aquarium? How many animals do you have in your aquarium? What kind of fish/coral do you have?
How Long Can Betta Fish Go Without Food? (vacation Prep)
If you have gone through the above, you can decide on the best option for your aquarium, the best thing to do is… Ask a friend.
The best and most common practice with aquarists is to ask a friend, neighbor, or family member to take care of your aquarium while you are away.
Pet sitters are great! They may visit daily, or every few days, to feed your fish and/or coral and check that everything is functioning normally. Although this is a good option, it is important to ensure that the animal has some experience, as someone without experience watching your fish can quickly become a disaster…
Overfeeding is the most common problem experienced by the inexperienced pet owner, and if you’ve read our article on saltwater aquarium mistakes, you’ll know that overfeeding often leads to fish deaths and subtle changes in water parameters.
How To Feed Fish While On Vacation: Fish Food For Thought
If your sister is inexperienced, you can use Ziploc bags and fill them with the amount of food she needs to feed each day.
But what if you can’t find a pet owner? Who is taking care of your aquarium and feeding your fish?
The next best option is to purchase an automatic battery operated fish feeder. These feeders can be easily programmed to feed your fish normally.
Feed Blocks: These can be great and your local fish store (LFS) has no shortage of them, but they are not very efficient at delivering food to your fish and often cause problems with water parameters. In our opinion, we recommend avoiding it at all costs.
Scarlet Badis Feeding Advice
Eating too much before a vacation: Many inexperienced people think that eating too much before a trip will keep their fish fed while they’re gone. This is completely unnecessary and can cause problems with fish health and water chemistry.
Automatic feeders: Now I know what you’re thinking, we’ve recommended them above, so why avoid them?
They are a better option than block feeding and may be your only option if you can’t find a pet sitter, but automatic feeders can be easily abused, either spilling all the food in the aquarium or they may stop feeding altogether. If you need an automatic feed, you need a little more to get good quality!
Before you board, sail, or leave, there are a few things you need to do before you go on vacation.
Vacation Coverage Tank-sitting Services
When you get back from vacation, you want to get your laundry done and relax before you go back to work, but there are a few things you need to do before you get home.
The thought of leaving your aquarium for a while can be scary, but as long as you properly prepare your aquarium before the holidays, there’s nothing to worry about.
The best option is to get a pet sitter, but if you can’t find one, a good quality automatic feeder will do the trick until you get back.
If you have any questions before the holidays, or if you need help with aquarium maintenance or reef supplies, contact the Reefco team or visit the store. We are always happy to help you with all aspects of your aquarium. This article was co-written by Wes Corbin. Wes Corbin is an aquarium expert and owner of Intrinsic Reef Design based in Austin, Texas. Wes has been maintaining aquariums since 1991 and has over 24 years of professional experience. He has been the owner of Intrinsic Reef Design since 2008 and specializes in reef tanks, coral growth, freshwater and saltwater. Wes and his team focus on preventative maintenance and natural methods to keep aquarium ecosystems sustainable and healthy. It will be published in the 2023 edition of Reef Hobbyist magazine.
Underwater: Unrecognizable Woman And Man Feed Tropical Fish While Snorkeling Stock Photo
When you go on vacation, you still need to take care of the fish. Depending on how long you’ll be gone, there are a few things you can do to keep them happy and healthy while you’re gone.
Thanks for reading our article! If you want to learn more about fish care, check out our in-depth interview with Wes Corbin.
This article was co-authored by Wes Corbin. Wes Corbin is an aquarium expert and owner of Intrinsic Reef Design based in Austin, Texas. Wes has been maintaining aquariums since 1991 and has over 24 years of professional experience. He has been the owner of Intrinsic Reef Design since 2008 and specializes in reef tanks, coral growth, freshwater aquariums and saltwater aquariums. Wes and his team focus on preventative maintenance and natural methods to keep aquarium ecosystems sustainable and healthy. It will be published in the 2023 edition of Reef Hobbyist magazine. This article has been viewed 300815 times.
The best way to keep your fish healthy while on vacation depends on what kind of fish you have and how long you will be gone. If you have low maintenance fish and are only gone for a few days, you can use an automatic feeder to release food on a schedule. However, if you have fish with complex needs or different foods, having someone come and feed them regularly may be a better bet. However, if you do decide to feed, it’s a good idea to clean your fish tank, change the water before you leave, and clean it again quickly when you return. Keep the tank tightly covered to prevent your fish from jumping in or out of the tank, especially if no one is constantly watching. For more advice from our vet reviewer, including fish habitat and how to feed your fish while you’re away, read on with reader support. If you purchase something through a link on this page, I may receive a small commission
Does Anyone Have Any Experience Using Vacation Feeders? Are They A Good Option For Feeding The Fish While You’re Away?
Are you going on vacation? You still need to take care of your betta fish. It’s up to you and you don’t want your little friend to be forgotten, do you? First, the care instructions will depend on how long you will be there and the size of your tank. Other components, including tank filtration and heating, are also important for proper care management when away. To be sure, if you’re on vacation for more than a week, you’ll need a beta sitter or bring them with you. Let’s analyze all these sections below.
As explained in the Food and Feeding Guide, Betta fish can go up to 2 weeks without food for healthy adults. However, this is not recommended because after about 5-6 days the betta fish will begin to use up its reserves and may go into starvation mode. Starvation can increase stress levels, leading to organ failure and reduced disease. If you are on vacation for 2-4 days, it is better to season your fish during that time. Some owners have left the fish without food for 2 weeks or more, but I wouldn’t recommend it. All bettas are different in age, health, metabolism and environment, so not all fish should be left alone. The longest period without feeding should be 4-7 days. Fasting should not become a habit or routine.
If this is an option, find a close friend or family member to monitor your rate while you are away. You’ll have to carefully leave instructions for serving sizes, but it might be worth it for your peace of mind. Use a weekly pill box for your caregivers and put food pills in it for each day of the week (4-6 pills per day) to minimize clutter. If the caregiver has no choice, provide regular feedings before you leave and immediately upon your return. Never add extra food before leaving, as this can lead to water contamination or overfeeding. Most of the time, the food is not overdone and when it comes down it does more harm than your original good intentions.
There are several products available online and in pet stores like Top Fin 7-Day Beta Block Feeder. These are not recommended because they don’t have enough nutrients for beets and they cause dangerous messes. During the holidays, you want to maintain the water quality in your tank, which can become cloudy and create unwanted waste. While they are created for real solution
