feeding over 4.5 week vacation?

[missmary]

I'm currently a college student and live over 4 hours from home. My aquariums back home are well taken care of by my 9 year old cousins (I know it sounds crazy, but they take FAR better care of my fish than my mother ever did and I've thoroughly trained them to do everything spare dismantling the canister filter).

I also have a 55 gallon aquarium at my college apartment containing 1 senegal bichir and 5 salvini cichlids that I'm growing out. I set the aquarium up over the span of summer classes and have had no trouble with it so far. However, holiday breaks are fast approaching; Thanksgiving break is less than a week and not such a big deal, but Christmas break is 4.5 weeks. I don't know about anyone else, but I just don't feel safe leaving an automatic feeder to do the job for a month without any supervision. Also, I don't think it can even dispese the algae wafers/shrimp pellets for my bichir (and most certainly not his live earthworms and shrimp).

I just don't know what to do. There is a really nice employee at a mom & pop lfs that would check in on the fish for me while I'm away, but I'm just REALLY sketched out about giving anyone access to my apartment while I'm away. Driving to check on it myself at least once halfway through the break would be a hassle as it's an 8 hour round trip.

Worst comes to worst, I suppose I could get another vacation feeder and set it to feed minimal amounts to reduce the chance of problems with water quality... any suggestions? It needs to be able to dispense small pellets AND algae wafers/pretty big shrimp pellets (I got my current one and the feeding tube is only big enough for the salvinis' mini pellets).

Sorry for the long post, but I'm simply worried about the health of my fish. I've never been in a situation where family couldn't watch over my animals while I'm away and don't want to come back to a take full of death

 

[I'mHooked]

Could you see if your local lfs could hold your fish for the month for like a small charge or something? Just shooting ideas out there for you!

 

[nohandslook]

tough situation man. =/. I wouldn't trust those automatic fish feeders for more than a couple days either. you got any good college buddies that may be willing to help you out? or perhaps they could go on vacation to the LFS for the time being.

 

[missmary]

Thanks for the suggestion! I've never heard of temporarily leaving fish at a lfs. I did buy all of them from that very store and if they would board them for a while, I think I could sleep knowing that they're being taken care of.

They have several large quarantine tanks in the back room of the shop (they always let me come back there and check out any new oddities that come in with shipments), so I'm gonna ask if I can rent one out for a month. I think the largest they have back there is a 30 gallon (might be a little cramped for my fishies)... maybe they'll be willing to rent out their large planted display tank (used to house some breeder angels and rainbows, but someone bought the breeders).

Thanks again for the suggestion

 

[missmary]

I think I found someone (that I feel I can trust) to look come by periodically and check in on my fish while I'm away for Christmas vacation. However, I do not want to burden them with the responsibility of daily visits to my apartment.

I was thinking about having them stop by about once every 3 days or so (twice a week) to feed the fish and make sure the water parameters are still in check. Do you think the fish will be okay being fed 2x a week (probably larger meals than they're used to) or should I check and see if I can have them boarded at the lfs?

 

[xdragonxb0i]

2x a week is fine.

in the wild they are not use to being fed everyday.

 

[Lupin]

2x a week is fine.

in the wild they are not use to being fed everyday.

 

[MonsterMinis]

I agree.. and I wouldn't have them fed anymore or less then your normal feedings. get a bunch of "snack baggies" from the grocery store. and pre-bag everything. makes for alot less muss and fuss and no worries about overfeeding or the fish not getting their proper food. Make it is easy as possible. any live/frozen food have it all written down in exact amounts ect. and prep your fish before you leave. start cutting back on feedings so you can guage how much they will consume fed 2x a week. and make the switch easier for them.

You can also check w/ the lfs about if they would be willing to board your fish and how much they would charge you to do this. It wouldn't hurt. worst case if your friend isn't a fish owner themselves you can leave the LFS's number with them as well if by some random stroke of luck disaster did strike.

I Go nutters when I go out of town and my friend who i use to work with in a LFS watches my guys.. I call her everyday.. which she takes in stride. But then I also watch her pets when she goes out of town. It works well. But I still freak.

6yrs and I've yet to have anything catastrophic happen while gone, I know other people haven't been so lucky. So I always try and prepare for worst case scenarios.