Cichlid Feeding on Vacation
- Thread starter TrikkyMakk
- Start date
Paullywolly;1584784; said:
In fish terms 5 days is nothing. They don't get 3 meals a day in the wild, and really shouldn't in tanks.
I've gone over 3 weeks without feeding healthy, adult cichlids and couldn't even tell a difference when I got back.
Feeding while gone is worse than using a feeder or having someone else feed them. Don't feed them while you are gone. (I know this is repetitious but sometimes I need to hear things over and over again.) My dovii is in my office which means he gets a break from feeding two days a week.
When I was a kid I left for one week and let someone (an adult) feed them during that time. When I got back the water was a cloud and the gravel had a layer of food over it.
Also I try to explain to people that the rule is you only feed what they can eat in 5 minutes and for some reason that is a difficult rule to understand.
My main concern though is that they will start getting more aggressive. When I got home yesterday they were waiting for me to be fed (as usual) but they seemed more hungry than normal and started lip locking when they saw me. Feeding them fixed that.
Also I try to explain to people that the rule is you only feed what they can eat in 5 minutes and for some reason that is a difficult rule to understand.
My main concern though is that they will start getting more aggressive. When I got home yesterday they were waiting for me to be fed (as usual) but they seemed more hungry than normal and started lip locking when they saw me. Feeding them fixed that.
Just buy an automatic feeder, you can set the amount to come out. Petsmart has some pretty good ones, they are 20-30$. I have one I use to feed in the morning so that when I am ready to go I can make sure all the food is gone. When I leave on vacation or for work I just set it to feed two times a day and knock down the amount a little bit so they will not be over eating and there will not be tons of food floating around.
I also got my lights on a timer so they still come on and go off, if I am gone for a real long time, like more than a week I will have someone go and check the feeder and fill it up. Its a piece of cake, that way you dont have to worry about someone over feeding them. Set up the autofeeder a few days before you leave so you can adjust the amount to the right level and the fish will get used to it. Mine now know the sound it makes and rush to the top the minute it starts turning just waiting for the pellets to hit the water haha.
I dont understand why you would rather starve them than possibly feed a little less but at least know they get a little something each day. Do a WC before you leave and when you get back and everyone will be super happy.
Mine always seem to be a little extra bright and colorful right when I get back. I think its because my apartment is real quite and there is nothing there to scare them or startle them when no one is home for days on end.
I also got my lights on a timer so they still come on and go off, if I am gone for a real long time, like more than a week I will have someone go and check the feeder and fill it up. Its a piece of cake, that way you dont have to worry about someone over feeding them. Set up the autofeeder a few days before you leave so you can adjust the amount to the right level and the fish will get used to it. Mine now know the sound it makes and rush to the top the minute it starts turning just waiting for the pellets to hit the water haha.
I dont understand why you would rather starve them than possibly feed a little less but at least know they get a little something each day. Do a WC before you leave and when you get back and everyone will be super happy.
Mine always seem to be a little extra bright and colorful right when I get back. I think its because my apartment is real quite and there is nothing there to scare them or startle them when no one is home for days on end.
Here is the feeder I have...
http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...atic+Feeders&fbc=1&parentPage=family&keepsr=1
I have used this one and the cheaper one called the Daily Double. The DD is garbage, does not work at all. The Top Fin one is much more adjustable and works way better. They have some real expensive ones, I have never tried those.
http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...atic+Feeders&fbc=1&parentPage=family&keepsr=1
I have used this one and the cheaper one called the Daily Double. The DD is garbage, does not work at all. The Top Fin one is much more adjustable and works way better. They have some real expensive ones, I have never tried those.
Fasting is actually good for fish's digestive system. It can actually be beneficial to not feed them for a few days while on vacation.
