Do I need an automatic fish feeder?

[Urgula]

I'm going away for 14 days and I'm debating whether I need an automatic fish feeder or not.

I have an over stocked 70 gallon (upgrade is coming). Main poopers are pleco that's over foot long and blue texas who's approaching a foot and a black cuban about 8 inches (she fat).
Then I have 3 green terrors, one about 5 inches, two others about 3 inches + 7 random cichlids 4 inches and under (they're "thin" and long, not like Blue or the Cuban).
The aquarium is obviously overpopulated and I'm worried about the feeder malfunctioning and dumping all the food at once in the tank.

Is it safe to leave fish without food for 14 days? My fish are not skinny. Some of them have fat foreheads (the 5 inch green terror has a very obvious one).

If I should buy an aquarium feeder, which is the safest choice to get? (Preferably from Amazon since I don't have that much time for the package to arrive).

Thanx

 

[tlindsey]

Is it safe to leave fish without food for 14 days?

I left fish for a week without food but wouldn't go 14 days without feeding. Some will say it's fine because you're fish sounds like their extremely healthy. It depends on what's in the aquarium. Some species of fish can actually go about a month without food.

 

[Urgula]

It depends on what's in the aquarium.

Pleco,15 inch last time I've measured, 17 years old.
Blue texas, approaching a foot, 9-11 years old (unsure)
Black cuban,8 inches, 1 year old.
Green terrors, 5 inch, 3 inch, 3 inch. 1 year old
Jewel cichlid, some random african cichlid, a convict. 7 total, under 3 inches.

TL; DR: mainly cichlids and a pleco.

 

[tlindsey]

Pleco,15 inch last time I've measured, 17 years old.
Blue texas, approaching a foot, 9-11 years old (unsure)
Black cuban,8 inches, 1 year old.
Green terrors, 5 inch, 3 inch, 3 inch. 1 year old
Jewel cichlid, some random african cichlid, a convict. 7 total, under 3 inches.

TL; DR: mainly cichlids and a pleco.

If you feed them well before leaving the fish may be fine. Others will chime in with their thoughts.

 

[tlindsey]

If you're aquarium is not squeaky clean the Convict's will browse on algae and even pick through detritus.

 

[LBDave]

I would be more concerned with lack of water changes during the 2 weeks. What’s your water change routine?

 

[Friller2009]

I would be more concerned with lack of water changes during the 2 weeks. What’s your water change routine?

If you do a 75% water change the day before, then do a 75% water change the day you get back, it should be fine. I’ve done this before for two week holidays and it works a treat

 

[Milingu]

Since there are no fry or very young fish that require continous feeding I would not hesitate to stop feeding for 14 days.
I do this once every year and I never lost a fish due to starvation. I only use fish feeders for fry tanks and even there I reduce the food to the bare minimum to avoid any nitrite/nitrate overload if the feeder malfunctions.

And if you really have to use an automatic feeder let it run for at least one week in your presence to see if it works like it should. If you don't have the time for this I would highly recommend not to use an automatic feeder.

 

[Urgula]

If you're aquarium is not squeaky clean the Convict's will browse on algae and even pick through detritus.

Not squeaky at all, but I never have algae in there even when didn't had convicts. I rarely clean the glass, maybe once in 6 months or so.

 

[Urgula]

If you do a 75% water change the day before, then do a 75% water change the day you get back, it should be fine. I’ve done this before for two week holidays and it works a treat

I'm not worried about water changes since 2 weeks is my schedule more or less.
When I water change, I do a "flush" (stir the substrate, so all the poop floats), drain as much as possible, leaving a couple of inches for fish to breathe, put new water, clean filter.
This doesn't cause nitrite spikes. It's an established tank. Substrate holds enough bacteria. I have well water, so no chlorine or other chemicals to kill the bacteria.