Dont trust your Girl to Set up a fish tank
- Thread starter coryh
- Start date
I'm going on holiday on Saturday for 1 week, and I'm dreading leaving my fish to the care of others; one thing experience has taught me is that things can and will go wrong. For example, when i went on holiday for 10 days, I came back to a tank with crashed bacteria, dead fish; and just general disaster.
Even when instructed to feed 'a little', people still manage to put in too much food, or something that causes chaos; I think the difference comes in because we as experienced hobbyists can quickly identify small issues that can quickly become a problem, anyone else and it gets missed entirely!
Welcome to the forum also
Even when instructed to feed 'a little', people still manage to put in too much food, or something that causes chaos; I think the difference comes in because we as experienced hobbyists can quickly identify small issues that can quickly become a problem, anyone else and it gets missed entirely!
Welcome to the forum also
I know we are human and we all make mistakes, my girlfriend isnt a hobbyiest too like ourselfs she didnt understand how losing fish can be a painful procedure for many hobbyist especially when a fishes death isnt common in my factor, if a fish does die unnaturally it concerns me for the wellbeing of the rest of my fish, but since geting my new Jaguar she has become increasingly more interested in fishkeeping but she only likes large cichlids etc, fish with personality, she didnt believe me when i told her fish can have personalities but its true, they do!
And thanks for welcoming me
So lemme get this straight...... your girlfriend screws up (the setting on the heater), kills your fish, then feels so guilty that she buys you a Jag...
... Good gas mileage, I hope. 
When I go away for less than 2 weeks, I just let my fish fast. I feel its safer to let my fish fast rather than trusting a non fish keeper to feed it.
Hello; I agree with this. Over the decades I have been away for days many times. I just do a slightly heavy feeding the day I leave if I plan to be away for more than three or four days.
A water change right before you leave will not hurt but is not critical as the fasting should reduce the need.
I have my lights on timers, so that takes care of the live plants.
Let the fish fast, not a big chance of serious issues. I also have lost tanks of fish due to people overfeeding when I was away. There should be a much reduced risk of problems when compared to having a non-fish keeper throw food in your tank.
I know a fellow who gets asked to feed a cat while the owners are away. The owners want the cat to be fed just so each day. This guy dumps a pile of food every few days and lets the cat work on it. He does not want to make a trip across town each day, but also does not want to say no to the cat owners. This works for cats but dumping extra food into a tank can sour the water.
Good luck
