How to prepare tanks for short vacation?

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Death03

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 1, 2014
296
17
33
Philippines
We will be going for a short (3-4 days) vacation next month and I wanna prepare my tanks and fish for it. What should I do?
 
3 or 4 days is not a big deal for fish, I go away 10 days (sometimes more) a few times per year without incident. The only time I had a problem, was when I asked someone else to feed. I came home to tons of uneaten food laying all over the tank, and dead fish, because water quality had degraded.
As long as your tanks aren't overcrowded, so water quality remains high, and aggression issues are minimal, you should be fine.
Agree with the above, a large water change the day of departure (if there is time), or the day before you leave.
 
When I know the day I'm leaving, I feed them a few/couple days before, then the next day do a water change, double check all settings like heater, sump level, etc. Then I feel safe. Should I be gone longer I pre-measure the food in baggies for my brother with a feeding schedule.
 
I like to do a water change the night before I leave...then check everything and feed the next AM.

Even fry are good for 3-4 days. There's plenty to eat / graze on in the tank.

For longer trips, I have someone I trust come in every 4 or 5 days to feed and check on things.

Matt
 
Like everyone mentioned. I do a water change day before I leave and feed the day I leave. I've left my fish for almost 2 weeks and they were fine. These were full grown cichlids. Last time I had my bro n law feed my fish, well you know what happened! Most of my fish were dead!
 
Do nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Why would people risk a water change a day before or, worse, on the day you leave? Let's just think there is something on the water, or your conditioner has gone bad, or a fish spooked and jumped and got damaged. I would not want to risk that immediately before I leave. The fish and my peace of mind are much better off waiting another week or two.

Furthermore, healthy fish can starve for a couple of weeks. Wolffish are notorious for sometimes refusing food for a month or two! Unless you fear that one fish eats the other (eg juvenile piranhas) Then have neighbors feed them.

No worries
All will be fine


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