Away 3 months - minimum maintenance?

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R

rmcder

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 6, 2007
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ny
I'm not exactly sure where to post this question, but it has to do with a tank that holds CA cichlids, so...

I'm trying to plan ahead for next winter. I'll be enjoying the Florida sun for three months, but my daughter, who was willing to put up with my exacting requirements for taking care of my fish, won't be available nearly as much. I don't really want to get rid of my fish, but I'm not sure I'll have any choice (I REALLY hate winter!). So here's my question:

I've got a 75g tank with three 6-7" clown loaches, a 7-8" blue dempsey, a male hrp, a 5" pictus cat, and some dithers. What do you think would be the minimum requirements for feeding and water changes to keep everybody alive for three months? What if I were to unload the clown loaches; any help?
 
You could get those auto feeders and she would only have to fill them once a week. And she wouldnt have to do water changes to much. once a month will be fine. I think this would be the easiest solution for ya. That way you can keep ur fish and your daughter wont have to be there everyday.


http://www.google.com/products/cata...=X&ei=yV6iTfD-Le6C0QGx3pyEBQ&ved=0CGgQ8wIwAQ#


this one says it holds enough food for 4 months. IDK if this would do by itself for ur sized fish but worth a shot to try before you leave.
 
I left for a whole month, didn't have anyone to do water changes so I just hoped for the best. My fish bred, grew like weed... no one died, but every single spot in the glass and rocks was covered by algae. It wasn't a pretty sight. Nitrates were surprisingly low... only 20ppm. Guess the algae balanced things out.

My tank is 120 gal tho, and all the fish were juvies, between 2-5 inches. 4x Clown loaches 2x Blue Acaras 4x Firemouths 1x Green Terror and 3x Bamboo Shrimp at the time. A friend came home to feed em a little bit of food every monday and friday.

With your stock (especially the dempsey) I'd say, at least a 50% water change every 2 weeks and leave food prepared in one of those 7 day pill boxes, but tell them to only feed one portion twice a week. Too much food will kill your fish faster than no food at all, especially with limited monitoring, just put ~6 pellets in every portion and let the fish work it out.

PS: clown loaches at 2" go for $10 here, and 50% come with ich... I would never get rid of 3x 7 inchers lol
 
If your water quality is good before you leave and there is no overfeeding, your fish will be fine with 1 monthly water change, or even less.
 
I agree, the amount of water you have to change really depends on how much you feed. So if you just feed once a week maybe she only has to do 1 or 2 big water changes.
You could measure your nitrate now and feed once a week and just test how much it rises if you really want to know.
 
Would it be possible to get an MFK member who stays near you to be a fish-nanny?
 
If you feed too little only once a week there's a chance that some of the fish might not get to eat. Might be okay for a month but 3?
 
id say start some pothos in there now to control ur nitrate so ya dont have to do in WC and then get an automatic feeder, keep the loaches as cleanup.
 
Are there any fish services in your area that can do the work or help out at least? Here we have a handful that will come out and do full service tank maintanence and such that you could hire.
 
Thanks, everyone, for giving me some real food for thought, and maybe some glimmers of a solution. I'm glad I'm doing this early, as I can test some ideas out ahead of time. The once-a-week feedings are certainly doable, and additives to keep nitrates under control, coupled with once-a-month water changes, might do the trick.

Keep those ideas coming, please; it was REALLY hard growing out a healthy, good-looking blue dempsey, and it'd KILL me to have to give it up!
 
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